Top French-Speaking Accountants in London

London, a global financial hub, attracts professionals from all over the world, including a considerable number of French expatriates and businesses. For French-speaking individuals and businesses in the UK, finding an accountant who speaks their language can be invaluable. Here, we present the top 10 French-speaking accountants in the UK, with a particular focus on those based in London.

Smaller Practices

1. TaxAssist Accountants – We could not start a list of French Speaking Accountants and Tax Advisors without mentioning TaxAssist Accountants, our own practice. Please refer to the other pages on this site for more details, especially the Accounting and Tax News French Section.
2. F Koon Associates – French and English-Speaking accountants and tax advisors first established in 1997 by François Koon. They are based in North London.
3. Euro-Accounting – Although based in Birmingham, Euro-Accounting has some presence in London. The practice is managed by Shabir Djakiodine, a French/British chartered accountant. They offer services in multiple languages, including French, and have won numerous awards for their work.
4. St Matthew – St Matthew Accountants is a London-based firm that specializes in providing accounting and business advisory services. They cater to international entrepreneurs with business interests in the UK.
5. NLE Accounting – Based in both Paris and North London, NLE offers expert accounting, taxation and financial services to companies and individuals in France, the United Kingdom and beyond.
6. Accotax – Accotax is an accountancy practice founded by Waqas Sagar that offers French-speaking accountancy services out of Morden in South London. They provide services in French, making it easier for clients to discuss their financial matters in their preferred language.
7. FR Accountants – FR Accountants is a practice based in Horley, Surrey, with most of their clients located in Surrey, West Sussex, or London. The firm was founded by Ingrid Hélart Niang, a Chartered Accountant with 16 years of varied accountancy experience

Bigger Organisations

8. BDO London – While BDO itself isn't primarily French-speaking, large international firms often have departments or specific accountants fluent in French, catering to the French community in London.
9. KPMG French Business Network – Like BDO, KPMG in London might not be exclusively French-speaking, but they have networks and teams dedicated to French clients, offering a range of accountancy services.
10. Mazars – An international firm with a French origin and that has a significant presence in both the UK and France, Mazars provides bilingual services, which can be beneficial for French-speaking clients.

Key Considerations

When choosing a French-speaking accountant in the UK, consider the following factors:

• Language Proficiency: Ensure that not only the person you meet initially is fluent in both French and English, but also the people you will have to deal with on a day-to-day basis as they tend to be different unless the practice is very small.
• Expertise in UK and French Tax Systems: Even if you can't find a person qualified both in France and the UK make sure that the accountant you talk to has at least strong familiarity with both countries financial systems.
• Range of Services: Consider firms that offer comprehensive services including tax planning, preparation, and compliance. Some firms only provide advice but won't do the actual compliance work. Conversely, some of the cheaper ones will do the compliance work but won't be able to provide advice or if they do, they might charge separately.
• Client Reviews: Check testimonials and reviews from other French-speaking clients. It's also a good idea to check on third party review sites such as Google Review or TrustPilot rather than use the testimonies from the website of the practice as they tend to be more objective.
• Accessibility: Some firms offer remote services, which can be convenient if you're not based in London.
• Cost: Obviously in a perfect world, cost would not be an issue. But in the real world, you need to ensure that you are getting value for your money and while bigger organisations will usually have a wealth of knowledge available inhouse, you will generally pay more for the service. Also, because the knowledge is often split amongst many different teams, getting a simple holistic answer to a question is often difficult.

While this list isn't obviously exhaustive, it provides a starting point for finding French-speaking accounting services in the UK. It's important to note that the availability and quality of services depends on the person you deal within a specific organisation and may also change over time. It's therefore advisable to conduct further research and possibly consult with multiple firms before making a decision.