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Founder Draper Hinks |
I have been invited to be a keynote speaker for the ICAEW webinar on September 22nd alongside our new member of staff Tim Bentham, our Buyer Liaison Manager. The topic of the talk is ‘How to Run and Grow a more Profitable Practice’. It is proving to be a very popular topic. Please contact the ICAEW to book your place.
Tim has joined the team at Draper Hinks to take a proactive role in building working relationships with all of our buyers. If you want to book a time to discuss your requirements then please email: t.bentham@draperhinks.co.uk. |
Nicola Draper What not to say to a vendor
When we are selling an accountancy practice, we ask our vendors to set aside a day in their diary to meet with potential buyers. It is on this meeting day that the buyer has the chance to make a good impression. You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.
Sellers are already nervous about who they are going to pass their clients to. Most vendors have nurtured the relationships with their clients over many years, and they can be very protective, wanting to make sure the buyer is able to match their level of care. Whatever you do as a buyer you need to convince the seller that you are the right person / firm for the vendor to choose.
We ask buyers to let us know why they are interested in the fees being sold. As a buyer, you cannot spend too much time on this part of the process. Give it a lot of thought to get it right.
Practices for Sale
| Reference | Area | Amount | Description |
| w/836/260907 | Somerset | £460,000 | 2 Directors, one looking to retire the other would like to stay on part time in some capacity post sale. Top 20 clients’ fees total £181,059. 3 employees, 1 full-time FCA, FMAAT; 1 works 4 days per week FCA; CTA; FMAAT; 1 works 27 hours per week; 1 works 27 hours per week ACCA; FMAAT. Both directors work 4 days per week. The buyer needs to be FCA/ACA or FCCA/ACCA qualified. Meetings with the vendor will be held on Tuesday, 6th October. |
| w/833/260824 | Herefordshire | £890,000 | Vendor looking to retire. Top 20 clients’ fees total £110,035. 15 employees, 4 full time and the rest part time. 2 of the staff are FCCA qualified. Vendor owns premises which ideally they would like the buyer to take on but it is not a condition of the sale. The buyer needs to be FCA/ACA or FCCA/ACCA qualified, have experience/knowledge of the farming sector and be audit registered. Practice is not paperless and 95% of clients visit the office. Meetings with the vendor will be held on Thursday, 17th September. |
| w/830/260817 | Shropshire | £640,000 | Two Directors, both looking to retire. Top 10 clients’ fees total £88,100. 8 employees, 2 AAT qualified and 1 AAT trainee. Rented premises, available to rent if required by the buyer. The buyer needs to be FCA/ACA or FCCA/ACCA qualified. There is significant potential to grow this practice. Meetings with the vendors will be held on Thursday 10th September. |
| w/829/260817 | Somerset | £170,500 | Vendor is looking to change career. Total of top 10 clients’ fees £16,182. Buyer needs to be at least FMAAT or AAT qualified. There are rented premises available to the buyer if required but not a condition of the sale. 2 members of staff. Meetings with the vendor will be held on Friday 18th September. |
Here is a testimonial from a vendor whose practice we sold in 2025:-I decided to retire and sell my practice due to health issues. I chose Draper Hinks to sell my fees because of their reputation. I have found working with them to be absolutely wonderful. Very professional and compassionate in the circumstances and nothing was too much trouble. I received continual communication and feedback, so was aware of the process at all times.
I felt I was in safe hands from the start, and all potential buyers were vetted and were bone fide. The process offered was excellent, totally professional and unmatched in skill and expertise. I cannot think how the service could be improved as I was happy with the total service received.
I was concerned that I may not sell the practice to someone who would understand the clients and the longstanding relationships that had been forged with loyalty and integrity over many years. The buyer I chose was right for my clients.
You need someone who understands the full process and can administer to both vendor and purchaser to the satisfaction of both parties to ensure a successful outcome. I would be more than happy to recommend Nicola and her colleagues at Draper Hinks.
Susan Davies ATT Fellow FAIA (Permission given to use her name)
Things don’t always go smoothly the first time
Read our Vendor’s story with details of multiple paid
Details of another deal done in 2025
| Fees sold | £510,908 | Where | Middlesex |
| Qualified | FCCA | Age | 68 & 65 |
| Time scale | 8 months | Type of Practice | Partnership |
| Payment | In tranches | How paid | Quarterly |
| Multiple | 1.1 x fees | When paid | Paid in arrears over 3 years |
| Offers | 2 offers | Office & staff | Office shut,1 staff retired others kept |
| Results | Vendors worked hand over for max of 12 months then retired to play golf and travel | ||
Your Guide to Buying
We have been helping accountants sell and buy practices for more than 20 years, and during that time we’ve learnt so much. We have collated all of our knowledge and experience into our new eBook, which is the ultimate guide to buying accountancy fees. You can download your copy from our website for free.
Income Multiples Paid in the last 12 months
| 2025 | Quarter | Average income multiple paid | Lowest income multiple paid | Highest income multiple paid | Lowest income multiple offered | Highest income multiple offered |
| Quarter 3 | Jul – Sept | 1.021 | 0.57* | 1.20 | 0.57 | 1.20 |
| Quarter 4 | Oct – Dec | 1.02 | 0.66 * | 1.25 | 0.66 | 1.25 |
| 2026 | ||||||
| Quarter 1 | Jan – Mar | 1.06 | 1.00 | 1.25 | 1.00 | 1.30 |
| Quarter 2 | Apr – Jun | 1.026 | 1.00 | 1.10 | 0.80 | 1.30 |
NB None of the above figures are to be reproduced in any way without express permission from Nicola Draper.
*One off payment made on completion with no clawback reduced due to illness.
We would like to welcome the following two members to our team.
Tim Bentham
Buyer Liaison Manager
Lisa Ayres
Administrative Assistant
Please check out our website www.draperhinks.com where you can:-
- Download our Draper Hinks Buying Fees eBook.
- Book a time to talk to Nicola on Calendly using this link:-
https://calendly.com/draper-hinks/q_a - Read our monthly Blogs giving regular market commentary.
- Read our Vendor’s stories about their experiences of selling their practices.
We regularly post on LinkedIn so if you have not already connected with us, please visit our page or email Tim Bentham on t.bentham@draperhinks.co.uk.
If you are thinking about buying, then email Tim Bentham our
Buyer Liaison Manager at t.bentham@draperhinks.co.uk.
Alternatively call us anytime on 01788 816440.