Why a simple handover can turn into a very expensive blame game.
As a business consultant, one of my most important jobs is connecting new business owners with trusted professionals. For a new company, a sharp, reliable accountant isn’t just “nice to have”, they are a critical partner for ensuring you’re compliant, efficient, and set up for success from day one.
I recommend Dougs. They are accountants I trust to handle this crucial setup period. Recently, however, I’ve seen a worrying pattern.
I’ve had two clients who, shortly after setting up their new company, decided to move from Dougs to accountants of their own choosing. Their reasons were their own, and as a business owner, that is 100% their right.
Unfortunately, in both cases, this decision led to significant problems that ended up costing them real money and causing huge stress.
After looking at what happened, I believe the reason was the same in both cases: a break in communication and, more importantly, a break in responsibility.
The “Responsibility Gap” and How You Fall In
When you’re with one accountant, they have a clear duty of care to manage all the complex, time-sensitive setup tasks.
But what happens when you change accountants mid-stream? A dangerous “responsibility gap” opens up:
Your Old Accountant: Their job is to complete their professional disengagement. They will pass your files to the new accountant. As far as they’re concerned, their responsibility for you has ended.
Your New Accountant: Their job is to take on your file from this point forward. They aren’t being paid to audit every single action your previous accountant took.
The problem is what falls into this gap.
What Can Go Wrong? Two Real-Life Examples
When I say “problems,” I’m not talking about small admin errors. I’m talking about fundamental, costly mistakes. Here are the real-life issues my clients faced:
1. The Unexpected URSSAF Bill
One client started withdrawing money from their new SASU as soon as it was set up and they had changed accountants – perfectly reasonable, you will think. However, SASU, a company structure that was completely new to them after years as a micro-entrepreneur, requires proper payslips with corresponding immediate URSSAF contributions.
Of course Dougs assumed the new accountant would deal with this. The new one took their time getting up to speed and still hadn’t spotted the withdrawals a number of months later.
The Result: Time went by, no URSSAF contributions were being paid. My client gradually started suspecting something was amiss and contacted me. Instead of a predictable, budgeted monthly payment, they were suddenly hit with a retrospective bill for all the back-payments at once, creating a cash-flow crisis.
2. Your Own Money, Blocked and Inaccessible
My second client was structuring their new company by transferring assets from a previous business. This should have been registered as a cession (a sale), which would have made the money from that sale accessible to them, tax-free.
Staying with Dougs for both set-up and cession would have been the smoothest path. Instead, they changed accountants just after set-up and the new accountant incorrectly registered this critical transaction as an apport (a contribution in kind).
The Devastating Result: Their money was legally blocked inside the new company, completely inaccessible for personal use. This single administrative error defeated the entire financial purpose of the move, leaving them unable to access their own capital.
The Blame Game (And You’re the Only Loser)
In both these cases, and any others like them, what happens next is predictable.
The New Accountant says: “If we’d been involved from the beginning, this never would’ve happened”
The Old Accountant says: “Our responsibility ended on [date], and we passed all the files. The new accountant is responsible for this.”
Who’s left stuck in the middle, facing the URSSAF bill and their money locked away?
You, the business owner.
This problem is most dangerous for new business owners, precisely because you are not expected to be an expert in accounting legalities. You’re busy building your business.
How could you know the difference between an apport and a cession? How would you know to check if your URSSAF account is set up correctly? You hire an accountant to handle this. But when you change, you are the only one who can ensure a crucial detail isn’t missed.
How to Protect Yourself
I am not writing this to tell you “never change your accountant.” You absolutely must have the right to choose the professionals you work with. I even made a video about it here.
However, I want you to be aware of the risks. If you are considering a change, especially in your first 1-2 years of business, you must be your own chief advocate.
Ask for a Status Report BEFORE You Leave. Before you even tell your old accountant you’re leaving, ask for a clear, written summary of your company’s current position. Get a list of all key deadlines, what has been filed, and what is still pending. (eg “Is the URSSAF registration complete and active?”)
Request a Setup Review. When you engage your new accountant, don’t just ask them to take over. Specifically ask them (and be prepared to pay a one-off fee) to conduct a full review of your company’s setup and compliance to date. This formally makes it their responsibility to flag up any areas of non conformity.
Understand Your Own Basics. You don’t need to be an accountant, but you must understand your core legal obligations. Know your filing deadlines. Know what TVA, and Corporation Tax are and when they are due. This knowledge is your best defense and is easily available in The ABC Business Club – I can’t wait to see you there!
Changing accountants isn’t like changing your electricity supplier. The lesson from my clients is clear: if you don’t understand all the details, a simple change can create a “blame game” where you are the only one who loses.