What good looks like
How often your accountant might be in touch
There is no official rule for how often an accountant should be in touch. What you can expect depends on the service you agreed, which professional bodies require their members to set out in writing.
The short answer
We have not found any official standard for how often an accountant should contact a client. The work an accountant does, and so how often you hear from them, depends on what was agreed in the engagement letter. If you only hear from your accountant around deadlines, that may simply be the service you agreed. If you want more contact, it is worth asking what it would involve and cost.
Start with your engagement letter
An engagement letter is the written agreement between you and your accountant. Professional bodies require their members to set out the work and the fees in writing:
- ACCA says "Letters of engagement are mandatory" and that a properly worded letter "should set out the work that is to be performed and the basis on which the fees will be charged".1
- ICAEW quotes its Code of Ethics: "A professional accountant shall provide fee quotes or details of the basis of fees in writing", and says this information "would normally be provided in the engagement letter". It also says a firm "must be clear as the extent of the work that is covered by a fixed fee".2
These rules apply to members of those bodies. If your accountant is not a member of a professional body, they may not apply. If you cannot find your engagement letter, ask your accountant for a copy.
What contact may look like, depending on what was agreed
| Service agreed | Contact you might see |
|---|---|
| Annual accounts and tax returns only | Requests for records before year end, questions while the accounts are prepared, and reminders about tax payments. Possibly little in between. |
| Accounts, tax and VAT or payroll | Contact around each VAT return or payroll run, as well as the yearly work |
| Regular management accounts | Figures each month or quarter, perhaps with a short call or note on what changed |
| Advisory or planning service | Scheduled meetings during the year, for example to review the figures, plan for tax or discuss a forecast |
The table is our illustration for our reviewer to check. Firms describe and price their services in different ways.
When a lack of contact is worth raising
Not hearing from your accountant between deadlines may simply reflect what was agreed. It may be worth a conversation if:
- Your engagement letter includes meetings or advice that have not happened.
- Something has changed in the business, such as taking on staff, borrowing or a jump in sales, and nobody has asked about it.
- You have asked questions and not had a reply. See My accountant isn’t responding.
Questions to ask your accountant
- Can you send me a copy of our engagement letter?
- Does our fee include any meetings or advice during the year?
- Would you let us know if a change in the business means we need something different?
- If we wanted a meeting each quarter, what would it cost?
For how fees are set and what affects them, see How accountancy fees work.
About this standard
We have not found an official standard on contact. This page is drafted from professional body guidance on engagement letters and our own judgement. It is not a rule your accountant must follow. How our standards work.
Sources
- ACCA, "Obtaining professional work" (guidance factsheet, issued 1 July 2025), section "Letters of engagement". accaglobal.com (PDF). Checked 12 October 2026.
- ICAEW, "Fee information" (ethics helpsheet), quoting Code of Ethics R330.5. icaew.com. Checked 12 October 2026.