7 signs it’s time to change your accountant
The clearest signs you’ve outgrown your accountant are: you only hear from them once a year, replies are slow or vague, fees keep creeping up without more value, they react to deadlines instead of planning ahead, they’ve missed a deadline, they don’t really understand your business, and they never suggest ways to save tax or grow. If two or three of these ring true, it’s worth switching, and it’s easier than you’d think.
Reviewed July 2026. General guidance. Check specifics with your accountant.
The seven signs
1. You only hear from them once a year, and always to ask for paperwork. If your accountant surfaces about as often as a cat at dinner time, you’re paying for filing, not advice. A good one checks in before you have to chase.
2. Replies are slow or unclear. Waiting days for an answer (or getting jargon instead of a plain one) costs you time and confidence.
3. Fees keep rising without more value. Price rises are fine when the service grows with them. Creeping fees for the same once-a-year job aren’t.
4. They’re reactive, not proactive. A good accountant tells you what’s coming and what to do about it, rather than just reporting what already happened.
5. Deadlines slip. A single missed VAT return, payroll submission or filing deadline is a serious red flag: the penalties land on you.
6. They don’t understand your business. Generic advice that ignores how you actually make money means missed opportunities and avoidable tax.
7. They never mention saving tax or growing. If no one has ever suggested a more efficient salary-and-dividend split, a better software setup, or a tax-planning idea, you’re leaving money on the table. We’ve met directors who were paying themselves in a way that cost them thousands a year, purely because no one had ever looked.
What good actually looks like
The opposite of all seven: proactive contact through the year, quick plain-English answers, fixed and predictable fees, deadlines handled ahead of time, real understanding of your business, and regular ideas to reduce tax and grow. That’s the standard worth holding your accountant to.
What to do next
If several signs apply, don’t sit on it. Switching is straightforward and your new accountant does most of the work. A quick conversation is usually enough to know whether a move is right.
Recognise a few of these? See how easy switching is, or take our 2-minute quiz to see the right level of support.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about knowing when to move.
Is it worth changing accountants over fees alone?+
Sometimes, but look at value, not just price. Rising fees for the same once-a-year service is a fair reason to move; fair fees for proactive, responsive support usually aren’t.
My accountant is fine but slow to reply. Should I switch?+
Slow replies are one of the most common reasons people move. If it’s affecting decisions or your peace of mind, it’s a valid reason to look elsewhere.
How do I know a new accountant will actually be better?+
Ask how often they’ll contact you, their typical response time, whether fees are fixed, and how they’ll help you save tax, not just file it. Clear answers tell you a lot.
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