Professional Clearance and Previous Accountant Handover
Capture the outgoing firm's details at onboarding so the handover has somewhere to live.
Professional clearance in Remindoo means recording the outgoing accountant's details when you take on a client. The optional Previous Accountant section in onboarding captures the firm's name and contact information and keeps it on the client record, ready for your practice to write for clearance.
Last updated: 16 September 2026 · Reviewed by Waqas Sagar ACA FCCA, Founder of Remindoo and Managing Director of Accotax
Key facts
- The Previous Accountant section is part of onboarding and is optional
- Capture the previous firm's name and contact information
- The details are kept on the client record
- Useful for clients coming to you from another practice
- Remindoo records the details; your firm makes contact
The problem
Details buried in email
The outgoing firm's contact was mentioned once, in a reply, three weeks ago. Finding it again takes longer than the letter does.
Handovers that stall
Work cannot start because nobody is sure who to contact at the previous firm, and the client assumes it has already been dealt with.
No trace on the file
Six months later there is nothing on the client record to show the handover happened or who was involved.
How Remindoo fixes it
| Problem | In Remindoo | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Outgoing firm's details lost in a thread | An optional Previous Accountant section in the onboarding wizard | The details are captured while the client is telling you them |
| Nobody knows who to write to | Capture the previous firm's name and contact information | Whoever picks the client up can send the clearance letter |
| No record of the handover | The details are kept on the client record | The file shows where the client came from |
Who it's for
Practice owners
See the state of the client base without asking three people.
Practice managers
Run onboarding, AML and deadlines the same way every time.
Team leads
Know who owns each client and each service before the deadline.
Bookkeepers
Find the client, the contact and the records in one place.
How it works in Remindoo
Add previous accountant details during onboarding.
Capture the previous firm's name and contact information.
Keep the handover details on the client record so nothing is lost.
Why it matters for UK accountancy practices
When a UK practice takes on a client from another firm, professional bodies' ethics guidance expects it to seek professional clearance from the previous adviser before accepting the appointment. It is a courtesy and a safeguard: the outgoing firm may know something relevant to whether you should act.
The obstacle is almost never the principle; it is the admin. The details arrive verbally or in an email, the letter waits for someone to have time, and the new client meanwhile assumes work has started.
Holding the outgoing firm's details on the client record keeps the step visible. Remindoo does not contact the previous accountant on your behalf — your firm writes the letter and applies its own judgement to the reply — but the information you need is on the file rather than in an inbox.
Remindoo vs spreadsheets, email and paper files
| What you need | Spreadsheets, email and paper | Remindoo |
|---|---|---|
| Where client data lives | Split between spreadsheets, inboxes, drives and paper files | One client profile with details, contacts, services and history |
| Onboarding | Company details retyped by hand from Companies House | Company details and officers imported from Companies House |
| AML records | Word templates and scanned documents saved wherever there was room | Risk assessment and verification records held on the client profile |
| Deadlines | A date column somebody has to remember to update | Services with key dates, subtasks and preset reminders |
| Finding a client | Scrolling, or a spreadsheet with too many columns to read | Global search, sortable columns and saved multi-condition filters |
| Sharing documents | Unsecured email attachments with no way to withdraw access | Portal users you invite, resend to and unlink in one click |
Frequently asked questions
What is professional clearance for accountants?
It is the step of contacting a prospective client's previous adviser before accepting the appointment, to ask whether there is any professional reason you should not act. Professional bodies' ethics guidance expects UK firms to seek clearance when taking on a client from another practice.
What details do I need from the previous accountant?
At minimum the firm's name and contact information, so you know where to write. Remindoo captures both in the optional Previous Accountant section during onboarding and keeps them on the client record with the rest of the client's details.
Where are previous accountant details stored in Remindoo?
On the client record, captured through the Previous Accountant section of the onboarding wizard. Because it sits with the client's other information rather than in a separate document, anyone picking the client up can see where they came from.
Is this step required for every client?
The section is optional, because not every client comes from another firm. For clients who do, your professional body's ethics guidance is what determines your obligations; Remindoo simply gives the details a permanent home on the file.
Can I add the details after onboarding?
Yes. The client record can be updated later, so if the client does not have their previous firm's contact details to hand during onboarding you can capture them once they arrive rather than keeping them in an email.
Does Remindoo contact the previous accountant?
No. Remindoo records the previous accountant's firm name and contact details on the client record. Sending the professional clearance letter, chasing a reply and deciding how to act on it remain your practice's responsibility.
Related features
Client onboarding software for accountants
One complete client profile for your practice
AML risk assessment software for accountants
Remindoo is practice management software for accountancy and bookkeeping firms. See the client management hub or pricing with unlimited users.
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