TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS
1. Applicable Law
Our terms and conditions of business are governed by, and should be construed in accordance with English law. Each party agrees that the courts of England will have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any claim, dispute or difference concerning this engagement letter and any matter arising from it. Each party irrevocably waives any right to object to any action being brought in those Courts, to claim that the action has been brought in an inappropriate forum, or to claim that those Courts do not have jurisdiction.
2. Scope of services
We have listed below the work which you have instructed us to carry out. This states your and our responsibilities in relation to the work to be carried out. If we agree to carry out additional services for you, we will provide you with an engagement letter. Only the services which are listed below are included within the scope of our instructions. If there is additional work that you wish us to carry out which is not listed below, please let us know and we will discuss this with you.
Recurring compliance work
a. We will prepare your self assessment tax returns together with any supplementary pages required from the information and explanations that you provide to us. After obtaining your approval and confirmation that you have signed the declaration on the return, we will submit your returns to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) subject to settlement of our fees unless otherwise agreed.
b. We will calculate your income tax, national insurance contributions (NIC) and any capital gains tax liabilities and tell you how much you should pay and when. We will advise on the interest, penalty and surcharge implications if tax or NIC is paid late.
3. Ad hoc and advisory work
Where you have instructed us to do so, we will also provide such other taxation ad hoc and advisory services as may be agreed between us from time to time. These may be the subject of a separate engagement letter at our option. Where appropriate we will discuss and agree an additional fee for such work when it is commissioned by you. Examples of such work include:
· Advising on ad hoc transactions, preparing additional supplementary pages to your tax return and calculating any related liabilities;
· Checking the liability due to HMRC or advising on HMRC statements of account.
· Advising on copies of notices of assessment, letters and other communications received from HMRC. Although HMRC have the authority to communicate with us if form 64-8 has been signed and submitted it is essential that you let us have copies of any correspondence received because HMRC are not obliged to send us copies of all communications issued to you.
· Dealing with any enquiry opened into your tax return by HMRC;
· Preparing any amended returns which may be required and corresponding with HMRC as necessary; and
Where specialist advice is required on occasions we may need to seek this from or refer you to appropriate specialists.
4. Changes in the law
We will not accept responsibility if you act on advice given by us on an earlier occasion without first confirming with us that the advice is still valid in the light of any change in the law or your circumstances. We will accept no liability for losses arising from changes in the law or the interpretation thereof that are first published after the date on which the advice is given.
5. Your responsibilities
You are legally responsible for:
a) Ensuring that your self assessment tax returns are correct and complete;
b) Filing any returns by the due date; and
c) Making payment of tax on time.
Failure to do this may lead to automatic penalties, surcharges and/or interest.
Taxpayers who sign their returns cannot delegate this legal responsibility to others. You agree to check that returns that we have prepared for you are complete before you approve and sign them.
To enable us to carry out our work you agree:
a) That all returns are to be made on the basis of full disclosure of all sources of income, charges, allowances and capital transactions;
b) To provide full information necessary for dealing with your affairs: we will rely on the information and documents being true, correct and complete and will not audit the information or those documents;
c) To authorise us to approach such third parties as may be appropriate for information that we consider necessary to deal with your affairs; and
d) To provide us with information in sufficient time for your tax return to be completed and submitted by the due date.
You will keep us informed of material changes in your circumstances that could affect your tax liability. If you are unsure whether the change is material or not please let us know so that we can assess the significance.
6. Client identification
As with other professional services firms, we are required to identify our clients for the purposes of the UK anti-money laundering legislation. We may request from you, and retain, such information and documentation as we require for these purposes and/or make searches of appropriate databases.
7. Help us give you the best service
If, at any time you would like to discuss with us how our service to you could be improved or if you are dissatisfied with the service you are receiving, please let us know by contacting Johanne Clarke (Tel:
07752 833 148 ).
We undertake to look into any complaint carefully and promptly and to do all we can to explain the position to you. If we do not answer your complaint to your satisfaction you may, of course, take up the matter with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
8. Confidentiality
Communication between us is confidential and we shall take all reasonable steps to keep confidential your information except where we are required to disclose it by law, by regulatory bodies, by our insurers or as part of an external peer review. Unless we are authorised by you to disclose information on your behalf this undertaking will apply during and after this engagement.
We may, on occasions, subcontract work on your affairs to other tax or accounting professionals. The subcontractors will be bound by our client confidentiality terms.
We reserve the right, for the purpose of promotional activity, training or for other business purpose, to mention that you are a client. As stated above we will not disclose any confidential information.
9. Conflicts of interest
We will inform you if we become aware of any conflict of interest in our relationship with you or in our relationship with you and another client. Where conflicts are identified which cannot be managed in a way that protects your interests then we regret that we will be unable to provide further services.
If there is a conflict of interest that is capable of being addressed successfully by the adoption of suitable safeguards to protect your interests then we will adopt those safeguards. Where possible this will be done on the basis of your informed consent. We reserve the right to act for other clients whose interests are not the same as or are adverse to yours subject of course to the obligations of confidentiality referred to above.
10. Data Protection
We confirm that we will comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 when processing personal data about you and your family. In order to carry out the services of this engagement and for related purposes such as updating and enhancing our client records, analysis for management purposes and statutory returns, legal and regulatory compliance and crime prevention we may obtain, process, use and disclose personal data about you.
11. Disengagement
Should we resign or be requested to resign we will normally issue a disengagement e-mail to ensure that our respective responsibilities are clear.
12. Electronic and other communication
Unless you instruct us otherwise we may, where appropriate, communicate with you and with third parties via email or by other electronic means. The recipient is responsible for virus checking emails and any attachments.
With electronic communication there is a risk of non-receipt, delayed receipt, inadvertent misdirection or interception by third parties. We use virus-scanning software to reduce the risk of viruses and similar damaging items being transmitted through emails or electronic storage devices. However electronic communication is not totally secure and we cannot be held responsible for damage or loss caused by viruses nor for communications which are corrupted or altered after despatch. Nor can we accept any liability for problems or accidental errors relating to this means of communication especially in relation to commercially sensitive material. These are risks you must bear in return for greater efficiency and lower costs. If you do not wish to accept these risks please let us know and we will communicate by paper mail, other than where electronic submission is mandatory.
Any communication by us with you sent through the post system is deemed to arrive at your postal address two working days after the day that the document was sent.
13. Fees and payment terms
We have agreed a fixed fee for the preparation of your tax return which will be shown on our request for information. Any other additional work will be charged at our normal charge out rates.
It is not our practice to identify fixed fees for more than a year ahead as such fee quotes need to be reviewed in the light of events. If it becomes apparent to us, due to unforeseen circumstances, that a fee quote is inadequate, we reserve the right to notify you of a revised figure or range and to seek your agreement thereto.
In some cases, you may be entitled to assistance with your professional fees, particularly in relation to any investigation into your tax affairs by HMRC. Assistance may be provided through insurance policies you hold or via membership of a professional or trade body. You will need to advise us of any such insurance cover that you have. You will remain liable for our fees regardless of whether all or part are liable to be paid by your insurers.
Our invoices will be due for payment upon presentation and we reserve the right to withhold the filing of a return or other information until our fee has been settled.
We reserve the right to charge interest on late paid invoices at the rate of 5% above bank base rates under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. We also reserve the right to suspend our services or to cease to act for you on giving written notice if payment of any fees is unduly delayed. We intend to exercise these rights only where it is fair and reasonable to do so.
If you do not accept that an invoiced fee is fair and reasonable you must notify us within 21 days of receipt, failing which you will be deemed to have accepted that payment is due.
If our invoice remains outstanding for more than 21 days we reserve the right to charge additional fees of £25 per telephone call, e-mail or other correspondence in connection with pursuing the outstanding debt.
14. Intellectual property rights
We will retain all copyright in any document prepared by us during the course of carrying out the engagement save where the law specifically provides otherwise.
15. Interpretation
If any provision of these Terms and Conditions of Business is held to be void, then that provision will be deemed not to form part of this contract.
16. Investment advice (including insurance mediation services)
We are not registered and do not give investment advice which is regulated under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
17. Lien
Insofar as we are permitted to so by law or professional guidelines, we reserve the right to exercise a lien over all funds, documents and records in our possession relating to all engagements for you until all outstanding fees and disbursements are paid in full.
18. Limitation of liability
We will provide our services with reasonable care and skill. Our liability to you is limited to losses, damages, costs and expenses caused by our negligence or wilful default.
You will not hold us or our staff, responsible, to the fullest extent permitted by law, for any loss suffered by you arising from any misrepresentation (intentional or unintentional) supplied to us orally or in writing in connection with this agreement. You have agreed that you will not bring any claim in connection with services we provide to you against any of our employees personally.
Exclusion of liability for loss caused by others
We will not be liable if such losses, penalties, surcharges, interest or additional tax liabilities are due to the acts or omissions of any other person or due to the provision to us of incomplete, misleading or false information or if they are due to a failure to act on our advice or a failure to provide us with relevant information.
Exclusion of liability in relation to circumstances beyond our control
We will not be liable to you for any delay or failure to perform our obligations under this engagement letter if the delay or failure is caused by circumstances outside our reasonable control.
Exclusion of liability relating to the discovery of fraud etc
We will not be responsible or liable for any loss, damage or expense incurred or sustained if information material to the service we are providing is withheld or concealed from us or misrepresented to us. This applies equally to fraudulent acts, misrepresentation or wilful default on the part of any party to the transaction and their directors, officers, employees, agents or advisers.
This exclusion shall not apply where such misrepresentation, withholding or concealment is or should (in carrying out the procedures which we have agreed to perform with reasonable care and skill) have been evident to us without further enquiry.
Indemnity for unauthorised disclosure
You agree to indemnify us and our agents in respect of any claim (including any claim for negligence) arising out of any unauthorised disclosure by you or by any person for whom you are responsible of our advice and opinions, whether in writing or otherwise. This indemnity will extend to the cost of defending any such claim, including payment at our usual rates for the time that we spend in defending it.
Limitation of aggregate liability
The maximum aggregate liability of this company, its agents and employees to all persons to whom the engagement letter is addressed and also any other person that we have agreed with you may rely on our work will be £15,000. By confirming your agreement with the Terms and Conditions of Business, you agree that you have given proper consideration to this limit and accept that it is reasonable in all the circumstances. If you do not wish to accept it you should contact us to discuss it before agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of Business.
19. Limitation of Third Party rights
The advice and information we provide to you as part of our service is for your sole use and not for any third party to whom you may communicate it unless we have expressly agreed that a specified third party may rely on our work. We accept no responsibility to third parties for any advice, information or material produced as part of our work for you which you make available to them. A party to this agreement is the only person who has the right under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce any of its terms.
20. Period of engagement and termination
Unless otherwise agreed, our work will begin when we receive your implicit or explicit acceptance of these Terms and Conditions of Business. We will not be responsible for periods before that date.
Each of us may terminate this agreement by giving not less than 21 days notice in writing to the other party except where you fail to cooperate with us or we have reason to believe that you have provided us or HMRC with misleading information, in which case we may terminate this agreement immediately. Termination will be without prejudice to any rights that may have accrued to either of us prior to termination.
In the event of termination of this contract, we will endeavour to agree with you the arrangements for the completion of work in progress at that time, unless we are required for legal or regulatory reasons to cease work immediately. In that event, we shall not be required to carry out further work and shall not be responsible or liable for any consequences arising from termination.
21. Consumer Protection (Distant Selling) Regulations
As the contract for our services was initially made over the phone and/or by email the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 apply. This means that you have the right to cancel your instructions to us within seven working days of you receiving our e-mail. You can cancel your instructions by contacting the firm by post, fax or e-mail within seven working days of our e-mail.
Once we have started work on your file you may be charged, even if you then cancel your Instructions. By agreeing to our terms and conditions, you agreeing that we should start the work immediately and you will be liable for any charges if you do exercise your right to cancel.
22. Professional rules and statutory obligations
We will observe and act in accordance with the bye-laws, regulations and ethical guidelines of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and will accept instructions to act for you on this basis. In particular you give us the authority to correct errors made by HMRC where we become aware of them. We will not be liable for any loss, damage or cost arising from our compliance with statutory or regulatory obligations.
23. Reliance on advice
We will endeavour to record all advice on important matters in writing. Advice given orally is not intended to be relied upon unless confirmed in writing. Therefore, if we provide oral advice (for example during the course of a meeting or a telephone conversation) and you wish to be able to rely on that advice, you must ask for the advice to be confirmed by us in writing.
24. Retention of papers
You have a legal responsibility to retain documents and records relevant to your tax affairs. During the course of our work we may collect information from you and others relevant to your tax affairs. We will return any original documents to you, if requested. Documents and records relevant to your tax affairs are required by law to be retained as follows:
Individuals, trustees and partnerships:
· with trading or rental income: 5 years and 10 months after the end of the tax year;
· otherwise: 22 months after the end of the tax year;
Whilst certain documents may legally belong to you we may destroy correspondence and other papers that we store, electronically or otherwise, which are more than 7 years old. You must tell us if you require the return or retention of any specific documents for a longer period.
25. Force majeure
We shall not incur any liability to you as a result of failure to perform our obligations under the agreement between us if the failure is due to causes outside our reasonable control.
26. Codes of Conduct
We are governed by the Code of Ethics of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales which can be found at www.icaew.com/membershandbook <http://www.icaew.com/membershandbook>, section 3.
1. Applicable Law
Our terms and conditions of business are governed by, and should be construed in accordance with English law. Each party agrees that the courts of England will have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any claim, dispute or difference concerning this engagement letter and any matter arising from it. Each party irrevocably waives any right to object to any action being brought in those Courts, to claim that the action has been brought in an inappropriate forum, or to claim that those Courts do not have jurisdiction.
2. Scope of services
We have listed below the work which you have instructed us to carry out. This states your and our responsibilities in relation to the work to be carried out. If we agree to carry out additional services for you, we will provide you with an engagement letter. Only the services which are listed below are included within the scope of our instructions. If there is additional work that you wish us to carry out which is not listed below, please let us know and we will discuss this with you.
Recurring compliance work
a. We will prepare your self assessment tax returns together with any supplementary pages required from the information and explanations that you provide to us. After obtaining your approval and confirmation that you have signed the declaration on the return, we will submit your returns to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) subject to settlement of our fees unless otherwise agreed.
b. We will calculate your income tax, national insurance contributions (NIC) and any capital gains tax liabilities and tell you how much you should pay and when. We will advise on the interest, penalty and surcharge implications if tax or NIC is paid late.
3. Ad hoc and advisory work
Where you have instructed us to do so, we will also provide such other taxation ad hoc and advisory services as may be agreed between us from time to time. These may be the subject of a separate engagement letter at our option. Where appropriate we will discuss and agree an additional fee for such work when it is commissioned by you. Examples of such work include:
· Advising on ad hoc transactions, preparing additional supplementary pages to your tax return and calculating any related liabilities;
· Checking the liability due to HMRC or advising on HMRC statements of account.
· Advising on copies of notices of assessment, letters and other communications received from HMRC. Although HMRC have the authority to communicate with us if form 64-8 has been signed and submitted it is essential that you let us have copies of any correspondence received because HMRC are not obliged to send us copies of all communications issued to you.
· Dealing with any enquiry opened into your tax return by HMRC;
· Preparing any amended returns which may be required and corresponding with HMRC as necessary; and
Where specialist advice is required on occasions we may need to seek this from or refer you to appropriate specialists.
4. Changes in the law
We will not accept responsibility if you act on advice given by us on an earlier occasion without first confirming with us that the advice is still valid in the light of any change in the law or your circumstances. We will accept no liability for losses arising from changes in the law or the interpretation thereof that are first published after the date on which the advice is given.
5. Your responsibilities
You are legally responsible for:
a) Ensuring that your self assessment tax returns are correct and complete;
b) Filing any returns by the due date; and
c) Making payment of tax on time.
Failure to do this may lead to automatic penalties, surcharges and/or interest.
Taxpayers who sign their returns cannot delegate this legal responsibility to others. You agree to check that returns that we have prepared for you are complete before you approve and sign them.
To enable us to carry out our work you agree:
a) That all returns are to be made on the basis of full disclosure of all sources of income, charges, allowances and capital transactions;
b) To provide full information necessary for dealing with your affairs: we will rely on the information and documents being true, correct and complete and will not audit the information or those documents;
c) To authorise us to approach such third parties as may be appropriate for information that we consider necessary to deal with your affairs; and
d) To provide us with information in sufficient time for your tax return to be completed and submitted by the due date.
You will keep us informed of material changes in your circumstances that could affect your tax liability. If you are unsure whether the change is material or not please let us know so that we can assess the significance.
6. Client identification
As with other professional services firms, we are required to identify our clients for the purposes of the UK anti-money laundering legislation. We may request from you, and retain, such information and documentation as we require for these purposes and/or make searches of appropriate databases.
7. Help us give you the best service
If, at any time you would like to discuss with us how our service to you could be improved or if you are dissatisfied with the service you are receiving, please let us know by contacting Johanne Clarke (Tel:
07752 833 148 ).We undertake to look into any complaint carefully and promptly and to do all we can to explain the position to you. If we do not answer your complaint to your satisfaction you may, of course, take up the matter with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
8. Confidentiality
Communication between us is confidential and we shall take all reasonable steps to keep confidential your information except where we are required to disclose it by law, by regulatory bodies, by our insurers or as part of an external peer review. Unless we are authorised by you to disclose information on your behalf this undertaking will apply during and after this engagement.
We may, on occasions, subcontract work on your affairs to other tax or accounting professionals. The subcontractors will be bound by our client confidentiality terms.
We reserve the right, for the purpose of promotional activity, training or for other business purpose, to mention that you are a client. As stated above we will not disclose any confidential information.
9. Conflicts of interest
We will inform you if we become aware of any conflict of interest in our relationship with you or in our relationship with you and another client. Where conflicts are identified which cannot be managed in a way that protects your interests then we regret that we will be unable to provide further services.
If there is a conflict of interest that is capable of being addressed successfully by the adoption of suitable safeguards to protect your interests then we will adopt those safeguards. Where possible this will be done on the basis of your informed consent. We reserve the right to act for other clients whose interests are not the same as or are adverse to yours subject of course to the obligations of confidentiality referred to above.
10. Data Protection
We confirm that we will comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 when processing personal data about you and your family. In order to carry out the services of this engagement and for related purposes such as updating and enhancing our client records, analysis for management purposes and statutory returns, legal and regulatory compliance and crime prevention we may obtain, process, use and disclose personal data about you.
11. Disengagement
Should we resign or be requested to resign we will normally issue a disengagement e-mail to ensure that our respective responsibilities are clear.
12. Electronic and other communication
Unless you instruct us otherwise we may, where appropriate, communicate with you and with third parties via email or by other electronic means. The recipient is responsible for virus checking emails and any attachments.
With electronic communication there is a risk of non-receipt, delayed receipt, inadvertent misdirection or interception by third parties. We use virus-scanning software to reduce the risk of viruses and similar damaging items being transmitted through emails or electronic storage devices. However electronic communication is not totally secure and we cannot be held responsible for damage or loss caused by viruses nor for communications which are corrupted or altered after despatch. Nor can we accept any liability for problems or accidental errors relating to this means of communication especially in relation to commercially sensitive material. These are risks you must bear in return for greater efficiency and lower costs. If you do not wish to accept these risks please let us know and we will communicate by paper mail, other than where electronic submission is mandatory.
Any communication by us with you sent through the post system is deemed to arrive at your postal address two working days after the day that the document was sent.
13. Fees and payment terms
We have agreed a fixed fee for the preparation of your tax return which will be shown on our request for information. Any other additional work will be charged at our normal charge out rates.
It is not our practice to identify fixed fees for more than a year ahead as such fee quotes need to be reviewed in the light of events. If it becomes apparent to us, due to unforeseen circumstances, that a fee quote is inadequate, we reserve the right to notify you of a revised figure or range and to seek your agreement thereto.
In some cases, you may be entitled to assistance with your professional fees, particularly in relation to any investigation into your tax affairs by HMRC. Assistance may be provided through insurance policies you hold or via membership of a professional or trade body. You will need to advise us of any such insurance cover that you have. You will remain liable for our fees regardless of whether all or part are liable to be paid by your insurers.
Our invoices will be due for payment upon presentation and we reserve the right to withhold the filing of a return or other information until our fee has been settled.
We reserve the right to charge interest on late paid invoices at the rate of 5% above bank base rates under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. We also reserve the right to suspend our services or to cease to act for you on giving written notice if payment of any fees is unduly delayed. We intend to exercise these rights only where it is fair and reasonable to do so.
If you do not accept that an invoiced fee is fair and reasonable you must notify us within 21 days of receipt, failing which you will be deemed to have accepted that payment is due.
If our invoice remains outstanding for more than 21 days we reserve the right to charge additional fees of £25 per telephone call, e-mail or other correspondence in connection with pursuing the outstanding debt.
14. Intellectual property rights
We will retain all copyright in any document prepared by us during the course of carrying out the engagement save where the law specifically provides otherwise.
15. Interpretation
If any provision of these Terms and Conditions of Business is held to be void, then that provision will be deemed not to form part of this contract.
16. Investment advice (including insurance mediation services)
We are not registered and do not give investment advice which is regulated under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
17. Lien
Insofar as we are permitted to so by law or professional guidelines, we reserve the right to exercise a lien over all funds, documents and records in our possession relating to all engagements for you until all outstanding fees and disbursements are paid in full.
18. Limitation of liability
We will provide our services with reasonable care and skill. Our liability to you is limited to losses, damages, costs and expenses caused by our negligence or wilful default.
You will not hold us or our staff, responsible, to the fullest extent permitted by law, for any loss suffered by you arising from any misrepresentation (intentional or unintentional) supplied to us orally or in writing in connection with this agreement. You have agreed that you will not bring any claim in connection with services we provide to you against any of our employees personally.
Exclusion of liability for loss caused by others
We will not be liable if such losses, penalties, surcharges, interest or additional tax liabilities are due to the acts or omissions of any other person or due to the provision to us of incomplete, misleading or false information or if they are due to a failure to act on our advice or a failure to provide us with relevant information.
Exclusion of liability in relation to circumstances beyond our control
We will not be liable to you for any delay or failure to perform our obligations under this engagement letter if the delay or failure is caused by circumstances outside our reasonable control.
Exclusion of liability relating to the discovery of fraud etc
We will not be responsible or liable for any loss, damage or expense incurred or sustained if information material to the service we are providing is withheld or concealed from us or misrepresented to us. This applies equally to fraudulent acts, misrepresentation or wilful default on the part of any party to the transaction and their directors, officers, employees, agents or advisers.
This exclusion shall not apply where such misrepresentation, withholding or concealment is or should (in carrying out the procedures which we have agreed to perform with reasonable care and skill) have been evident to us without further enquiry.
Indemnity for unauthorised disclosure
You agree to indemnify us and our agents in respect of any claim (including any claim for negligence) arising out of any unauthorised disclosure by you or by any person for whom you are responsible of our advice and opinions, whether in writing or otherwise. This indemnity will extend to the cost of defending any such claim, including payment at our usual rates for the time that we spend in defending it.
Limitation of aggregate liability
The maximum aggregate liability of this company, its agents and employees to all persons to whom the engagement letter is addressed and also any other person that we have agreed with you may rely on our work will be £15,000. By confirming your agreement with the Terms and Conditions of Business, you agree that you have given proper consideration to this limit and accept that it is reasonable in all the circumstances. If you do not wish to accept it you should contact us to discuss it before agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of Business.
19. Limitation of Third Party rights
The advice and information we provide to you as part of our service is for your sole use and not for any third party to whom you may communicate it unless we have expressly agreed that a specified third party may rely on our work. We accept no responsibility to third parties for any advice, information or material produced as part of our work for you which you make available to them. A party to this agreement is the only person who has the right under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce any of its terms.
20. Period of engagement and termination
Unless otherwise agreed, our work will begin when we receive your implicit or explicit acceptance of these Terms and Conditions of Business. We will not be responsible for periods before that date.
Each of us may terminate this agreement by giving not less than 21 days notice in writing to the other party except where you fail to cooperate with us or we have reason to believe that you have provided us or HMRC with misleading information, in which case we may terminate this agreement immediately. Termination will be without prejudice to any rights that may have accrued to either of us prior to termination.
In the event of termination of this contract, we will endeavour to agree with you the arrangements for the completion of work in progress at that time, unless we are required for legal or regulatory reasons to cease work immediately. In that event, we shall not be required to carry out further work and shall not be responsible or liable for any consequences arising from termination.
21. Consumer Protection (Distant Selling) Regulations
As the contract for our services was initially made over the phone and/or by email the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 apply. This means that you have the right to cancel your instructions to us within seven working days of you receiving our e-mail. You can cancel your instructions by contacting the firm by post, fax or e-mail within seven working days of our e-mail.
Once we have started work on your file you may be charged, even if you then cancel your Instructions. By agreeing to our terms and conditions, you agreeing that we should start the work immediately and you will be liable for any charges if you do exercise your right to cancel.
22. Professional rules and statutory obligations
We will observe and act in accordance with the bye-laws, regulations and ethical guidelines of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and will accept instructions to act for you on this basis. In particular you give us the authority to correct errors made by HMRC where we become aware of them. We will not be liable for any loss, damage or cost arising from our compliance with statutory or regulatory obligations.
23. Reliance on advice
We will endeavour to record all advice on important matters in writing. Advice given orally is not intended to be relied upon unless confirmed in writing. Therefore, if we provide oral advice (for example during the course of a meeting or a telephone conversation) and you wish to be able to rely on that advice, you must ask for the advice to be confirmed by us in writing.
24. Retention of papers
You have a legal responsibility to retain documents and records relevant to your tax affairs. During the course of our work we may collect information from you and others relevant to your tax affairs. We will return any original documents to you, if requested. Documents and records relevant to your tax affairs are required by law to be retained as follows:
Individuals, trustees and partnerships:
· with trading or rental income: 5 years and 10 months after the end of the tax year;
· otherwise: 22 months after the end of the tax year;
Whilst certain documents may legally belong to you we may destroy correspondence and other papers that we store, electronically or otherwise, which are more than 7 years old. You must tell us if you require the return or retention of any specific documents for a longer period.
25. Force majeure
We shall not incur any liability to you as a result of failure to perform our obligations under the agreement between us if the failure is due to causes outside our reasonable control.
26. Codes of Conduct
We are governed by the Code of Ethics of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales which can be found at www.icaew.com/membershandbook <http://www.icaew.com/membershandbook>, section 3.