Thinking about leaving or changing your chartered accountant in France? Maybe your current accountant no longer meets your needs. You may, for example, be moving and want to find a firm that is closer to you or an online accountant, or you may be looking for someone who is more responsive and available to answer your questions and advise you. You might also want a single firm able to handle all your accounting, tax, payroll and legal matters for appropriate fees, or perhaps you have found an accountant with strong experience in your industry who offers simple digital tools and will help you save more time on a daily basis…
Switching to a new accounting firm is easier than most business owners think, as long as you follow a few legal and contractual rules.
Below is a clear, 3‑step process you can follow, plus an example of a termination letter you can adapt to your situation before starting with your new chartered accountant in France.
In any case, it is essential to make sure that the new firm will genuinely meet all of your expectations in order to avoid another disappointment in the short term.
1. Check your engagement letter before cancelling
In France, the engagement letter is the service contract between you and your chartered accountant. You must read it carefully before sending any termination letter, especially the section on notice period and termination conditions.
To avoid paying a termination indemnity, it is often safer to wait until the end of the current accounting year to change accountants.
Many firms require a three‑month notice period between the date you send your cancellation letter and the effective end of the engagement.
For example, if your financial year ends on December, 31 and your engagement letter provides for three months’ notice, you should send your registered termination letter no later than September, 30 for the change to take effect at year‑end.
Note: While it is generally recommended to explain why you have decided to change accounting firms, it is not strictly mandatory.
Want clarity before changing your accountant in France?
Book a confidential, no‑obligation call with a Paris‑based chartered accountant:
we will review your situation, your questions and your current engagement letter
we will explain the timing and main risks of switching firms
and, if your business fits our target clients (directors of SAS/SASU, SARL/EURL, SCI and holding companies, as well as liberal professionals, freelancers, LMNP/LMP landlords and associations based in France), we will outline how our firm could support you efficiently going forward.
2. Plan the final work with your current accountant
Once your current accountant receives your termination letter, the firm will organise the remaining work in line with the engagement letter and your notice period. You will need to settle all outstanding fees for the work performed up to the agreed end date.
In the previous example, if you send your termination letter before September, 30 and your financial year‑end is December, 31, your accounting firm will prepare your December, 31 year‑end accounts. You will then have to pay for this work, in particular so that the firm can hand over all the documents it has produced, such as the balance sheet, profit and loss account, payroll filings, VAT, tax returns, FEC file, etc.
Note: your current accountant cannot keep your original accounting documents (invoices, bank statements, contracts, etc.) as leverage for unpaid fees. If this happens, you can contact the conciliation commission of the French Chartered Accountants’ professional body to which the firm belongs for mediation.
3. Coordinate the transfer with your new accounting firm in France
Once you have chosen your new chartered accountant in France, you must share the contact details of your former firm.
Your new chartered accountant will then contact the former one directly to also obtain all the necessary data and documents (trial balance, general ledger, tax files, payroll data, legal documents, etc.).
Note: This step is mandatory: a French chartered accountant is not allowed to accept a new engagement without informing the previous firm (handover letter – “lettre de reprise” in France)
Prepare your switch now
Assess your change of accountant with complete peace of mind and without taking any risk for your business.
Book a meeting with a chartered accountant for a confidential, no‑obligation discussion: we will review your contractual obligations, your termination letter and your objectives, in order to offer you a tailored support plan for a smooth handover of your file with no disruption or risk for your company.
We will also present our onboarding methodology: dedicated contact person, handover schedule, secure data transfer and implementation of tools to simplify your day‑to‑day financial management.
What happens after you get in touch?
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An initial discovery call with a chartered accountant (phone, video or in‑person) to understand your business, your current organisation and your expectations.
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A concise review of your situation and your engagement letter, with clear recommendations on the timing and practical aspects of the termination.
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A detailed engagement proposal and a handover plan for your file, laying the foundations for a stable, long‑term relationship.
Example of a termination letter for an accounting engagement
The following is a sample termination letter to be sent by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt to your current accounting firm, whose engagement you wish to terminate:
Your company letterhead
Chartered accounting firm
Adress
Postcode – City
Place, Date
Registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt
Subject : Termination of your accounting engagement
Dear Sir or Madam,
I hereby inform you, by this letter, of my intention to terminate your accounting engagement as well as any other engagement we may have entrusted to you, with effect from the next financial year, i.e. the year starting on 01/01/20XX+1.
As a result, the work required to prepare the financial statements as at 31/12/20XX will remain entrusted to you, together with all related tax, social and legal filings, in accordance with the engagement letter.
Thank you in advance, and please feel free to contact me should you require any further information.
Yours faithfully,
Name
Signature
This sample is deliberately generic: before sending it, it may be useful to have it reviewed or adapted to your situation (dates, scope of services, specific clauses, etc.).
During our meeting, you can ask us to check that your termination letter is consistent with your engagement letter and the timing of your termination, so that you do not take any unnecessary risk for your business.
Need personalised support to successfully change your chartered accountant in France and build a stable long‑term relationship?
Click here to quickly schedule an initial meeting – by phone, video call or face‑to‑face, at your convenience – free of charge and with no obligation.
We mainly work with company directors (SAS/SASU, SARL/EURL, startups, real estate SCIs and holding companies) as well as independent professionals (liberal professions, freelancers, LMNP/LMP furnished rentals) and associations based throughout France (in French or in English) who are looking for a responsive, well‑structured and advisory‑driven accounting firm.
Contact us and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
