Tax advisers' affiliation in legal dispute with member

A branded affiliation of tax advisers recruiting firms of accountants across the country is in dispute with one of its members just weeks after its official launch.

The Business Tax Centre, brainchild of marketing consultant Gordon Gilchrist, seeks firms which want to market their tax services under a single, national brand. The scheme is intended to give smaller firms more marketing muscle.

Gilchrist said initial interest had been high, with 80 firms signed up.

But the BTC’s efforts not to be seen as a partnership, for liability reasons, have led it into dispute with one of its first members.

Gilchrist explained: ‘Firms work as themselves. It’s very informal but the (affiliation’s) purpose is to stand out as a major brand. Clients must realise the advice they get is the advice of that firm and not of any other BTC firm. One firm we signed up didn’t come up to scratch, telling clients that it was part of a national partnership, so we have had to engage our solicitors,’ Gilchrist added.’

BTC membership is available on the same regional basis as Yellow Pages with no more than 20 members per directory. Would-be clients can contact a freephone number and work is handed out on a pro-rata basis by a national call centre in Aylesbury.