For Brokers & Intermediaries
A clear, responsive counterparty for UK accounting-practice transactions.
A defined mandate, fast first-pass decisions, written introducer terms and discreet communication throughout the process.
In one screen
The mandate, briefly
We are seeking introductions to established UK accounting practices whose owners are considering retirement, succession or a phased exit. We make a direct, considered approach to the owner, informed by whatever information you and the owner are comfortable sharing at each stage.
- Looking for
- Established UK accounting practices with recurring fee income, whose owners are considering retirement, succession or a phased exit.
- Not looking for
- Start-up practices, distressed practices with no recurring fee base, or speculative approaches with no basis in the owner's own intentions.
- Fee income range
- Broadly £250,000 to several million pounds. Outside that range, tell us anyway and we will decide.
- Process
- A direct, considered approach to the owner. We are not a broker and do not run a bidding process.
- Decision speed
- An initial view, usually within a few working days of a first-pass summary.
- Confidentiality
- Standard-form NDA signed before any client-identifiable detail is shared.
How it works
From first-pass summary to outcome
A structured six-step sequence, designed to protect confidentiality at every stage and to give you a clear answer quickly.
01
You send a first-pass summary
A brief, anonymised outline covering location, size, service mix and the owner's position, using the categories set out below. No client-identifiable detail is needed at this stage.
02
We give an initial view
Usually within a few working days: whether the practice looks like a fit against our criteria, and what we would need to see next if it does.
03
NDA and named introduction
If there is a fit, we sign a confidentiality agreement and you can share the practice's identity and more detailed information with confidence.
04
Introducer terms confirmed in writing
Before the process goes further, we agree and confirm in writing how any introducer fee would work for this specific introduction.
05
Direct conversation with the owner
We take over the substantive conversation with the owner, keeping you informed at whatever level you and the owner agree is appropriate.
06
Outcome, either way
If the practice proceeds towards a transaction, we keep you updated through to completion. If it does not proceed, we tell you why, so you are not left guessing.
Useful detail
What we need for a first pass
None of this needs to identify the practice by name. An anonymised summary covering the points below is normally enough for us to give an initial view.
Location and size
The broad UK region and approximate annual recurring fee income, so we can judge fit against our criteria before asking for anything more detailed.
Service mix
The balance of compliance, advisory and payroll work, and whether the practice has any particular sector specialism worth knowing about early.
Team structure
Headcount, the number of qualified staff, and whether any key managers are expected to remain through and after a transaction.
Owner's position
Whether the owner has firmly decided to sell or is exploring the idea, their preferred timing, and their appetite for a handover period.
Regulatory standing
Professional body membership and whether there are any known regulatory issues, so we can flag concerns quickly rather than discover them late.
Your mandate
Whether you are formally retained by the owner, and how you would like introducer terms to be structured, so we can discuss this openly from the outset.
Acquisition criteria
What makes a practice a fit
Recurring fee income, an established client base, a settled team, and an owner who has genuinely started thinking about their future. These are the factors that matter most in an initial review.
Response times and decision discipline
Why a fast no matters as much as a fast yes
An introducer's time is valuable, and so is an owner's patience. We would rather tell you quickly that a practice is not a fit than let a conversation drift while you hold an open discussion with your client. Our discipline is to review first-pass information promptly, decide honestly against our own criteria, and give a direct answer, whether that answer is interest or a clear no.
When we do want to proceed, we move at a pace set by the owner, not by us. That can mean weeks of careful conversation before anything is put in writing. What we try to avoid, in either direction, is leaving an introducer or an owner waiting without a reason.
Confidentiality
How we handle sensitive information
Anything you or an owner shares with us is handled discreetly. We sign a standard-form non-disclosure agreement before receiving client-identifiable detail, restrict access to the people directly involved in reviewing the introduction, and do not approach the owner's staff or clients at any stage without the owner's explicit agreement.
Introducer terms
Agreed in writing, case by case
We do not publish a standard introducer fee or percentage, and we would treat any figure quoted without context as meaningless, because the right structure depends on the size of the transaction, the nature of the introduction, and the work the introducer has done.
What we do commit to is confirming terms in writing before an introduction proceeds to a substantive stage, so that you know exactly what has been agreed before you need to rely on it, and so there is no ambiguity later about what is owed and when.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What size of practice are you looking to be introduced to?
Broadly, established UK accounting practices with recurring fee income from around £250,000 up to several million pounds. Outside that range we would still like to hear from you; we would rather make that judgement ourselves than have you filter introductions on our behalf.
How quickly will you respond to an introduction?
We aim to give an initial view within a few working days of receiving the information set out below. If the practice is not a fit, we will tell you plainly and promptly, rather than leaving the conversation open.
Do you sign an NDA before reviewing information?
Yes, where the practice name or client-identifiable detail is being shared. We are used to working under confidentiality and will sign a reasonable, standard-form NDA without delay.
How are introducer fees agreed?
Case by case, in writing, before any introduction proceeds to a substantive stage. We do not publish a standard percentage or fee schedule, because the right structure depends on the introduction, the size of the transaction and the work the introducer has done. We are straightforward to negotiate with and confirm terms before you need to rely on them.
What if the owner does not want to proceed after all?
That happens, and it is a normal part of this kind of process. We would rather you introduce a practice early, before an owner has fully committed to a sale, than wait until they are certain and risk losing time either side.
Can I stay involved through completion?
Yes, if that is what the owner wants. Many introducers continue to support their client through due diligence and legal completion, and we are happy to keep you informed at each stage, with the owner's agreement.
Introduce a practice
Send a first-pass summary
Use the form below, or email us directly, with as much or as little detail as is appropriate at this stage.
Information you share is used only to assess this introduction and is not shared beyond the people directly reviewing it, unless you and the owner agree otherwise.
Have a practice in mind?
Send a first-pass summary and we will come back to you with a clear answer, usually within a few working days.