Switch Accountants
Move to Heartlands in 14 days.
Most business owners stay with an accountant they have outgrown because they think switching is painful. It isn't — at least not when we manage it. Heartlands has a 14-day switching process refined over hundreds of moves: professional clearance with your existing accountant, complete handover of historical records, HMRC agent authority transfer, accounting software access, and a full onboarding workshop so we start adding value from week one. There is no transition fee, no overlap billing, and no risk of dropped deadlines. If communication has dried up, fees keep creeping, advice is reactive instead of proactive, or you simply suspect you are paying for compliance and getting nothing else — it is time. Our team makes the move quiet, quick and confidential.
What this service does
Switching accountants in the UK is governed by professional clearance protocols defined by the ICAEW, ACCA and other professional bodies. Once you appoint Heartlands we write to your outgoing accountant, request handover information (last accounts, trial balance, tax computations, payroll history, working papers and Companies House / HMRC credentials), and follow up if there is any delay. We then file the relevant HMRC authority forms (64-8 for tax, agent codes for PAYE and VAT), take over the accounting software subscription or migrate to a more suitable platform, and run an onboarding workshop with you so we understand the business properly. Most clients are fully transitioned within 14 working days.
- Move to a partner-led, proactive accountant with zero disruption
- Recover overpaid tax, missed reliefs and accounting errors from prior years
- Consolidate compliance, payroll, VAT and advisory in one place
- Replace hourly billing with transparent fixed monthly fees
- Removes the friction (and conversation) of leaving the previous firm
- Identifies historical issues and refund opportunities during onboarding review
- Brings cloud accounting, MTD readiness and modern workflows in one move
- Re-establishes a direct partner relationship instead of revolving-door juniors
Service capabilities
The measurable upside
We do the work — your only commitment is a 60-minute kick-off call and signing a couple of authority forms.
Free historical review routinely uncovers tax refunds, missed reliefs or accounting errors worth multiples of the first-year fee.
All historical records transferred via encrypted exchange and stored in your client portal indefinitely.
Deadline calendar built day one; no risk of dropped filings during transition because we own both sides of the handover.
Cloud accounting set up to the standard we use for every client — clean chart of accounts, MTD-ready, reporting-friendly.
Sectors we work with
What sets Heartlands apart
Chartered partners with 15+ years across UK SMEs, owner-managed businesses and scaling startups.
ICAEW, ACCA and CTA qualified specialists handling every engagement end-to-end.
From onboarding and software setup to filing, reporting and HMRC representation — one accountable team.
Birmingham-based with a direct line to your partner. No call centres, no offshoring, no surprises.
We train your team on Xero, QuickBooks and reporting workflows, then keep the system healthy month after month.
How we deliver, end-to-end
- 01ConsultationA free 30-minute scoping call to understand goals, structure, deadlines and pain points.
- 02AssessmentWe audit your books, filings and software stack to surface risks and quick wins before quoting.
- 03PlanningA written engagement plan: scope, deliverables, deadlines and a fixed monthly fee — no hourly billing.
- 04ImplementationSoftware configured, ledgers migrated, controls set up and the team onboarded with zero downtime.
- 05TestingReconciliations, trial runs and sign-off on the first month's outputs before going live.
- 06TrainingHands-on training for your team plus written SOPs so the process is sustainable, not dependent on us.
- 07Ongoing supportContinuous filing, monthly reviews, unlimited email support and proactive deadline management.
Frequently asked questions
What our clients say
Heartlands turned our switch accountants from a year-end headache into a quiet, predictable process. Their partner-led approach is the difference.
Switched from a high-street firm and immediately recovered tax we didn't know we'd overpaid. Communication is faster, advice is sharper.
Genuinely proactive — they call us before deadlines, not the other way round. Fixed fees, no surprises and our books have never been cleaner.
Ready to talk about switch accountants?
A free 30-minute scoping call with a chartered partner. No obligation, no sales pitch — just clear answers and a fixed quote if it's a fit.