Independence
The rules that keep our opinion our own.
Independence, in plain rules
An audit is only worth something if the auditor has no reason to want a particular answer.
We do not audit our own work
We never keep the books or prepare the accounts of a client we audit for the same year.
Our fee does not depend on the result
The fee is fixed in the engagement letter, whatever the report says.
No shares, loans or jobs
No one at the firm holds shares in, borrows from or works for a client we audit.
Partners rotate
The partner who signs your report changes at least every seven years (sample policy).
Checked before we accept
Before we take on a new audit we check for links between the firm, our people and the client: shares, loans, family, past work. The check is repeated every year and signed by the partner.
- A conflict check before every new engagement
- An annual declaration from everyone at the firm
- Advisory work for audit clients only where it is allowed
Tell us who is asking
A lender, a funder or the law usually decides which work you need. Send us the request and your year end; we reply with a fixed quote and a timetable.