Helpbox – Full Terms and Conditions

 

1. Introduction

1.1 Agreement

By choosing Helpbox (a trading name of Taxsense Accountants Limited, company number 07265876) as your accountants, you are appointing us to handle the matters related to the services you have selected. This agreement is between you and us. Any changes to this agreement must be made in writing and signed by both parties.

1.2 Agreement of Terms and Cancellation

This agreement begins when you accept our quote. To cancel the agreement for the next financial year, you must give us written or email notice at least 30 days before the start of that financial period. If we do not receive this notice, the agreement will automatically renew, and the full term for the new financial year will be payable. For example, if your financial year starts on 6th April 2025, we must receive your cancellation notice by 6th March 2025 to cancel the 5^th April 2026 period. Once a financial year begins, the agreement cannot be cancelled, and the full period’s fees will apply.

Please note, monthly payments are non-refundable and cannot be transferred, even if you haven’t used our services or your year-end procedure hasn’t been completed.

These terms and conditions may be updated occasionally. While we aim to inform clients of any changes, it’s your responsibility to check for updates regularly.

If a direct debit payment is reversed through an indemnity claim, the amount due must be repaid immediately, along with a £75 fee to cover the claim costs charged to us by our direct debit provider.

2. Confidentiality and Data Protection

2.1 Confidentiality

We are committed to keeping your information private and secure. Any accounts, statements, or reports we prepare are for your use only, whether within your business or for legal requirements. We will not share them with anyone else without your permission.

To ensure the smooth operation and delivery of our services, we may engage trusted third-party providers. These providers operate under strict confidentiality agreements and are required to comply with applicable data protection laws, including the UK GDPR.

If you want someone else, such as your spouse, to speak to us on your behalf, we’ll need your written consent. Please contact us to arrange this.

In line with the Data Protection Act 2018, the Data Controller responsible for your personal data is Rachel Labercombe.

2.2 Your Personal Data, Privacy, and Security

Please take a moment to carefully read through our Privacy Policy. This policy explains what data we collect from you, how we use it, and the measures we take to ensure its security.

By agreeing to these Terms and Conditions, you confirm that you have read and understood our Privacy Policy.

3. Payments

3.1 Payment Terms

Our services are provided on an annual basis, and your monthly direct debit payments are towards the total cost of these services. Payments are collected via direct debit on a monthly basis.

Your first direct debit payment will include any backdated fees to the start of your financial period. For example, if your financial year runs from 1st January to 31st December, with a monthly fee of £50, and your first payment is collected on 1st June, your initial payment will total £300 (6 months x £50), with £50 per month thereafter.

If you decide to cancel partway through your financial year, any outstanding fees for services provided up to and including the full value of the current financial period will be invoiced upon receipt of your cancellation.

If you register with us and we identify outstanding work for previous periods, we will contact you to ask whether you would like us to provide a quotation for completing this work. A “previous period” refers to any period where the period-end date falls before the current date. For example, if today is 1st November 2024, a self-assessment due for the period 6th April 2023 to 5th April 2024 would be considered a previous period.

Occasionally, we may adjust our fees to account for inflation or rising costs. We will always give you at least 30 days’ notice of any fee increases.

Your quotation is based on the details you provided about yourself and your business at the time of registration. If your business circumstances change, we may adjust your fees to reflect these changes. For example, if your business moves to a different turnover bracket or if you add more employees to your payroll than initially quoted, the fees will be updated accordingly. For a detailed breakdown of how our fees are calculated, please request our pricing guide.

3.2 Late Payments/Defaults

If your balance remains overdue for more than 90 days, we reserve the right to charge interest at a rate of 8% above the base rate per annum until full payment is received or we receive correspondence from you to resolve the matter.

For sole traders and partnerships, the responsibility for any outstanding balances rests with the business owners. For limited companies, the director who accepts the quote holds ultimate responsibility. If a limited company defaults on outstanding fees, the director will be personally liable (personal guarantee).

4. Authorisation and Compliance

4.1 Authorisation

Once you have completed onboarding, we will request that an authorisation code be sent to you by HMRC. Please forward any codes you receive from HMRC to us as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary delays with your work.

4.2 Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Compliance

After registering with us, we will perform an identity check to comply with Anti-Money Laundering regulations. This check may include a soft credit search, which you agree to allow us to conduct. Please note that this search does not affect your credit score in any way and is not used to assess your creditworthiness.

Like other professional services firms, we are required to identify and verify our clients under UK anti-money laundering legislation. Except in exceptional circumstances, we cannot begin work until this requirement is met. We may ask you for information and documentation necessary for these checks and/or conduct searches of relevant databases, including ID verification software.

5. Responsibilities

5.1 Your Responsibility for the Preparation of Financial Statements

You agree to provide us with all necessary accounting records and financial information required for compiling your accounts when requested. It is your responsibility to disclose all relevant information to us. If we do not receive any objections, we will file accounts based on the information provided to safeguard your position.

You are responsible for ensuring that the financial information used by your business or provided to us is accurate and reliable to the best of your knowledge. Additionally, you are responsible for conducting your business honestly, safeguarding its assets, and implementing measures to prevent and detect fraud or dishonest conduct.

It is your duty to ensure that your business complies with all applicable laws and regulations and to establish processes to prevent and identify any non-compliance.

If you used another professional before becoming our client, you must provide their contact details so we can request the necessary information. If we are unable to obtain this information and must spend additional time reconstructing your financial records, an additional fee may be charged for this work.

You are solely responsible for the payment of any tax liabilities or obligations to HMRC, Companies House, or any other relevant organisation.

5.2 Our Responsibilities for the Preparation of Financial Statements

We will compile your annual accounts based on the accounting records, information, and explanations you provide to us.

We will advise you on the adequacy of your records for preparing the annual accounts and recommend any improvements we consider necessary. If you choose not to follow our advice, we cannot be held responsible for any resulting losses or penalties.

We will work diligently to prepare financial statements that accurately reflect the information you supply about your business affairs. However, we are not responsible for errors caused by incorrect information provided by you.

Our liability for errors in the preparation of accounts, tax returns, or any other work is limited to the fee charged for completing that work.

We are professionally obligated to prepare accounts in line with generally accepted accounting principles.

If you require additional work outside the services included in your chosen package, we will agree on an additional fee appropriate to the work before proceeding.

Unless instructed otherwise, we will retain electronic copies of your records for seven years. Any hard copies of documents will be securely destroyed if you do not arrange collection within 90 days of filing your accounts.

Helpbox is legally required to comply with all applicable civil and criminal legislation.

We will provide our services with reasonable care and skill, making every effort to help you meet relevant deadlines. However, we are not responsible for any losses, penalties, surcharges, interest, or additional tax liabilities imposed by HMRC, Companies House, or any other organisation. While individual circumstances will be considered, any contributions to penalties will be at the discretion of management.

6. Specific Services

6.1 Accounts and Taxation

We will act on your behalf for all your business’s accounting and taxation matters from the date we receive your accepted quote.

We will prepare your accounts and tax return based on the records, information, and explanations you provide. Your approval will always be requested before submitting any accounts or returns to Companies House or HMRC. If we do not receive an objection, we may file accounts or returns on your behalf.

We will advise you on the amounts of tax due and the deadlines for payment. You are solely responsible for the payment of any tax liabilities or obligations to HMRC, Companies House, or any other relevant organisation.

If you request amendments to completed accounts or tax returns, we will provide a quotation for the additional work. We will also liaise with HMRC regarding any required changes and prepare amended returns as necessary.

Any tax overpayments will be paid into our client account by HMRC and transferred to your bank account within 14 days via faster payment. We reserve the right to deduct any outstanding fees from this overpayment.

To ensure we can meet your tax and financial deadlines, you must send your records to us at least 8 weeks before they are due. We will send regular reminders following your financial year-end to help you stay on track.

6.2 Limited Companies

Our services apply only to UK entities, including UK companies and taxpayers. We do not provide advice on tax matters relating to other jurisdictions. If you or your company may be considered a tax resident in another country, it is your responsibility to seek advice from a professional in that jurisdiction.

Generally, companies incorporated in the UK are considered UK tax residents. However, exceptions can occur, and it is your responsibility to ensure your company’s tax residency aligns with UK requirements. By engaging our services, you confirm your corporate residency is in the UK.

If you sign up for self assessment as a limited company director. This includes employment income, UK benefits (e.g., state pension), dividends from the registered UK company, and UK interest below £1,000. Additional income sources, such as property income, self employment or foreign dividends, will incur extra fees, which will be quoted and agreed upon before work begins. For property companies, any property disposals will also incur additional charges in the relevant accounting period.

6.3 Sole Traders, Partnerships, and Individuals

If you sign up for self-assessment tax return, this can cover employment income, employment benefits, UK benefits (e.g., state pension), and UK interest below £1,000. Additional income sources, such as property income or foreign dividends, may result in extra fees, which will be quoted and agreed upon before work begins.

6.4 VAT Returns

We will act on your behalf for your business’s VAT affairs from the date we receive your accepted quote. For specialist areas of VAT, such as TOMS (Tour Operators Margin Scheme), opting to tax, or similar, we reserve the right to withdraw VAT services if required.

We will send your VAT return to you for approval before submitting it to HMRC.

We will advise you on the amounts of VAT to be paid (or repaid) and the deadlines for making any payments.

Please ensure that all supplies made by your business are accurately recorded in the information you provide to us. While we act as your agent, your business remains fully responsible for complying with its statutory obligations regarding VAT.

We remind you of the strict rules and deadlines for submitting VAT returns and the significant penalties for failing to comply. To ensure your returns are submitted on time, it is essential that we receive all required information at least three weeks before any deadlines.

6.5 Payroll

To process your payroll effectively, we require the following information from you:

• Notification within two weeks of any employee being ill for four or more calendar days, including weekends and bank holidays, so we can administer statutory sick pay.
• Notification of any employee becoming pregnant, so we can administer statutory maternity pay.
• Details of any money or benefits provided to employees by you or a third party through you.
• Information on hours worked, rates of pay, bonuses, and similar details.
• Notification of any employees joining or leaving your employment.
• Details of holiday pay paid to employees.
• Any coding notices you receive (we should also receive a copy).
• Completed P46 forms for any casual labour employed by you. If you’re unsure about P46 procedures, please contact us for guidance.

Real-Time Information (RTI) submissions must be received by HMRC on the day employees are paid. It is therefore crucial that we receive all payroll records on time.

While we act as your agent, your business remains responsible for meeting its statutory obligations. There are strict rules and deadlines for submitting payroll information, and significant penalties may be imposed for non-compliance. Please ensure we receive all the complete information at least three working days before any deadlines.

We will assist with pension matters, such as auto-enrolment, upon request. However, it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with all pension regulations and deadlines. Any penalties, fines, or liabilities arising from non-compliance remain your sole responsibility.

We will assist with CIS matters, including the preparation and submission of returns, upon request. However, it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with all CIS regulations and deadlines, including the verification of subcontractors and the correct deduction and payment of CIS tax. Any penalties, fines, or liabilities arising from non-compliance remain your sole responsibility.

6.6 Bookkeeping

If you appoint us to complete bookkeeping on your behalf, we will record your business transactions in a system that best suits your needs. To do so, we will require all relevant business documentation, including sales invoices, purchase invoices, expense receipts, bank statements, paying-in/cheque books, and credit card statements (if applicable).

We will retain your paperwork until your year-end procedures have been completed unless you instruct us otherwise. After this, we will securely destroy any paper records, as outlined in our earlier section on document retention, unless you make prior arrangements to collect them.

If you complete your own bookkeeping, we expect to receive reconciled records (if a double-entry system is used). We will await your instructions on how to proceed before continuing with your work. If you request us to correct any errors, we will provide a quotation for your approval before carrying out the corrections.

If you request amendments to the bookkeeping work we have already completed, we will provide a quotation for the additional work.

The bookkeeping quote provided to you before registration is based on the estimated volume of transactions your business produces. If we find the actual number of transactions exceeds your initial estimate, we will invoice you for the additional transactions at our current rate per transaction.

For special requests or where your bookkeeping is more complex than average, we may quote an hourly rate rather than a transactional rate. If your records are more complex than initially estimated, we will revise the quotation and seek your agreement before proceeding with the work.

If we are completing your bookkeeping, the records you provide (whether electronic or paper-based) must be organised. If significant time is required to organise your records, we may quote an additional fee for this work.

6.7 Registered Office Address

Our registered office address service is limited to forwarding correspondence from Companies House and HMRC that relates specifically to your accountancy obligations.

If we receive correspondence unrelated to your accountancy obligations, we will notify you via email and advise you to update your address. Should such correspondence continue to arrive after we have notified you, we reserve the right to either increase the fee for this service or withdraw the service entirely.

6.8 Contractors and IR35

If your business involves contracting, you should consider your exposure to IR35 legislation. IR35 is designed to prevent contractors from receiving tax advantages compared to employees performing similar roles. It is your responsibility to assess your risk under IR35, but we are happy to provide guidance and resources to help you determine whether you are likely to fall inside or outside the scope of the legislation.

7. Specialist Services

7.1 General Accounting and Tax

We are general accountants and small business tax specialists, capable of handling most accounting and tax needs for small businesses. However, in cases requiring expertise beyond our scope—such as EIS/SEIS form completion, R&D tax claims, investment advice, or TOMS advice—we may refer you to a specialist. Additional fees may apply for such services and will be charged by the specialist.

7.2 Research and Development (R&D) Relief

If your company qualifies for R&D relief and you are claiming for the first time or have not claimed in the last three financial periods, HMRC requires notification within 6 months of the end of the financial period being claimed for. It is your responsibility to ensure all HMRC deadlines are met. We do not offer this service but can refer you to a specialist for assistance.

8. Policies

8.1 Referral Fees

We work with carefully selected affiliates who provide additional services to our clients. In some cases, we may receive referral fees from these affiliates for the work they undertake as a result of our recommendations. By using our services, you agree that we may retain any referral fees generated.

8.2 Introductory Offers

Introductory offers are available only if you register as an ongoing client. If you cancel your service within 12 months of the period the offer relates to, the offer will no longer apply, and the full price will become payable. For example, if we offer free incorporation of your company and you cancel our services within 12 months, the full cost of the incorporation will be charged.

8.3 Fair Usage Policy

We reserve the right to adjust our fees for clients who use our services in a way that exceeds what is reasonable, to ensure the business relationship remains sustainable. This policy applies primarily to clients who make excessive demands on our accountants’ time, such as unnecessary or overly frequent requests, or queries unrelated to accountancy or the services we provide.

We understand that new clients, or those new to business, may need additional support and advice when they first register, and we take this into account.

If we believe a client is breaching this policy, we will notify them in writing and provide two options: either accept an increased fee or reduce the volume of requests and queries made to our accountants.

The unlimited help and advice included in your package applies only to the services you have engaged us to complete. For specialist advice or support outside your chosen services, we may charge a reasonable fee based on the work involved. Any such fee will be agreed upon by both parties before any work begins.

8.4 Complaints Procedure

Most concerns can be resolved promptly by speaking with the person handling your matter. If your issue remains unresolved and you wish to make a formal complaint, please submit it in writing using our complaints form.

We are unable to accept complaints over the phone; all complaints must be made in writing.

8.5 Respect at Work

We are committed to fostering a positive and respectful working culture for both our staff and clients. Our staff will always treat you with politeness and respect. In return, we ask that you treat our staff in the same manner. If we reasonably determine that you have been rude, aggressive, or abusive towards a member of our team, we reserve the right to immediately cease all communication with you and resign as your accountant.

8.6 Correspondence

We record all client correspondence, including telephone calls. These recordings are securely stored within our CRM system and are only accessed if necessary, such as for resolving queries or disputes. By working with us, you agree to these recordings being used for training and monitoring purposes.

9. Legal

9.1 VAT

All quoted fees are in pound sterling (£) and do not include VAT, which will be charged at the prevailing UK rate.

If your business is not based in the UK for the purposes of making or receiving supplies of services, VAT will not be added to our fees. It is your responsibility to inform us if this applies to your business. Your business is considered to belong in the UK if any of the following apply:

1. You have a business establishment in the UK and no fixed establishment elsewhere that is more closely connected with the supply of services.
2. You have a business establishment outside the UK but a fixed establishment in the UK that is most directly connected with the supply of services.
3. You do not have a business or fixed establishment anywhere, but your usual place of residence is in the UK.

Helpbox’s VAT registration number is 936805010.

9.2 Professional Indemnity Insurance

Helpbox’s Professional Indemnity Insurance is provided by Tokio Marine HCC, registered office address 1 Aldgate, London, EC3N 1RE.

Please note that the insurance provider is reviewed annually and may be updated if changed.

9.3 Jurisdiction

Both parties agree that any dispute or claim arising from or in connection with this Agreement, its subject matter, or its formation will be exclusively settled by the courts of England.