Accountant taking the mick?

The employer needs to go and speak to the accountant and query the bill. She should bring you with her. If she gets no satisfaction then she should write to the accountant demanding an itimised bill. After that complain to the accountant's professional body and most important if all this is true she needs a new accountant once she has clarified everything is paid for and up to date re accounts etc
 
Graham_07 said:
For what appears to be a one word email and 2 contact details? If that's about right then I need to shut up shop and go work for a big 4 firm right away.
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In know for a fact that in one Big 4 firm, a TR2 VAT registration costs €2500 plus VAT.
 

My attitude to this stuff may be slightly different but I would always examine products from larger ( and comparable) markets rather than go with something developed exclusively for Ireland. We are a very small market. This has implications for quality and price. An 'industry standard' product developed in USA or UK is likely to be more comprehensive, better quality and cheaper than something developed specifically for the Irish market. Of course you need to be alert to areas where rules differ - but by and large, this approach has worked well for me.

Mind you, I do remember when we were building our house ( many years ago) that the Irish standard for sizing roofing timbers was different to the UK standard:- if I recall correctly, our spec. for battens is slightly more robust than theirs ( because we get stormier weather), which came as a surprise to my builder. The front of our roof has UK spec. battens and the back of our roof has Irish spec. Neither has given trouble.

Incidentally, I have helped a number of small builder clients in developing safety statements. My experience is that the HSA inspectors like to see a bulky document - even though it should be obvious that no self employed brickie is going to read, much less be willing to retain any familiarity with, a 20-30 page document ( I am not being patronising - this is just a reality). I have always tried to develop a safety statement that stands a good chance of actually being used, which does mean trying to stick to a short, very plain-english format. When clients have been inspected I have always got (via client) slightly snotty feedback to the effect that 'it's very lean - but it will do'. Unfortunately, it is also my experience is that builders who employ external safety consultant to come in periodically and maintain (or as I call it 'dicky up') their safety documentation are told that they are 'doing it the right way' - something with which I fundamentally disagree.
 
censuspro said:
In know for a fact that in one Big 4 firm, a TR2 VAT registration costs €2500 plus VAT.
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Given that a TR2 , with all the information to hand, takes approx. 20-30 mins max to complete and post, this is even worse than the OP's problem. As has been said so many times on AAM, people need to ask the fees / prices of services and goods first.
 
I would just be fairly worried about the chances of someone who didn't know of the legal requirement for a safety statement taking a UK or US template and producing something effective.


It is very dissapointing if HSA are looking for quantity over quality. A document developed by someone with an indepth understanding of the business will be far more productive than the usual consultants bumpf.
 
Complainer said:
Would you use a UK template to assess whether an Irish building meets Irish building regs?
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Probably would not be a bad idea given that our regulations when introduced were copied practically verbatim from the UK! They also have a properly functioning system to inspect & enforce them. That's something we could really use.
 
Some payroll software has build in health and safety templates. You could use one of those.
 

We don't disagree, and when I wrote "basis" I meant just that - not the end product, a worked example of the kind of document required.

However in relation to UK law in general, Irish law seems to share a lot of principles with it and while I agree in principle, you may find commonwealth law cited in UK cases and vice versa and Irish law citing law in other jurisdictions.

I know two Irish barristers who emigrated to practice in London.

The architectural profession has numerous examples of people who are both RIAI and RIBA qualified.

I think the jurisdictions and legal framework are similar enough to facilitate learning from one another.

When I'm doing my Fire Certs I still use the Scottish Regs worked examples for Spread Of Flame calculations, for example.

ONQ.
 

+1

Its a pleasure to read thsi level headed approach.

Its less than help to imagine that a main contractor runs his site by having endless assessments of risk prior to carrying out work.

Most operatives are relatively experienced and the few nutters who like to take risks are quickly wpotted and weeded out or educated.

The correct approach to my mind is to really focus the men's minds on safeyt issues by making sure the

  • each of them has the appropriate safe site pass for the work they're doing,
  • people using machinery are "minded" by others and
  • no-one is using ladders to work from at heights.

These three simple steps are the most effective in preventing accidents in my opinion.

Far more so than thinking personnel are going to read any preliminary safety statement that runs to more than say two pages.

FWIW

ONQ.
 
onq said:
Far more so than thinking personnel are going to read any preliminary safety statement that runs to more than say two pages.
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The employer needs to ensure that the staff/contractors on-site understand his safety policy & procedures. If reading the safety statement is not an option (and I agree that it would not be an option in many cases for a range of reasons - literacy, language etc), then he needs to find other ways to communicate on this. He cannot cop-out on this just because it is not easy.
 
a safety statement can be done these days for 300 euro. that bill is rubbish.....shop around and ull find the true cost of safety statements
 
I suggest getting a detailed breakdown of management services.

On the point of downloading a safety statement, i would advise caution.
Downloaded safety statements are generic. You would need to adapt thenm to your business and premises e.g particular hazards e.g. steps.
The generic statement will not cater for you. You will not have the expertise to amend properly.
Finally, an accident could open you up to prosecution, insurance problems.

I am an accountant who worked in an industry where safety was an important issue.

John Conlon

[broken link removed]
 
This post will be deleted if not edited immediately, I should have been an accountant!!
 
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