7 Mistakes You’re Making When Selling Your Accountancy Practice UK (and How Reverse Due Diligence Saves the Deal)
Selling your life’s work isn't just a financial transaction; it’s an emotional milestone. For many a retiring accountant, the process of offloading a firm they've spent decades building can feel like a minefield. You’ve looked after your clients, managed your team, and kept the books straight: but when it comes to the practice sale, the […]
Does a 1.2x GRF Multiple Still Matter in 2026? The Truth About Practice Valuations
For decades, the "1.2x Gross Recurring Fees (GRF)" multiple was the gold standard. If you were looking to sell your practice, you’d look at your total annual fees, multiply by 1.2, and there was your number. It was simple, predictable, and, frankly, a bit lazy. Now that we’ve reached 2026, the landscape of accountancy mergers […]
MTD for ITSA: What Practice Owners Need to Know
If you’ve been in the game as long as I have, you’ll know that the goalposts for the accountancy profession in the UK don't just move, they occasionally get dug up and replanted in a different stadium. Right now, in June 2026, we are standing in the middle of one of the biggest structural shifts […]
MTD ITSA: The August 7th Crossroad for Your Practice Value
The HMRC "soft landing" for MTD ITSA (Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment) penalties is a bit of a double-edged sword, isn't it? On one hand, there’s a collective sigh of relief echoing through the corridors of every selling accountancy firm in the UK. On the other, as someone who spends all day […]
Accounting Firm GRF Multiples in 2026: Secrets Revealed on What’s Actually Being Paid
If you’ve been keeping an eye on the market, you’ve probably heard the whispers. "1.2x is the new 1x," or "Private equity is driving everything to 2.0x." But as we move through 2026, the reality on the ground for the average retiring accountant in the UK is a bit more nuanced. I’m Peter Watson, and […]
Are Peak Accountancy Practice Valuations UK Over? The Truth About GRF Multiples in 2026
If you’ve been keeping an eye on the market lately, you might have heard some chatter in the local ICAEW or ACCA circles. People are asking: Is the bubble about to burst? Have we already seen the peak of accountancy practice valuations UK? It’s a fair question. We’ve come through a wild few years of […]
Does a 1.2x GRF Multiple Really Matter in 2026? The Truth About Accountancy Practice Valuations UK
If you’ve been in the profession for more than a decade, you’ve probably heard the old "rule of thumb" more times than you can count: your practice is worth 1.2x your Gross Recurring Fees (GRF). For years, this was the gold standard for any retiring accountant looking to exit the stage. But as we sit […]
The Great Consolidation: Is your ‘Local’ Accountant still local?
It’s been a busy few weeks in the world of UK accountancy. If you’ve been keeping an eye on the trade press: or just noticing the signs changing on the high street: you’ll have seen a flurry of activity that suggests the “Great Consolidation” is moving into a higher gear. In just the first week […]
Are Accountancy Practice Valuations UK Peaking? 5 Reasons 2026 is a Critical Year for Your Exit
Hi, I’m Peter Watson. If we haven’t met yet, I spend my days (and sometimes my evenings) deeply immersed in the world of accountancy practice mergers & acquisitions. Unlike the big corporate houses or call-center-driven brokerage firms, I work one-on-one with owners. I’ve seen the market shift from the "good old days" of simple multiples […]
Does the 1.2x GRF Multiple Really Matter in 2026? The Truth About UK Accountancy Valuations
If you’ve been in the UK accountancy world for more than five minutes, you’ve heard the "magic" number: 1.2x GRF. For decades, the Gross Recurring Fee multiple has been the holy grail of accountancy practice valuation. Sellers want it, buyers fear it, and brokers have used it as the standard yardstick for almost every practice […]