We run the switch. From clearance letter to first month on record.
Professional Clearance, HMRC agent authorisation, software migration: all of it run by us, from the clearance letter to your first month on record. We just need one call from you.
- Professional Clearance letter issued on your behalf
- HMRC 64-8 agent authorisation for CT, PAYE and VAT
- Cloud accounting advisor transfer, your data intact
- Anti-money laundering (AML) checks handled digitally
- Fixed fee from day one, confirmed in writing
How it works
We move as fast as the process allows, chasing the two parts we do not control (your outgoing accountant and HMRC) throughout. The timeline depends on their response, not ours.
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1Day 0 / you
An initial call
We go through your structure, your current services, what is working, and what needs to change. You get a written fixed-fee proposal after the call.
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2Day 1 / us
Engagement letter, AML checks, clearance issued
You e-sign the engagement letter and complete a digital ID check. We issue our Professional Clearance letter to your outgoing accountant, and submit the HMRC 64-8 agent authorisation in parallel so both parts start together.
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3Week 1 to 2 / us (chasing)
Outgoing accountant responds to clearance
Under ICAEW, ACCA and CIMA ethical codes, your outgoing accountant is expected to respond within a reasonable period with records and a clearance letter. We chase weekly and escalate if needed. Turnaround depends on them; we cannot guarantee the timing, but we do not let it drift.
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4Week 1 to 2 / HMRC posts code
HMRC 64-8 authorisation code arrives
HMRC posts an authorisation code to your registered address, typically within 7 to 10 working days of our online submission. Once it arrives, you either enter the code online or pass it to us. That switches us on as your HMRC agent across Corporation Tax, PAYE, VAT and Self Assessment.
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5Week 2 to 3 / us
Records reconciled, software transferred
We reconcile your ledgers to the trial balance your outgoing firm provided, transfer cloud accounting advisor access, and load your payroll schedule, VAT deadlines, CT600 and confirmation statement dates into our compliance calendar. Your data stays intact and there is no gap in coverage.
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6Onwards / you
You are onboarded
Your direct debit, first reporting dates and first tax planning points are agreed during onboarding. From here, you have a direct line to a CIMA Chartered Management Accountant, the same one who quoted you.
A note on timing. We won't promise a fixed completion date, because two bits of this sit outside our control: how long your outgoing accountant takes to respond to our Professional Clearance letter, and how long HMRC takes to post your 64-8 authorisation code. Once you've signed the engagement letter we start both, chase both weekly, and keep you in the loop at every step.
What your proposal covers
The regular work is written down before you sign. You know what the fee covers before we start.
The proposal names the work we will handle. The fee is fixed and confirmed before any work begins. The year is run so the figures behind each decision (dividend timing, capital purchase, salary review, pension contribution) are current when the decision is made, not reconstructed at year-end. The same accountant who quoted the work signs the accounts at the end of the year.
What pushes directors to switch
Unresponsive current firm
Emails go unanswered for a week. Calls are never returned. You cannot get a straight answer on your tax position. This is the most common reason directors get in touch with us.
No tax planning during the year
Compliance gets filed on time, but no-one ever tells you how to structure dividends, when to invest in plant for Full Expensing, or how to sit below the associated companies threshold.
Fee surprises
You thought it was a fixed fee. Then an invoice appears for "additional correspondence" or "phone queries". Predictability matters, particularly for cash-tight early-stage businesses.
MTD for ITSA gap
Your current firm has not mentioned MTD for ITSA, or has told you "we will sort it near the time", but MTD for ITSA is already live for sole traders and landlords above GBP 50,000 and the deadline has passed.
Outgrown the firm
The accountant who was right at GBP 50,000 turnover is not necessarily right at GBP 500,000 with staff, VAT, and dividend extraction decisions. Growth changes what you need.
Retirement or firm closure
Your long-serving accountant is retiring, the firm is being absorbed into a larger group, or the sole practitioner you worked with has left. Continuity matters and we take over cleanly.
Want more detail on the switching process itself? See our guide: Changing Accountants: How the Process Works for Limited Companies.
Switching questions, answered
How long does switching accountants take?
The timeline varies. Day 1, we issue our engagement letter and the Professional Clearance request to your outgoing firm. Your outgoing accountant is expected to respond within a reasonable period under ICAEW, ACCA or CIMA ethical codes, but their turnaround is outside our hands. In parallel we submit the HMRC 64-8 agent authorisation; HMRC posts an activation code to your registered address, which typically arrives within 7 to 10 working days. We chase both sides throughout and keep you updated. More complex handovers (groups, property SPV portfolios, multiple entities) can take longer; we tell you up front.
Do I have to tell my current accountant myself?
No. Once you sign our engagement letter, we write to your current accountant directly with a Professional Clearance letter. Under ICAEW, ACCA and CIMA ethical codes, they are required to cooperate and hand over records promptly. You do not need to contact your current accountant. We handle the notification.
What happens to my cloud accounting subscription?
Your cloud accounting subscription belongs to your company, not your old accountant. We remove their advisor access, add ourselves as your new advisor, and keep your data intact. If you are on a subscription your old accountant paid for, we either move the billing to your company or move you onto one of our partner plans. We explain the options early in the onboarding.
Can I switch mid-way through the financial year?
Yes. There is no need to wait for year-end. We pick up the ledgers from wherever your current accountant left them, reconcile the position, and carry on. Switching mid-year can close off drift in the bookkeeping before it becomes a year-end problem.
What if my current accountant delays the records?
It is rare, but occasionally an outgoing accountant delays the handover, usually because of unpaid fees. You own your accounting records by law. If fees are in dispute, we help you resolve the issue or escalate to the relevant professional body (ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA or AAT). A formal Professional Clearance letter from a CIMA chartered firm usually resolves most stand-offs.
Will switching trigger an HMRC enquiry?
No. HMRC do not flag changes of agent as a risk indicator. Agent changes happen constantly across UK SMEs; the transfer is a neutral administrative event. HMRC cares about whether your returns are accurate and on time, which is what a clean handover is there to protect.
Do I pay twice while the handover happens?
No. You pay your current accountant until the date your engagement with them ends, and your fixed fee with us starts from the day we take over. We time the crossover so you are not paying two firms for the same work. The fee with us is fixed in writing before you sign, so the cost from day one is the cost you already agreed to.
What does Blue Jay need from me to start?
Four things: a short call so we understand your structure and current services, two forms of ID for the money laundering checks (passport or driving licence plus a recent utility bill), your current accountant's contact details, and (once HMRC posts the 64-8 authorisation code to your registered address) your help entering the code online or passing it back to us. Everything else (the Professional Clearance letter, the HMRC filing, the software advisor transfer) we handle for you.
Ready to switch?
Book a call and we will start the handover.