Switching
Switching accountants as a limited company: what to know
Moving firms as a limited company is straightforward, but there are a few extra records and filings to hand over cleanly. Here's the checklist.
Switching accountants when you run a limited company follows the same simple path as any other switch, but there are a few company-specific pieces to hand over. Get these right and the changeover is seamless.
The process is the same
You choose a new firm, they request professional clearance from your old one, your records are handed over, and you authorise them with HMRC and Companies House. Your new accountant leads it, just as with a sole trader.
The extra records to make sure you get
- Statutory accounts and corporation tax (CT600) returns for recent years
- Your company's tax reference (UTR) and Companies House authentication code
- The company register, share information and any dividend vouchers
- Director's payroll and any director's loan account records
- VAT and bookkeeping data up to the handover date
Two authorisations, not one
As a company you may want your new accountant authorised for both HMRC (corporation tax, VAT, PAYE) and, if they file for you, Companies House. It's routine, but worth confirming so nothing falls between the two.
Don't miss a filing in the gap
The one risk in any company switch is a deadline slipping through during the handover, a confirmation statement or accounts due to Companies House, say. A good new firm maps your filing dates on day one so nothing is missed. If yours doesn't mention them, ask.
A cleaner set of numbers on the way in
Switching is also a natural moment to tidy up: agree your chart of accounts, get your bookkeeping onto software both you and the firm can see, and set expectations for management figures through the year.
If you'd like a firm that handles limited company accounts properly and actually advises you through the year, take the free review and we'll match you with the right local option.
