Client intake Current
Requesting updated contact details from an existing client
A practical cadence for refreshing existing client records.
Client records generally go stale over time as circumstances change. This guide sets out a practical cadence for checking in with existing clients. It is general information, not legal or compliance advice.
Action plan
1 Set a regular review cadence The Tax Practitioners Board recommends reconfirming ongoing engagement arrangements regularly, preferably annually.
For recurring or ongoing engagements, it's generally good practice to reconfirm or review the arrangements with clients regularly, preferably annually. An annual check-in is a natural point to also confirm contact details are still current.
- Set an annual (or more frequent) cadence for checking in with ongoing clients
- Combine the check-in with your existing engagement review where practical
- Record the date contact details were last confirmed
Done when: A regular cadence for reconfirming client contact details is in place
TPB: letters of engagement2 Recognise events that call for an earlier check Some changes are worth confirming as soon as you become aware of them, not at the next scheduled review.
The Tax Practitioners Board's guidance identifies events that call for a fresh look at an engagement rather than waiting for the next scheduled review: a change in the client's circumstances, a change in relevant laws or regulations affecting the engagement, or any sign the client may have misunderstood the scope of the engagement. Since a client's circumstances changing is also exactly when their contact details are most likely to be out of date, the same events are a practical prompt to check contact details early too.
- Confirm details again if the client's circumstances change materially
- Confirm details again if relevant laws or regulations affecting the engagement change
- Confirm details again if there's any sign the client has misunderstood the engagement's scope
Done when: The firm has a documented approach for earlier-than-scheduled contact-detail checks
TPB: letters of engagement3 Record each confirmation Keep a record of when contact details were last checked and confirmed.
Keeping a simple record of when a client's contact details were last confirmed makes it easy to see which clients are due for a check, and gives your firm evidence its records are being kept current.
- Record the date contact details were last confirmed for each client
- Flag clients overdue for their next confirmation
- Update records promptly when a client reports a change
Done when: A record exists showing when each client's contact details were last confirmed
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