Spencer Woods

I generally don't post bad reviews but this company takes poor service to another level. Through incompetence and incorrect completion of paperwork we received a fine from the Pensions Regulator, 100% down to Spencer Woods. To cut a very long and unpleasant story short their Director, very unprofessionally, told me its not his problem, he is doing nothing about it and take him to small claims court, before putting the phone down on me. Utterly unprofessional, incompetent and not willing to take any responsibility. Take my advice and stay well clear of this company.

I've been with Spencer woods for 7 years, dealing mostly with Andrew Hancock, he's been absolutely brilliant and so has the rest of the company. They do my accounts and all our franchisees accounts. Never had a problem.

Andy and his team have looked after the accounts of 2 companies that I own / manage for the past 4 years. They are always available to give advice and carry out the required work quickly and efficiently. Their services are very competitively priced. Highly recommended.

I was cold called in January by Spencer Woods who then sent out a 'senior partner' to do a free consultation with me. In return for signing up with his company, I was told that my pending tax return would be done gratis. (it was for my first year in business as a barber - nothing too demanding for a qualified accountant). I signed up and from then on had extreme difficulty contacting him unless he needed to see me (e.g.

For a signature). Calls were unanswered and texts/emails ignored. I called the office several times and the phone was not answered until one day someone did answer it. She claimed not to work there but said she would go off to find out about my query without even asking who I was!

Bemused, I emailed the company's general email enquiry email account to complain at the poor service and communication.

I received an indignant reply from someone who did not introduce himself, sent from a personal email account. When I responded, stating my amazement at the tone of this email from an unknown source, he emailed me back stating that he was the director. The rest of the email continued in a rude, abrupt, uncompromising and unapologetic tone in which he basically said that if I didn't like it, I should go somewhere else.

Communication has been kept to the essential bare minimum since then as it seems that is the way he likes it - give me your money but not your concerns! I have decided to take my business elsewhere and politely requested a refund of 30% of the fees I paid, as they have 'served' me for only 8 months. The director refutes his senior partner's claims that the first tax return was done gratis and is now claiming that I have paid in arrears and is suggesting that I owe him money.

I had already done my own first tax return anyway but I had obviously put some figures in the wrong boxes. They simply corrected this and sent it off! Not only would I like an apology for the poor service and poor communication, I am still miffed that my mail was being sent to my mother-in-law's address about 40 miles away (more than once!) and the fact that the director's attitude was one of resentment at his service levels being brought into question.

He may have remained polite but his attitude was despicable. Don't be conned by the low price this firm offers - you get what you pay for and in this instance, even less! On the plus side, the payroll lady was very efficient and despite the tone of the director's communications, my accounts were done and tax return sent off. Well done on doing your job!! LOTS of work needed on customer service.