Letter - Alternate scheme fails

The English ICA’s General Practitioner Board is disappointed by the low take up of the alternates scheme and would like it to be made compulsory.

It is important to protect the interests of clients if a practitioner becomes incapacitated or dies. In practice, I fear that in this respect the scheme could be worse than useless. I append the paragraphs which I wrote in the comments section of the latest questionnaire:

‘Some two years ago, I planned to retire and asked a dozen or so firms if they would take over my clients.

I was most anxious that all clients should be well looked after, so my first question sought assurance on this point. In each case, the response was the same: “We will naturally look after those clients who match our practice profile and the others will no doubt be able to find advice elsewhere”.

‘I was so disappointed by this reaction that I decided to continue to service the clients myself and since taking this decision I have heard of other accountants who felt forced to do as I have done.

‘A better idea would be to lay down a code of practice whereby all client files contain full background notes so that the case could continue to be processed without interruption whatever the circumstances.

‘Under the alternates scheme, who is there to take action against the alternate? Only the principal, and he will be dead or incapacitated. The scheme should definitely not be made compulsory.’

Henry Pritchet, Ringwood, Hampshire