Rothstone Accountants is regulated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and complies with its regulations, byelaws, and Code of Ethics.
We act in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and professional standards. Where authorised, you grant us authority to liaise with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on your behalf and to correct errors where identified.
We are not liable for any loss arising directly from compliance with statutory or regulatory obligations.
Details of our professional registrations and statutory information are available upon request.
We maintain professional indemnity insurance in accordance with ICAEW requirements. Details of our insurer and cover are available on request.
Where we hold money on your behalf:
Funds will be held in a segregated client bank account
Accounts are operated in accordance with ICAEW Client Money Regulations
Interest will only be paid where the amount earned exceeds £25 per calendar year, unless funds are held in a designated client account.
We are not responsible for losses arising from banking failures. Protection may be available under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), subject to eligibility and limits.
Unclaimed balances may be donated to charity after reasonable efforts to contact you and after at least five years.
Fees are based on:
Time spent
Level of skill and responsibility
Complexity of work
Any fee estimate is provided in good faith and is not a fixed quotation.
Invoices are payable on presentation unless otherwise stated
VAT is added where applicable
You must notify us within 21 days if you dispute an invoice
We reserve the right to:
Charge interest on overdue invoices
Suspend or terminate services for non-payment
Recover reasonable costs incurred in debt recovery
Exercise a lien over documents and records until payment is made
Monthly payment plans may be agreed and are not regulated credit agreements.
Rothstone Accountants is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). However, as an ICAEW DPB-licensed firm, we may provide limited investment services that are incidental to our professional work.
Where FCA-authorised advice is required, we will refer you to an appropriately authorised third party.
Compensation may be available under the Chartered Accountants’ Compensation Scheme for exempt regulated activities.
Where commissions or other benefits arise from arrangements made on your behalf:
Full disclosure will be provided
Your written consent will be obtained before retention
This complies with ICAEW DPB disclosure requirements.
You are responsible for retaining your records. We may retain copies in line with legal and regulatory requirements.
Typical retention periods:
Individuals & partnerships: up to 5 years and 10 months
Companies & LLPs: 6 years
We may securely destroy records older than seven years unless otherwise agreed.
We may act for other clients whose interests differ from or conflict with yours, subject to professional and confidentiality safeguards.
Where conflicts cannot be managed appropriately, we may decline or cease to act.
All information provided by you is treated as confidential unless disclosure is required by law, regulation, or professional obligation.
Reports and advice are provided solely for your use unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing. We accept no responsibility to third parties unless a duty of care is explicitly agreed.
Our work may be subject to internal or external quality reviews, including ICAEW Practice Assurance reviews.
When acting for you with HMRC:
We must act honestly and with reasonable care
You must provide complete and accurate information promptly
If you are dissatisfied with our service, please raise this with your usual contact or email complaints@rothstone.uk.
We will acknowledge complaints within 5 business days and aim to resolve them within 8 weeks.
If unresolved, you may refer the matter to ICAEW.
Either party may terminate the engagement by giving 21 days’ written notice, unless immediate termination is required due to non-cooperation, legal obligations, or regulatory concerns.
On termination, outstanding fees remain payable.
These terms are governed by English law, and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction.
Advice is based on laws and regulations in force at the time given. We are not obliged to update advice unless expressly agreed.
Oral advice must be confirmed in writing to be relied upon.
We may communicate by email or electronic means unless instructed otherwise. We accept no responsibility for data corruption or unauthorised interception once messages are sent.
We are required by law to:
Verify identities
Maintain AML records
Report suspicious activity to the National Crime Agency
We cannot proceed without satisfactory identification evidence.
We act as either data controller or data processor, depending on the service.
Personal data is processed in accordance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Further details are set out in our Privacy Policy and applicable Data Processing Agreements.
We will provide services with reasonable care and skill.
To the fullest extent permitted by law:
Our liability is limited to losses caused by our negligence
We are not liable for losses caused by incomplete or inaccurate information provided by you
We accept no liability for indirect or consequential losses
Nothing limits liability for death, personal injury, or fraud.
All intellectual property rights in documents we create remain ours unless otherwise agreed.
You may not use our name or materials for third-party purposes without written consent.
Unless expressly agreed, we do not provide advice on environmental, health, or safety matters.
If any provision is found unenforceable, the remainder of the agreement remains valid.
Our client is the entity itself, not individual stakeholders. Where disputes arise, we may suspend or cease acting.
Any merger or restructuring will not invalidate this agreement. Engagements may transfer to a successor firm on equivalent terms.
