Replacing a bookkeeper who has left

When your bookkeeper leaves, the payroll, the VAT return and the supplier payments still fall due. The Buzz finance team takes over the bookkeeping in Xero, finds out how far behind it is, and keeps it up to date every week. From £750 + VAT a month.

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The first fortnight after a bookkeeper leaves

1
Take back the logins
List every system they used: Xero, the bank, HMRC, the payroll software and the pension provider. Change the passwords and remove their user access.
2
Check the next payday
Payroll has to be reported to HMRC on or before payday, on a Full Payment Submission (gov.uk, 2026). Find out whether this month’s payroll has been run.
3
Check the next VAT return
A VAT return and its payment are usually due one calendar month and seven days after the end of the VAT period (gov.uk, 2026). Note the date of the next one.
4
Find out where the books stop
Look at the last date the bank accounts were reconciled in Xero. Everything after it needs posting and checking.
5
Hand it over
Give the Buzz finance team access and we pick up from the last reconciled date, starting with the payroll and VAT deadlines.

Receipts and invoices being sorted for the books

A team in place of one person

Your books are kept by named people in Buzz’s accounts team, and the wider team covers holidays and sickness. The work is in Xero, so you see the same figures we do on any day.

To compare the fee with hiring a new bookkeeper, add employer’s National Insurance, pension, software, equipment, recruitment and cover for holidays to the salary. The cost of a hire calculator works it out.

What the Finance Manager level covers

Finance Manager

From £750+ VAT a month

The day-to-day finance work, done every week in Xero.

Xero and your apps

Xero set up with the apps for receipts, expenses and payments, and kept running as the business grows.

Weekly bookkeeping

Invoices posted and bank accounts reconciled every week, and each month closed within five working days.

Payroll and expenses

Payroll run every month and employee expense claims processed.

VAT returns and records

VAT returns filed from records that are ready when an auditor, lender or investor asks for them.

Compare it with the Financial Controller level

Questions about replacing a bookkeeper

How quickly can you take over?

Once you give us access, we start with whatever falls due first, usually the payroll or a VAT return. Expect a month or two before the reporting can be relied on, and longer if the records were behind.

Our bookkeeper used Sage or QuickBooks. Can you take that over?

We work in Xero, and moving your records across is part of the handover. Tell us which software you use and how many years of records it holds, and the move is quoted with the rest.

The books are months behind. What happens?

We find the last date the bank was reconciled, post and check everything after it, and quote that work separately as a one-off. The weekly routine starts once the books are up to date.

Can you run the payroll as well?

Yes. Monthly payroll and employee expense claims are part of the Finance Manager level.

Will we have a named person?

Yes. Named people from Buzz’s accounts team look after your books, with the wider team providing cover for holidays and sickness.

Talk to us about your finance team

Tell us about the business and what you need. A named person replies within one working day.

Book a call See the outsourced finance department

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