Having worked in Lymington for my entire career in accountancy after initial training in banking with Midland Bank Ltd. (now HSBC) I feel well placed after over 18 years as a sole-practitioner to recognise the needs of my clients.

With H.M. Revenue and Customs now applying new rules to dishonest accountants and ever increasingly stringent penalties and responsibilities it is important to have quality work and understanding applied to assignments which is backed by the assurance of a professional body.

Membership of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) provides this assurance which may be lacking in the practices of unqualified accountants.

A good working relationship with and understanding the mindset of H.M. Revenue and Customs is essential to anticipate potential problem areas. The approach of the practice is to not leave things to chance but to prepare the groundwork for responding to the inevitable random enquiry, all within a competitive fee structure.

A recent assignment achieved praise from H.M. Revenue and Customs Value Added Tax department. It was considered ”insulting” to carry out a planned inspection on client business records in view of the depth of work and clarity of presentation the practice had achieved in making submissions to the department.

To ensure a full service provision the practice has developed working relationships with a wide range of other local professionals including mortgage advisors, administration and bookkeeping service providers, international translators and website designers. The practice also has access to the services of other financial advisors dealing with investments, pensions and commercial finance funding.

Peter Simpson actively participates in 4Networking and is a member of the Lymington and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry .