Terms of business.

Note: These general terms apply to all Finstem Accountants services. Where a specific letter of engagement has been issued and accepted, the terms of that engagement letter govern. In the event of any conflict between these general terms and a specific engagement letter, the engagement letter prevails.

1. About these terms

These terms govern the professional relationship between Finstem Ltd (company number 16803940), trading as Finstem Accountants (“Finstem”), and you (“the client”) when you engage Finstem’s accountancy, tax compliance or business advisory services. By engaging Finstem’s services, you agree to these terms.

2. Engagement and commencement

Services will not commence until both parties have agreed a letter of engagement (or you have accepted Finstem’s terms digitally during onboarding) and Finstem has completed its Customer Due Diligence (CDD) obligations under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017. The letter of engagement will set out the specific scope, fees and timelines for the services to be provided.

3. Finstem’s obligations

• Deliver services with reasonable skill and care, in accordance with applicable professional standards and the Code of Professional Ethics that applies to Finstem
• Maintain professional indemnity insurance appropriate to the services provided
• Keep your information confidential and secure
• Comply with all relevant UK legislation, including anti-money laundering regulations
• Respond to communications within one working day
• Provide clear, fixed pricing with no hidden charges
• Disclose any potential conflicts of interest and, where necessary, decline the engagement

4. Your obligations

• Provide accurate and complete information in a timely manner
• Respond to Finstem’s requests for information within a reasonable timeframe
• Notify Finstem promptly of any changes that may affect the services
• Pay invoices within 14 days of the invoice date
• Comply with your own legal and regulatory obligations
• Authorise Finstem to act as your agent with HMRC and other statutory bodies as required to deliver the agreed services (e.g. filing tax returns, responding to HMRC enquiries)

5. Fees and payment

Fees are agreed individually for each engagement and are set out in writing in your letter of engagement before any work begins. Monthly fees are invoiced on the 1st of each month and are payable by direct debit. Fees are quoted exclusive of VAT where VAT applies.

The Companies House confirmation statement filing fee is included in your monthly fee at no additional charge. Other Companies House filing fees (e.g. change of director, share allotment) are passed through at cost with no markup. For details of what your fee covers, contact Finstem at huw@finstem.co.uk.

Excluded from all engagements: any penalties, fines, surcharges or interest imposed by HMRC, Companies House or any other regulatory body are the personal responsibility of the director(s) and are not included in Finstem’s fees. This includes late filing penalties, late payment interest, estimated tax determinations and any amounts accrued prior to engagement. Bookkeeping catch-up for periods prior to engagement is quoted separately.

6. Minimum term and renewal

• All monthly engagements have a 12-month minimum commitment
• After the minimum term, engagements continue on a rolling monthly basis and can be cancelled with 30 days’ written notice
• Early cancellation within the minimum term remains liable for all outstanding fees due for the remainder of the 12-month period
• Engagements automatically renew at the end of each 12-month period. Finstem will send a renewal reminder at least 30 days before the anniversary
• Finstem may adjust fees at renewal by giving you at least 30 days’ written notice before the start of your next 12-month period. If you do not wish to continue at the revised fee, you may cancel before the renewal date in accordance with this section

7. Scope of services

The specific scope of work will be agreed in writing before Finstem begins (see section 2). Any work outside the agreed scope will be discussed and quoted separately before Finstem proceeds.

8. Limitations

Finstem provides tax compliance and planning advice within the scope of accountancy services. Finstem does not provide legal or investment advice. For specialist matters outside the scope of accountancy, Finstem will recommend appropriate professionals.

9. Client money

Finstem does not hold client money. All payments to HMRC, Companies House or other bodies are made directly by you, or on your behalf using your own payment methods. Finstem will never request your bank or payment card details.

10. Confidentiality

All information you share with Finstem is treated as strictly confidential. Finstem will not disclose your information to third parties except where required by law or regulation, or with your explicit consent.

11. Electronic communications

As a remote-first practice, Finstem delivers its services primarily via email, video call and cloud-based platforms. By engaging Finstem’s services, you consent to communication via these channels and acknowledge the inherent risks of electronic communication, including (but not limited to) interception or misdirection. Finstem takes reasonable steps to secure all communications, including encrypted channels where available.

12. Intellectual property

• All working papers, internal notes and proprietary methodologies remain the property of Finstem Accountants
• All deliverables (reports, financial models, dashboards, tax returns) become your property upon payment of the relevant fees in full

13. Third-party reliance

Finstem’s reports and deliverables are prepared solely for your use and for the purposes set out in the letter of engagement. They may not be relied upon by third parties (including banks, investors or other advisers) without Finstem’s prior written consent. Finstem accepts no liability to any third party who relies on its work without such consent.

14. Anti-money laundering

As a licensed practice, Finstem is subject to the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017. Finstem is required to verify your identity before providing services and to report any suspicious activity to the National Crime Agency. Finstem is prohibited by law from informing you if such a report is made (the “tipping off” offence under section 333A of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002).

15. Conflicts of interest

In accordance with its Code of Professional Ethics, Finstem will identify and evaluate any potential conflicts of interest before accepting an engagement. Where a conflict exists or arises during an engagement, Finstem will disclose this to you and, where necessary, decline or withdraw from the engagement.

16. Termination and cancellation

• All monthly engagements are subject to the minimum term set out in section 6
• After the minimum term, either party may terminate the engagement by giving 30 days’ written notice
• Cancellation requires 30 days’ written notice before the renewal date
• On termination, all outstanding fees become immediately payable
• Finstem will return all client documents and provide reasonable assistance with handover to a new accountant

17. Force majeure

Neither party shall be liable for any delay or failure to perform obligations under these terms where such delay or failure results from circumstances beyond reasonable control, including (but not limited to) natural disaster, pandemic, government action, failure of third-party systems (e.g. HMRC, accountancy software providers, banking platforms), power failure or internet outage. The affected party will notify the other as soon as reasonably practicable and resume performance when the circumstances have ceased.

18. Liability

Finstem’s liability for any claim arising out of or in connection with its services is limited as set out in your specific engagement letter. Where no engagement letter is in place, Finstem’s aggregate liability shall not exceed the total fees paid by you in the 12 months preceding the claim. Finstem maintains professional indemnity insurance to protect against claims arising from its professional services. Nothing in these terms limits Finstem’s liability for death or personal injury caused by its negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.

19. Complaints

If you are dissatisfied with Finstem’s services:

• Contact Finstem at huw@finstem.co.uk setting out your concerns
• Finstem will acknowledge your complaint within 2 business days
• Finstem will investigate and provide a written response within 10 business days
• If the matter remains unresolved, it will be reviewed by the firm’s principal (Huw Davies)
• If you remain dissatisfied, you may refer the complaint to the AAT at aat.org.uk or by writing to: Association of Accounting Technicians, 30 Churchill Place, London E14 5RE

20. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any disputes arising from or in connection with these terms.

See also the Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.