Finding an accountant used to mean asking a friend or flicking through a local directory. Today most people start on a screen, and the firms that appear first are often the ones that have invested in local SEO for accountants, which is not always the same as being the right fit for you. Knowing how to choose an accountant and how the search works makes it far easier to make a sound business decision.
Why More People Are Looking Right Now
Demand for accountants is rising among self-employed people and landlords in particular. Making tax digital for income tax became mandatory in April 2026 for those with qualifying income above £50,000. It replaces one annual self-assessment return with quarterly digital updates and a final declaration, and the threshold drops to £30,000 in April 2027.
Many people who handled their own tax return for years now want help with software, quarterly submissions and record keeping. Others find the financial admin too time-consuming alongside running a business and would rather pay someone to take it off their hands.
What Do You Need an Accountant For?
Before you start searching, be clear about the work. Most small businesses need help with some mix of annual statutory accounts, VAT returns, payroll and tax planning, so there are no surprises when the tax bill arrives in January.
No single firm offers all the services you might ever need, and not all accountants offer the same level of help. Some focus on compliance, while others provide business advice and support business growth. Some can also arrange financial planning or insolvency advice through trusted partners. Write a short list of what you need now and what you might need as the business grows.
If your affairs are simple, sole trader accounts and a yearly return may be all you need for now. If you run a limited company, need VAT registration or employ staff, look for someone with experience of those specific challenges.
Which Kind of Professional Do You Need?
The titles can be confusing. A good bookkeeper handles day-to-day records, reconciliations and often payroll. An accountant prepares accounts, files returns and advises on tax. For complex situations, such as selling a business or dealing with an inheritance, you may need an accountant or tax adviser with specialist knowledge.
Not everyone who calls themselves an accountant is qualified, because the title is not protected in the UK. That makes the next check important.
Check Their Membership
Look for relevant qualifications and membership of a professional body. Common ones include the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).
A qualified accountant who belongs to one of these bodies must follow its professional standards, keep their training up to date and hold professional indemnity insurance. You can check membership on each body’s website. If you come across a certified public accountant on a US firm’s website, that is the American equivalent and does not cover UK work on its own.
Whether someone is a chartered or certified accountant matters less than whether they have handled clients like you. Whichever body they belong to, ask what its membership requires of them and how long they have worked with businesses in your sector.
Step One Is Usually Google
Most searches start with something like “accountant near me” or “accountant for landlords” plus a town name. The results page shows a map with a handful of nearby firms, followed by websites, and increasingly an AI-generated summary at the top.
The map listings come from Google Business Profiles. Firms with complete profiles, accurate categories, regular reviews and up-to-date opening hours tend to appear more often. That tells you a firm keeps its details in good order, but nothing about whether it understands your personal circumstances.
Reviews Carry More Weight Than Ever
Online reviews have become one of the main ways people judge professional services. BrightLocal’s 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey of 1,002 US adults found that 41% always read reviews when browsing for a business, up from 29% the year before, and 74% look for reviews written in the past three months.
Look past the star rating. Comments that mention how well a firm can explain things, how quickly it replies and how it handled a client’s first year-end say more than general praise.
How a firm replies to reviews is revealing too. BrightLocal found that 80% of consumers say they are likely to use a business that responds to all of its reviews, and a thoughtful reply to a critical review often says more than a dozen five-star ratings.
AI Assistants Are Joining the Search
A growing number of people now ask ChatGPT or similar tools to recommend an accountant or explain what they need. A 2025 study by Ravical found that UK accountancy firms estimate 64% of their business clients consult ChatGPT before speaking to them.
AI tools are a good place to learn the jargon, such as what Making Tax Digital involves or which allowable expenses usually apply to a trade. They cannot give professional advice on your situation or apply tax rules to your own figures, and their recommendations depend on what information about firms is available online. Treat any names an AI tool suggests as a starting list to check, not a decision.
Does Location Matter?
Online and app-based firms often offer fixed monthly fees and work entirely through cloud accounting software, which suits people who keep their records digitally and rarely need a meeting. A local accountant can be easier to sit down with when something complicated comes up, such as selling a property or bringing in a business partner.
Neither is better in every case. The right choice depends on how comfortable you are with software, how complicated your affairs are and how much you value speaking to the same person each year. Searching with your town name will mostly bring up local firms, so if you are open to online providers, search for those separately.
What to Look for on an Accountant’s Website
A good website answers your questions before you have to ask them. Start with who the firm works with. A practice that clearly serves landlords, contractors or your industry will understand your situation faster than a generalist. Then look for named people with their qualifications listed, so you know who you would be dealing with.
Understanding Fees
Pricing should be clear, or at least the way fees work should be explained. Ask whether fees are fixed or hourly and what counts as extra. Most firms send an engagement letter setting out exactly what is included and the service levels you can expect, such as how quickly they respond to emails.
HandL Agency, which works with accountancy firms on how they present themselves online, sees the same pattern from the other side. Practices that explain plainly who they help tend to attract clients who suit them, which makes the relationship easier for everyone.
Questions to Ask Before You Sign
Many firms offer a free initial consultation, and it is a good idea to use it. Bring your previous tax returns and recent bank statements to the first meeting so the accountant can see where you stand.
Treat the initial meeting as an interview in both directions. Ask what is included in the fee and who will handle your work day to day. Ask how they deal with common scenarios, such as an HMRC enquiry or a customer who pays late. Ask what ongoing support you get between deadlines and whether they will help you stay tax efficient within the rules. It is also worth asking other business owners in your sector who they use and why.
A good accountant will be comfortable answering all of this, will raise tax efficiency without being asked, and will ask you plenty of questions in return.
Smarter Searching, Better Matches
Technology has made it easier than ever to hire an accountant, but it has also made it easier to choose based on whoever appears first. The right accountant will usually save you more than they cost, through better planning and fewer mistakes.
Use search results, reviews and AI tools as a starting point, then check specialism, qualifications and communication yourself. Look for someone who gives tax advice in plain English and takes time to understand your business. Once you have found them, give your chosen accountant full access to your records early. That gives you the best chance to choose the right adviser and build a relationship that lasts for years.
