Can I Change My Accountant Mid-Year? (Yes — and Here’s How It Works)

What Happens When You Change Accountant Mid-Year?

It’s a question many business owners ask, often quietly at first: “Can I change my accountant mid-year?” The short answer is yes and in most cases, it’s much easier than people expect.

The bigger question is usually why you’re thinking about it. Sometimes it’s because communication has slipped, deadlines are being missed or you’re not getting proactive advice. Other times it’s because your business has changed: you’ve grown, you’ve moved onto Xero, you’ve started hiring or you’ve moved from sole trader to limited company and you need more support.

A good accountant will be able to take over cleanly, even if you’re part way through a financial or tax year. Typically the handover involves your new accountant contacting your previous accountant (after authorisation has been provided from yourself to your old accountant) requesting professional clearance and transferring key information like your bookkeeping records, payroll details, VAT history and accounts. If you’re using cloud software, it can be even smoother because the data is already organised and accessible.

The only time switching becomes messy is when records aren’t up to date or the bookkeeping hasn’t been maintained properly. But even then, a good accountant will tell you exactly what needs fixing and help you get back on track quickly with new built in processes.

If you’re based in or near Epsom and you’re considering a switch it’s worth doing sooner rather than later. That way your new accountant has time to understand your business and plan ahead, rather than reacting to the situation rushing to meet deadlines.

If you’re thinking about changing accountant and Epsom is easily accessible for you can help take over the handover process making it as easy and straightforward for you as possible.

In summary:

Yes, you can change your accountant mid-year - it’s common and usually straightforward:

- Most switches happen due to poor communication, missed deadlines or a growing business needing more support

- A professional handover includes authorisation, clearance and transfer of records (accounts, VAT, payroll, bookkeeping)

- Cloud accounting software like Xero makes switching even smoother

- Even if records aren’t fully up to date, a good accountant can help fix issues and put better systems in place

- Switching sooner gives your new accountant time to understand your business and plan proactively

If you’re near Epsom, a local accountant can manage the entire handover process for you, keeping it simple and stress-free.