Bookkeeping Services Agreement
This Bookkeeping Services Agreement is designed for use where a freelance bookkeeper provides professional services to a business client.
References to data protection legislation in this document include the UK GDPR.
Bookkeeping services agreement for freelance bookkeepers and business clients
This template can be used either as a standard form of agreement for all clients or adapted for particular client engagements.
It is structured around a core set of terms and conditions, with the form of agreement set out in the Model Letter of Engagement schedule.
Letter of engagement, services, and fee structure
The document is built around terms and conditions supported by schedules covering the services, fees, and other practical detail of the engagement.
The suggested Letter of Engagement can be adapted as required, but it should make clear that the terms and conditions form part of it.
The services schedule contains a non-exhaustive list of bookkeeping tasks and duties, and should be tailored so that it reflects the services actually being offered.
What this bookkeeping agreement covers
- appointment, term, remuneration, and payment of invoices;
- client cooperation, responsibilities, approvals, and authority;
- anti-money laundering obligations, file destruction, confidentiality, and termination;
- limits on the bookkeeper’s obligations and legal liability;
- sub-contractors and insurance; and
- optional data protection and data processing provisions where relevant.
Software use and professional status options
The template includes incidental references to the use of accounting software, and Schedule 4 contains provisions relating to the bookkeeper’s use of software.
Where bookkeeping services involve using the client’s software or the bookkeeper’s own software, additional provisions or other steps may be needed to address software licensing and related legal risks.
The agreement also includes optional alternatives dealing with whether the bookkeeper is a member of the Association of Accounting Technicians, the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers, or no professional organisation.
Schedules for services, fees, engagement terms, software, and data protection
- Services – the bookkeeping tasks and duties to be provided;
- Fees, Expenses, Costs, VAT – the charging structure for the engagement;
- Model Letter of Engagement – a suggested form of engagement letter;
- Provisions Relating to Bookkeeper's Use of Software – software-related provisions where relevant; and
- Data Protection and Data Processing – optional data protection and processing detail where included.
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