Frequently Asked Questions

1. The Initial Meeting

Is the initial meeting free?

Yes. There is no charge for the first meeting.

Do I need to prepare anything before the meeting?

No. If you already have documents or summaries, that helps. If not, just tell me what you know. Once I understand the outline, I can tell you what is needed.

How long does the meeting last?

It varies. I usually allow up to an hour, although many meetings take less time. You do not need to plan around a fixed duration, we cover what is relevant and stop when we have what we need.

Is the meeting remote or face-to-face?

Most meetings are by telephone or video call, simply because it is convenient for clients. If you prefer to meet in person, I can host at my office in East Dulwich.

What happens during the meeting?

We go through your situation, establish scope, and make sure we are talking about the same set of responsibilities. Once that is clear, I give you a verbal estimate and explain what is included in the service. At the end I outline the next steps and what information I will need.

Can I have a same-day meeting?

Often yes. If you call, it is not unusual to be offered a slot the same day depending on availability.

2. What Happens After the Meeting

What are the next steps?

After the meeting, I send a follow-up email requesting ID documents (proof of address and photo ID). I then upload an engagement letter and a written estimate of the fee to the secure portal for your approval. Once accepted, you are added to the reminder system and we move into the information-gathering stage.

Do I have to chase anything myself?

No. You will receive reminders about what is due, what to send, what tax is payable, and by which dates. It is part of the service and one of the main reasons clients stay with Coman & Co.

Is it confidential?

Yes. Everything you provide is handled in confidence. Nothing you say needs to be perfect or polished, it simply needs to be accurate enough to understand the position.

3. Fees and Estimates

Do you offer fixed fees?

Yes. Most of my work is on a fixed-fee basis, and the minimum fees are published on the website.

Do you give an estimate in the meeting?

Yes. Once the scope is clear, I give a verbal estimate straight away. I then follow up with a written estimate for approval. Provided the scope has not changed, I honour the estimate.

Do you need to review my documents before quoting?

Not usually. After fifteen years in practice, I can estimate most cases once I understand the outline. If something unexpected emerges later, we can adjust, but it is rare.

What determines the fee?

The fee is based on the number of elements in the tax return. Rental schedules, self-employment, capital gains calculations, RSU/share-scheme events and multi-year returns all add to the base fee. Each element is priced in a predictable way so you know what to expect.

Are questions included?

Yes. Clarification questions are part of the service. If a query leads to new work beyond the original scope, I will tell you before proceeding.

Are follow-ups included?

Yes. You can request up to two adjustments to your document without charge. Common examples include a tax return, year-end accounts, a disclosure, an accountant’s reference or a letter of advice. Additional adjustments are £85 each.

Do you charge extra for chasing or gathering documents?

No. Routine administration, reminders and basic HMRC correspondence are all included.

Do you charge extra if the job becomes more complicated?

Only if something emerges that was not known at the time of the estimate. Most year-to-year fees stay the same unless something has changed or inflation adjustments are required.

4. Communication and Expectations

How should I communicate once I am a client?

Email is best; it keeps everything in writing and ensures queries are answered in the order they arrive. Phone calls are fine when needed, but most matters are resolved more efficiently by email. For urgent deadline reminders, I may use text or WhatsApp.

How quickly do you respond?

I usually reply within a few days, and often much sooner. Some matters that require detailed thought may take longer, depending on workload. Routine acknowledgements are normally same day.

Are phone calls allowed?

Yes, when needed. They are not encouraged or discouraged — clients tend to use them sparingly. Out-of-hours calls do not reach the office.

Will I receive reminders?

Yes. The reminder system is robust. You will be told what is due, what needs to be sent, what tax is payable, and by which dates. Many clients consider this the most valuable part of the service.

5. Complex or Less Straightforward Situations

What if there are gaps, uncertainties or past issues?

Once I understand the outline, we establish what is required. Most situations resolve into a clear set of steps once the facts are known. It is not unusual for people to be unsure about what happened in earlier years or to have questions about what should have been reported. The task is simply to determine the position and deal with it properly.

How do you approach past errors or omissions?

The approach is procedural rather than judgemental. If something needs to be corrected, we identify it and handle it in the normal way. The process is structured, familiar and based on what HMRC expects. Once the position is clarified, the route forward is usually straightforward.

6. Acting for Spouses, Partners, and Households

Can you act for both me and my spouse/partner?

Yes, if both parties consent. In many cases this is efficient, especially where income or property is shared.

Do you offer discounts for couples?

Yes, where there is genuine overlap in the work, for example, jointly owned rental property. The discount reflects the reduced duplication, not an attempt to secure extra work.

Do you ever decline to act for both partners?

If a divorce has begun and the situation is amicable, I can continue to act for both. If it becomes contentious, I would step back from both to avoid any conflict of interest.

Do we need separate engagement letters?

It depends. Some couples prefer a combined engagement; others prefer separate documents. Each taxpayer has their own internal file for HMRC purposes, but you can coordinate communication however you prefer.

7. Eligibility and Scope

Do you take on complex cases?

Yes. Residency splits, non-resident positions, share-scheme events, multi-year returns and properties with mixed ownership are all routine.

Do you take on clients with overseas income or assets?

Yes. UK tax compliance often involves foreign income and we deal with these regularly, provided the work does not require foreign tax calculations outside the UK system.

Do you take on straightforward cases as well?

Yes. Many clients simply want their annual return handled reliably.

Do you take on bookkeeping or payroll?

Only as part of a wider relationship that includes the personal or company tax work. We do not offer bookkeeping or payroll as stand-alone services.

Do you deal with every type of tax?

No. I do not deal with stamp duty land tax, inheritance tax compliance, benefit calculations, council tax matters, or foreign tax computations.

8. Information and Practicalities

What information do you actually need from me?

Clients often ask what is relevant and what is not. The simplest approach is to tell me what you know about the income, property or transactions in question, and I will guide you on what is required. There is no need to provide a personal narrative, just the facts that relate to the tax position. I will tell you if anything is missing.

9. Onboarding, Commitment and Switching

At what point am I committed to using Coman & Co?

The initial meeting is free and without obligation. After the meeting, an estimate and engagement letter are uploaded to your secure folder; you will receive a couple of reminders, and after that the folder is archived if left unapproved. Many clients take time to decide, sometimes weeks or even months, and it is entirely fine to return later. The estimate can be retrieved without needing another meeting.

Approving the estimate and engagement letter adds you to the reminder system, but it does not oblige you beyond the work you ask to be carried out. You are only committed once you have provided information for work to begin.

If you already have an accountant who is part-way through your year-end work, or if you have already prepaid through a monthly fee arrangement, I will often suggest completing that year with them first. Some clients come to us after finishing a year elsewhere; others return after a period away. It is a normal part of public practice, and the choice of accountant rests entirely with the client.

If you do not need an accountant for something, I will say so. It is better to be clear than to create unnecessary work. My role is to explain the position and set out the route, you decide whether and when to proceed.

Closing Note

This FAQ addresses the questions that arise most often when someone is considering engaging an accountant. The process itself is usually straightforward once the facts are known, and an estimate is given at the meeting and confirmed in writing afterwards.

You can read more about how clients have found the process in the independently verified reviews here: https://comanandco.co.uk/reviews