What Are Signs It’s Time to Change Accountants?

For many business owners, the relationship with an accountant starts with good intentions — help with tax, compliance, and advice. But over time, circumstances change. Your business grows, expectations evolve, or the accountant’s service doesn’t quite fit anymore.

It’s not always easy to know when it’s the right time to move on. Changing accountants can feel like a big decision, but sometimes it’s necessary to ensure your business gets the support it needs.

Here are some clear signs it might be time to consider a change.

1. Missed Deadlines or Mistakes

One of the most serious red flags is missed tax deadlines, filings, or errors in your accounts. Late submissions can lead to HMRC penalties, interest, and unnecessary stress. Mistakes in your tax return, VAT submissions, or payroll can also cause serious issues.

If you’ve received fines or HMRC notices due to your accountant’s errors, it’s a strong indicator the service isn’t up to standard.

2. Poor Communication

Do you constantly have to chase your accountant for answers? Are your emails ignored for weeks? Poor communication is one of the most common frustrations. You shouldn’t be left in the dark about your finances.

Signs include:

• Long response times

• Vague or confusing answers

• Not keeping you updated on deadlines or requirements

• Difficulty booking a meeting when needed

Good communication is a basic expectation, not a luxury.

3. You Only Hear From Them Once a Year

If your accountant only gets in touch at year-end to do your accounts and tax return, that’s minimal service at best. A proactive accountant checks in throughout the year, offering advice, flagging changes in tax law, or helping with decisions.

A purely reactive service leaves you without the information or support to run the business effectively.

4. You Don’t Understand Your Numbers

An accountant’s job isn’t just to file forms — it’s to help you understand your financial position. If you consistently feel confused by your reports, don’t understand your cash flow, or have no clarity on tax liabilities, something is missing.

Your accountant should make the numbers make sense to you, even if you’re not “a numbers person.”

5. Lack of Proactive Advice

Tax is complicated. Business finances are full of decisions. A good accountant flags opportunities and risks, rather than waiting for you to ask.

Are they suggesting ways to reduce tax, improve cash flow, or structure your income efficiently? Or do they simply complete the basic compliance tasks and move on?

If it feels like you’re not getting advice unless you specifically ask — and even then, it’s minimal — it could be a sign to reconsider.

6. Fees Don’t Reflect the Service

Fees don’t always mean value. If you’re paying significant amounts but feel like you’re getting the bare minimum, that’s a concern. Equally, if fees are unclear, constantly changing, or you get unexpected bills, it’s frustrating and unprofessional.

A good accountant communicates fees transparently, and the service should feel proportionate to the cost.

7. They Don’t Understand Your Business

Every industry has quirks — from construction to e-commerce to hospitality. If your accountant doesn’t understand how your business works, it can lead to incorrect advice, missed tax opportunities, or errors in your accounts.

Signs of this include:

• You’re constantly explaining basic parts of your industry to them

• They give generic answers that don’t fit your situation

• You suspect they don’t handle many clients like you

An accountant should be a partner who understands your sector, not just a general number processor.

8. You’re Doing More Than You Should Be

Are you constantly uploading the same documents, fixing errors they should have caught, or chasing them for updates? If you find yourself doing much of the legwork your accountant should handle, it defeats the purpose of paying for professional support.

The right accountant should reduce your admin load — not increase it.

9. They Haven’t Kept Up With Technology

Accounting has moved rapidly toward cloud software, automation, and real-time reporting. If your accountant is still asking for paper records, doesn’t use cloud software, or can’t integrate with your systems, it creates friction and slows everything down.

Modern businesses need accountants who are up to date with technology — not stuck in the past.

10. Gut Feeling — You’ve Lost Trust

Sometimes it’s not one major problem but a build-up of small frustrations. If you constantly worry whether things are being done properly, dread contacting your accountant, or feel like they’re not on your side, trust has eroded.

A professional relationship built on doubt isn’t sustainable. Trust your instincts.

Common Scenarios That Trigger a Change:

• Your business has grown, and your current accountant feels too small or inexperienced to support it.

• You’ve outgrown a low-cost service that only handles basic compliance, but you now need more advice and planning.

• Communication has broken down after years of working together.

• You’ve received fines or HMRC penalties due to their mistakes or missed deadlines.

• They haven’t adapted to modern accounting tools like Xero, QuickBooks, or cloud reporting.

What Doesn’t Necessarily Mean You Should Leave:

• Fees increasing slightly. This can reflect more services, inflation, or additional complexity — but only if the value matches.

• A one-off mistake. Everyone makes errors, and a single small slip — if handled professionally and corrected quickly — doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a bad accountant.

• You simply “don’t like tax.” Disliking tax obligations isn’t a reflection on the accountant’s performance — it’s just part of business life!