Latest Business: Spofforths – The sum of things
Latest Homes talks to Alison Jones of local accountancy firm Spofforths about their specialist services for the lettings industry
Spofforths is a family business going back 100 years. It was started by two brothers in Worthing and is still run by three of their sons, Mark, Alex and Richard Spofforth. They are now the largest accountancy firm in West Sussex with offices in Worthing, Horsham and Chichester. Their Brighton office, now in its fifth year, was their first move into East Sussex.
The Brighton branch is headed up by three partners: Steve Kirkham, who specialises in the media industry; Alex Spofforth, who specialises in charity work, and Alison Jones, who works closely with the lettings market – mainly residential but with some commercial letting – and runs a specialist department in the Brighton office.
“Although we have the ethos of a small family run business, we are actually a large concern with around 200 staff across Sussex”
“Currently a lot of London managing agents are looking to expand into the local lettings market,” says Alison, about the letting industry, her specialist area with Spofforths. “We are specialists here in Brighton and Worthing, and one member of our team has worked for a letting agent and has experience from both angles. We are now doing lots of work with managing agents.
“Peter Lansberry in our Horsham office was part of a working party looking at changes in the Landlord and Tenant Act. Service charge accounts do put off a lot of companies but we like to run portfolios and take on work for individual clients too. Although we have the ethos of a small family run business, we are actually a large concern with around 200 staff across Sussex. That means that we are able to offer a wide range of specialist services to clients.
“What I enjoy most is the interaction with the client. Accountancy can sound stuffy and boring, but it’s not, and you can get an insight into people lives and businesses; it can be very exciting. It’s great to be able to help clients, perhaps changing pricing structures and cashflows and budgets to make a business more effective and profitable. The initial analysis of the accounts is the most interesting and through our knowledge we can minimise the amounts of taxation payable for a business.
“We have a separate tax consultancy with three high level tax consultants specialising in inheritance, trusts and overseas tax. We all work together in our clients’ interests to get them the best possible results. And we also believe that continuity of service is key to doing that.
“Spofforths is a firm of family accountants but with the scope of a larger corporate business. We do corporate finance, forensic accounting and act as forensic witnesses.
“Ideally people come to us in advance of starting a business and that can be very satisfying. But also people come in when they are in a complete mess, and we can help them get back on track. We have a Private Client Services division and our professionals handle Wills and other important matters such as Inheritance Tax and Probate. Clients also benefit from access to our financial planning advisers who help with their investments and pensions.”
Spofforths opened in Brighton five years ago and Alison joined the firm the day after opening. “I love the fact that I know all of my clients on a personal level,” she says. “They are never just file numbers, and they all have my direct phone number should they need to talk to me. If a client signs up I would become their engagement partner and the first meeting or consultation is always free. That personal contact makes what we offer very special. We also have a great deal of technical support behind us. We are very competitive on pricing too, but most importantly we know that we need to get on with the person. Our local knowledge helps a great deal, but we do cover a large area of the county.
“Above all we always put the clients first: this is not a nine-to- five routine job but a very satisfying and often rewarding one when you see how you can really make a difference to the success of a business from small to large companies.”
Spofforths are running free seminars across Sussex, covering a variety of topical issues. The firm finds this a great way to keep clients informed and it also helps to generate new business. They are also planning to run seminars for managing agents when the Landlord and Tenant Act changes.
Seminar date for your diary: Spofforths is co-hosting a free seminar with letting specialists Leaders, focussing on the property market and related tax issues. It will be held on Wednesday 30 June at Brighton Racecourse, from 4.30pm. Please contact Cath Norton to confirm your attendance.
Call 01273 811000 or email cathnorton@spofforths.co.uk
Contact Alison Jones, Spofforths Partner, for further information or to arrange a free initial consultation.
Call: 01273 811000 Email: alisonjones@spofforths.co.uk
Spofforths Chartered Accountants, Brighton, 1 Jubilee Street, Brighton BN1 1GE, 01273 811000, brighton@spofforths.co.uk
www.spofforths.co.uk
Offices in Brighton, Chichester, Horsham, Worthing and Storrington
October 7th, 2010 at 11:38 pm
Hearing the name Gemma Spofforth recently made me wonder if she is related to the family I knew in Worthing in the 1960′s. They were all extremely tall, one son was over 7ft tall, I think his name was Ian and he married a girl of about 5ft. It made the local headlines.Could they be her grandparents?
Just thought I’d ask out of interest, it is such an unusual name. It has brought back lots of memories.
Regards
Susan Hughes
March 12th, 2011 at 8:21 am
Very likely. In 1963, I went to first school in Worthing with a Spofforth. He was tall. Apparently, one of his ancestors had the distinction of walking across the Thames, by one of the bridges, at an exceptionally low tide!