Practice acquisitions
We acquire accounting practices and blocks of fees from partners who are ready to step back — ensuring your clients are looked after, your legacy is protected, and the transition is handled properly.
All conversations are treated in strict confidence. No obligation to proceed at any stage.
There is no single reason to sell. We've worked with partners in each of these situations and treated each conversation on its own terms.
You've built a practice you're proud of. You want to retire properly — not wind down while hoping clients find their own way. We take on the client relationships with full care and continuity, so you can leave knowing they're in good hands.
You want to concentrate on a specific niche, reduce your workload, or simply monetise a portion of your practice without closing entirely. We can acquire part of your fee base, leaving you free to focus on the work you enjoy.
The compliance treadmill, staff management, and ever-changing HMRC requirements have made the practice feel like a burden rather than a business. You want out of the operations while keeping some involvement on your terms.
From first conversation to completed transaction — here is exactly what the process looks like. No ambiguity, no pressure, no obligation to proceed at any point.
We start with a no-obligation call — typically 30 to 45 minutes. You tell us about the practice: fee base, client mix, staff, systems, your circumstances and timeline. We ask questions, you ask questions. Nothing leaves that conversation.
No NDA required to startBased on what you've shared, we provide an indicative offer in writing — typically within five business days. This sets out the proposed consideration, structure, and key terms. You are under no obligation to proceed.
Within 5 working daysIf you accept the indicative offer, we conduct a focused due diligence process — reviewing client files, WIP, debtors, staff arrangements, and systems. We work quickly and only ask for what we need. NDA signed before this stage.
2 to 3 weeks, typicallyWe agree the final terms in a heads of terms document: consideration, payment structure, handover period, any earn-out or retention arrangements, staff positions, and client communication plan.
Legally reviewed by both sidesClients are communicated to jointly — a letter or email from you introducing 1st Numbers Accounting as your chosen successor. We handle the HMRC agent authorisation transfers and onboard each client to our platform. Your clients never experience a gap in service.
Zero disruption to clientsTransaction completes, consideration is paid. If you have agreed to a handover or consulting arrangement, that begins now — on your terms, at your pace.
Target: 60 days from heads of termsWe are not the right buyer for every practice. These are the characteristics that make a transaction work well for both sides.
We consider practices and fee blocks from £50k annual recurring upwards. There is no upper limit — larger practices are welcome. We are not suitable for very small fee blocks below £30k.
Our platform is optimised for limited companies, sole traders, and property investors. We are strongest with this client mix and will serve them exceptionally well.
Annual accounts, corporation tax, VAT, and self assessment. We are not the right acquirer for predominantly advisory, audit, or one-off transaction fee bases.
We operate within the UK regulatory framework. All clients must be UK-based and filing under HMRC and Companies House requirements.
The partners we work best with are those who have genuine regard for their clients' wellbeing and want to ensure continuity of care — not just maximise the sale price.
We don't need perfection — but we do need accessible client records, current engagement letters, and a clear picture of outstanding WIP and debtors. We'll help identify gaps during due diligence.
Your clients will be served by a platform built specifically for this kind of accounting — not retrofitted onto legacy software that hasn't changed in a decade.
Our proprietary engine matches transactions across bank feeds and ledgers with 98%+ accuracy. Exceptions are flagged and reviewed — not missed.
Technology prepares. Humans approve. No return is filed without a qualified accountant checking it first. Your clients get the same standard you provided.
A dedicated deadline management system tracks every HMRC and Companies House obligation for every client. Alerts fire weeks in advance, not days.
Every client can see the status of their returns, access their documents, and communicate with their accountant through a dedicated portal — not email chains.
All VAT submissions are MTD-compliant. When MTD for Income Tax arrives, every client in our practice is already on a platform that handles it natively.
Clients who want more than annual accounts can access monthly or quarterly management reporting — without switching accountant or paying extra firms.
We typically pay 1× to 1.4× gross recurring fees, depending on client mix, average fee per client, length of client relationships, and the proportion of clients we assess as likely to stay. We explain our calculation transparently and in writing.
No. Client communication is agreed jointly as part of the transaction and happens after completion — or at a point you specify. We have a standard client letter template that we adapt together.
We discuss staff arrangements honestly and early. In most acquisitions we retain staff, either within the 1st Numbers team or in a client-facing handover role during the transition period.
Yes — this is one of the most common arrangements we make. Many selling partners continue as a client relationship manager, technical reviewer, or senior adviser for one to two days per week. This tends to improve client retention significantly.
From first conversation to completion, typical timelines are 60 to 90 days. We can move faster if your circumstances require it, or slower if you prefer a longer planned transition.
No. Our preference is to pay on completion. If you would prefer a deferred or earn-out structure — for tax planning reasons, for example — we are open to discussing it, but we do not impose it.
If you are thinking about the future of your practice — even at an early stage — we are worth talking to. Everything is treated in confidence.