- "In the last 20 years our business has changed considerably…and as the focus of our business has changed, Bird Luckin have moved with us."
Alex Tanner, George Tanner (Shalford) Ltd - "Bird Luckin has looked after us incredibly well for over 60 years, they are pro-active and innovational - meeting all our needs to help us achieve our aims."
Richard Stubbings, Cliffords Limited - "I can honestly say that Bird Luckin are the best firm of accountants and auditors I have ever dealt with - and I don't say that lightly!"
Colin Webb, Walthamstow Stadium - "It's important for us to know that we will always be able to contact the right people to give us the right advice and support."
Jane Bennett, Bennetts Funeral Directors - "Although we deal mainly with one Partner … we also know that if we need to contact someone else who is a specialist in another area, we can get the advice we need quickly and easily"
Jeremy Ruggles, J.S. Wright & Sons Ltd - "Bird Luckin got us to a stage which would have taken us months - if not years - to reach on our own, and they got us there in a matter of weeks"
Matthew Sullivan, SNC Ltd - "You can be a good accountant, but if you don't have an understanding of the industry it can be very difficult. "There are two or three people we have regular contact with at Bird Luckin who know our business well, and it makes a difference.""
Robert Church, W A Church (Bures) Ltd - "The work which Bird Luckin has done for Boddingtons over the past few months has helped shape our future direction for the better."
John Warner, Chief Executive, Boddingtons Ltd - "Bird Luckin has acted for us since our inception 10 years ago. They have a very 'can do' yet highly professional attitude - we are very appreciative of their support and advice over the years."
Marlon Fox, Outlook Property Ltd
Are your records adequate? HMRC extends Business Record Checks
The number of checks carried out on the adequacy of small and medium sized enterprises' business records is set to increase.
The checks, which are carried out by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), were launched at the start of this year, with the intention of raising the standards of business record keeping.
The pilots of the checks have found that around 44 per cent of the businesses visited had issues with their record keeping, while 12 per cent had seriously inadequate records.
HMRC has revealed plans to complete up to 12,000 Business Records Checks by the end of this financial year, while it plans to boost this to 20,000 for 2012/13. As a result, the number of staff that is employed to carry out the checks will rise from 30 to 120, ready for a national roll out in the new year.
To begin with, HMRC will only be issuing penalties on the most extreme cases of record-keeping, but will be introducing penalties of up to £3,000 for serious inadequacies in the long-term.
Concerns over what constitutes a 'serious inadequacy' have been raised, and HMRC has said it will be issuing guidance on this.
Commenting on the initiative, HMRC's director of local compliance, Richard Summersgill said: "Good record-keeping helps businesses pay the right amount of tax at the right time, thereby potentially avoiding interest and penalties.
"Adequate records give businesses a clear idea of their trading position and profitability, allowing them to make business decisions and adjustments to ensure survival and success. And where a check has shown a business keeps adequate records, it gives HMRC a greater degree of assurance as to the likely accuracy of its tax returns.
"Ultimately, this is about supporting businesses and reducing the tax gap."