FAQs

This page answers common questions about MRS Bookkeeping, current services, records organisation, AML status, enquiries and document handling.

On this page:

1. Can MRS Bookkeeping do my bookkeeping now?

Yes.

MRS Bookkeeping is supervised by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) for anti-money laundering purposes and is separately registered with HMRC as a tax agent.

Alongside records organisation, bookkeeping-readiness, practical admin support, education and clarity work, MRS Bookkeeping also offers bookkeeping for client use, accounts preparation, payroll and PAYE administration, VAT return preparation, MTD submissions and tax return preparation. Formal tax advice remains outside the current service scope.

2. What can MRS Bookkeeping help with now?

MRS Bookkeeping can currently help with practical records and clarity work, such as:

  • organising financial records;
  • sorting paperwork;
  • creating a document inventory;
  • identifying obvious gaps;
  • improving basic records structure;
  • helping you understand what appears to exist;
  • helping you understand what may be missing;
  • preparing for a better conversation with your accountant;
  • general education around good record-keeping habits;
  • practical next-step planning;
  • bookkeeping for client use and transaction categorisation;
  • accounts preparation;
  • payroll and PAYE administration;
  • VAT return preparation;
  • MTD submissions;
  • tax return preparation.

Formal tax advice remains outside the current service scope.

3. What services are not currently available?

MRS Bookkeeping does not currently provide:

  • formal tax advice;
  • formal accountancy advice;

Formal tax advice and formal accountancy advice remain outside the current service scope. Other work is offered only where it is within MRS Bookkeeping’s professional competence, insurance position and agreed engagement terms.

4. Why does AML approval matter?

Some bookkeeping, accountancy and related services fall within the UK Anti-Money Laundering supervision regime.

MRS Bookkeeping is supervised by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) for anti-money laundering purposes. This supervision supports the identity checks and due diligence required for relevant services.

MRS Bookkeeping is also separately registered with HMRC as a tax agent.

For more detail, please see the AML / Service Scope page.

5. Are you an accountant?

MRS Bookkeeping is not currently an accountancy practice offering full accountancy services.

I am a part qualified accountant and working to achieve full qualifications as an AAT student member. MRS Bookkeeping is not currently an AAT licensed practice.

Current services include records organisation, bookkeeping readiness, practical admin support, education and clarity work, bookkeeping for client use, accounts preparation, payroll and PAYE administration, VAT return preparation, MTD submissions and tax return preparation. Formal tax advice remains outside the current service scope.

6. Are you AAT licensed?

No.

I am currently an AAT student member. MRS Bookkeeping is not currently an AAT licensed practice.

This page will be updated if professional status changes.

7. Can you give tax advice?

No.

MRS Bookkeeping does not currently provide formal tax advice.

The information on this website is provided for general information only. It is not tax advice, legal advice, investment advice, regulated financial advice or formal accountancy advice.

If you need formal advice about your tax position, tax return, VAT, payroll obligations, accounts, MTD submissions or HMRC compliance, you should speak to an appropriately qualified professional. Payroll and PAYE administration may still be provided within an agreed service scope.

8. Can you help if I already have an accountant?

Yes, potentially.

If you already have an accountant, MRS Bookkeeping may be able to help you get your records into a clearer and more usable state before you speak with them.

This may help you understand:

  • what records appear to exist;
  • what may be missing;
  • what questions you may need to ask;
  • what your accountant may need from you.

MRS Bookkeeping does not replace your accountant and does not provide formal tax or accountancy advice.

9. My records are a mess. Do I need to tidy them before contacting you?

No.

You do not need to have everything organised before asking for help.

MRS Bookkeeping is designed for people whose records feel messy, scattered, incomplete or difficult to understand.

A short description of the situation is enough to begin.

10. What is Financial Record Rescue?

Financial Record Rescue is a practical starting point for messy, incomplete or disorganised records.

It may help by:

  • sorting and structuring paperwork;
  • creating a simple document inventory;
  • identifying obvious gaps;
  • grouping records by year, type, account or other practical category;
  • helping you understand what appears to exist;
  • helping you understand what may need to be found, requested or recreated;
  • preparing a practical next-step plan.

It does not include payroll or PAYE administration unless that work is separately agreed, and it does not include formal tax advice. If you need ongoing bookkeeping, payroll or PAYE administration, VAT returns, MTD submissions, accounts preparation or tax return preparation, see the Services page.

11. What if I am embarrassed about my records?

You do not need to be embarrassed.

Messy records are common.

They often happen because business owners are busy doing the work, serving customers, dealing with cash flow, handling family life, and trying to keep everything moving.

The purpose of MRS Bookkeeping is to help create clarity, not judgement.

12. Can I send you my bank statements?

Not yet.

Please do not send bank statements, ID documents, tax records, payroll information or other confidential documents until I have confirmed the appropriate secure handover method.

If documents are needed, I will explain what is needed and how it should be provided.

13. Can I send photos of receipts or paperwork?

Please do not send confidential records until I have confirmed the appropriate secure handover method.

A short description of the situation is enough to start.

If images, scans or copies are needed later, I will explain how they should be provided.

14. What happens after I make an enquiry?

For a general enquiry:

  1. You send a short message.
  2. I usually reply within 2 business days.
  3. If appropriate, we arrange a short call.
  4. I confirm whether I can help and what the next step would be.
  5. No paid work starts without a clear written scope and agreed terms.

For a Financial Record Rescue enquiry:

  1. I review your enquiry.
  2. I may ask a few scoping questions.
  3. If it looks suitable, I provide a written scope and indicative price.
  4. No work starts until scope, price and terms are agreed.

15. Does sending an enquiry make me a client?

No.

Submitting a form, sending an email, making a telephone enquiry or discussing a possible service does not create a client relationship.

No paid work starts without a clear written scope and agreed terms.

16. How much does it cost?

Pricing depends on the type of work, volume of records, complexity, timescale and scope.

Indicative prices are shown on the Pricing page.

Before paid work begins, MRS Bookkeeping will normally confirm the scope, price or pricing basis, payment terms and any important exclusions in writing.

17. Do you offer fixed-fee services?

Yes, where suitable.

Some records organisation and clarity work may be offered on a fixed-fee basis.

The written scope will explain what is included, what is excluded, any limits that apply, and what happens if the work turns out to be larger or more complex than expected.

18. Can you help with MTD?

MRS Bookkeeping can currently provide general MTD education, records-readiness support, practical organisation, and now also MTD submissions, transaction categorisation, tax return preparation, VAT return preparation and accounts preparation.

Payroll and PAYE administration are now available within an agreed scope. Formal tax advice remains outside the current service scope.

The full MTD Readiness Package is available now — see the Pricing page for details.

19. Can you recommend accounting software?

MRS Bookkeeping may provide general education or practical discussion about record-keeping options.

MRS Bookkeeping can also help with software setup that supports bookkeeping, payroll and PAYE administration, VAT, MTD or accounts preparation work agreed as part of a scope. Formal accountancy advice and formal tax advice remain outside the current service scope.

If software choice affects tax, VAT, accounts, payroll or compliance obligations, you should speak to an appropriately qualified and supervised professional.

20. Can you speak to HMRC for me?

Yes, where the contact relates to a service MRS Bookkeeping supports, authority has been agreed and HMRC authorisation is in place. The exact work must be set out in writing.

MRS Bookkeeping can prepare and submit VAT returns and MTD updates, prepare accounts and tax returns, and provide payroll and PAYE administration as part of an agreed scope. Formal tax advice remains outside the current service scope.

If you need dispute handling, specialist representation or formal tax advice, you should speak to an appropriately qualified professional.

21. Can you work with my accountant?

Potentially, yes.

If you already have an accountant, MRS Bookkeeping may help you organise records and prepare clearer information for them.

Any sharing of information with your accountant should be agreed with you first.

MRS Bookkeeping does not replace your accountant and does not provide formal tax or accountancy advice.

22. Can you collect paper records?

Possibly, depending on the situation.

If physical records are needed, MRS Bookkeeping will agree a handover method before records are provided.

Please do not send or deliver confidential documents without first agreeing the appropriate process.

23. What happens to my records after the work?

That depends on the agreed scope and whether the records are physical or digital.

Physical records will normally be returned once the agreed work is complete or once they are no longer needed.

Digital records may be retained, deleted, returned or archived depending on the agreed work and any legal, accounting, insurance, regulatory or business record-keeping requirements.

For more detail, please see the Data Handling / Client Records Notice.

24. Is my information kept private?

MRS Bookkeeping takes practical steps to handle personal information and client records carefully.

Personal information is handled in accordance with the Privacy Policy.

Financial records, paperwork and digital files are handled in line with the Data Handling / Client Records Notice.

Please do not send confidential documents until the appropriate secure handover method has been confirmed.

25. What if my enquiry is outside your current scope?

If your enquiry appears to require work that MRS Bookkeeping cannot currently provide, I will aim to explain that clearly.

Where appropriate, I may suggest that you speak to an accountant, tax adviser or other appropriately supervised professional.

MRS Bookkeeping may also suggest a limited records-organisation or clarity step if that would be suitable and within current service boundaries.

26. Where is MRS Bookkeeping based?

MRS Bookkeeping is based in North Devon.

Business address:

Muffins, West Lane, Dolton, Devon, EX19 8QU

27. Who owns MRS Bookkeeping?

MRS Bookkeeping is the trading name of Martin Richard Schmalenbach, operating as a sole trader.

For more detail, please see the Imprint / Business Details page.

28. How do I start?

If your records are messy, incomplete or difficult to understand, start with the Financial Record Rescue enquiry page.

If you have a general question, use the Contact page.

A short message is enough to begin.

Please do not send bank statements, ID documents, tax records, payroll information or other confidential documents until I have confirmed the appropriate secure handover method.

29. Not sure where to start?

If your records feel messy, scattered, incomplete or difficult to understand, Financial Record Rescue may be a suitable first step.

You do not need to have everything organised before making an enquiry.

A short description is enough to begin.

Start a Financial Record Rescue enquiry

30. Have a question?

If you are not sure whether MRS Bookkeeping can help, you can send a short enquiry.

Please do not send confidential documents yet.

Contact MRS Bookkeeping

31. Who does MRS Bookkeeping work with?

MRS Bookkeeping works with sole traders, small businesses, landlords, and community organisations.

Exactly what can be offered depends on current scope – see “What can MRS Bookkeeping help with now?” and “What services are not currently available?” above.

32. I’ve had a bad experience with a previous bookkeeper. How will this be different?

That is understandable, and it is a common reason people get in touch.

The approach here is transparent and methodical: a written scope before any paid work begins, clear communication throughout, and no assumption that your records need to be perfect, or already understood, before you ask for help.

The Client Onboarding page explains exactly what happens, step by step.

33. What information do I need to provide to get started?

You do not need bank statements, ID or other confidential documents at the enquiry stage – a short description of your situation is enough to begin.

Once a scope is agreed, the Client Onboarding page explains exactly what is needed and how it should be provided. For bookkeeping, accounts preparation, payroll and PAYE administration, VAT return preparation, MTD submissions and tax return preparation, appropriate identity and due diligence checks form part of onboarding.

34. Can I pause or cancel services?

Yes. How this works depends on the type of service – a one-off engagement like Financial Record Rescue, an ongoing arrangement, or a membership like DIY MTD Membership each work slightly differently.

The full detail, including how to cancel and what happens to any payment already made, is set out in the Cancellation / Refund Policy.

35. How long do I need to keep records for?

As a general guide, HMRC requires self-employed sole traders to keep business records for at least 5 years from the 31 January online Self Assessment submission deadline of the relevant tax year.

This is about your own record-keeping obligations, separate from how long MRS Bookkeeping retains any records you provide – see the Data Handling / Client Records Notice for that.

36. What is the DEALER framework?

DEALER is a simple way to remember which accounts usually increase with a debit and which increase with a credit: Dividends, Expenses, Assets (these increase with debits), Liabilities, Equity, Revenue (these increase with credits).

It is a handy shortcut for understanding why a debit sometimes feels like “adding” and other times like “subtracting.”

37. What’s the difference between accruals and cash accounting?

In cash accounting, income and expenses are recorded when money actually moves. In accrual accounting, they are recorded when they are earned or incurred, even if payment happens later.

Many small businesses start with cash accounting because it is simpler, but accruals can give a clearer picture of how things are performing over time.

38. Why does MRS Bookkeeping talk about clarity and calm?

Uncertainty about your finances can be stressful, whatever the size of your business. Good record-keeping is not only about compliance – it is about being able to make decisions with confidence, because you know where you actually stand.

39. What does a people-first approach to numbers actually mean?

It means looking past the spreadsheets to the person behind them. Every business owner is different, and the aim is to help you feel informed and supported – not judged, and not overwhelmed by jargon.

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41. Last updated

23 October 2026