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I work at a small firm of solicitors and my wife runs a small business so I can see both sides. When engaging with an accountant, you hand in your papers before the year end, they prepare your accounts, you have one or two meetings and you pay what is more or less a set fee. The fee may go up slightly from year to year but never too drastically.

Seeing a solicitor, on the other hand, is a daunting prospect due to the open nature of the costs. I know the reasons behind it, and I understand that while accounts are a standard annual task a solicitor will usually be consulted on something more specific. Yet, if there is a chance of resolving something in a chat with the accountant for which you will not be billed for each phone call, email and letter then whether sensible or not this is what you will try and do.