Engagement Terms

Last updated: 7 October 2026

Before any work starts

Nothing on this website commits you to hiring us, and nothing commits us to taking on a job. A working relationship begins only when we both agree, in writing, what the work is and what it will cost.

That written agreement is called an engagement letter, and it is the document that matters. If anything on this site seems to disagree with it, the engagement letter wins.

What the engagement letter covers

Every engagement letter sets out, in writing:

• The exact services included, and any work that is explicitly not included.
• The fee, how it is calculated, when invoices are due, and what counts as an extra.
• Who you will be dealing with, and how quickly we will respond.
• What we need from you, and by when.
• How either of us can end the engagement.

What we need from you

Our work depends on accurate information. So that we can do our job properly, we need:

• Records and documents that are complete and correct.
• Answers to our questions, given honestly and on time.
• Notice straight away if anything changes, such as a new business, a sale, a loan, or a notice from a tax department.
• Your confirmation before we act on anything that carries a cost.

If we work from incomplete or incorrect information, the result can be wrong. We will tell you when that risk appears, but the responsibility for accuracy starts with you.

Fees

Fees are as stated in the engagement letter. Work outside the agreed scope is charged separately, and we will always confirm the cost with you before starting it.

Tax and other statutory charges payable to government bodies are separate, and are passed through at cost.

Confidentiality

Everything you tell us or give us is treated as confidential. We share it only with your permission, with people working on your matter, or where the law requires us to.

This obligation continues after the engagement ends. We keep your records for as long as the law requires, and we will securely destroy them once that period passes and there is no reason to keep them longer.

A small exception: if the law or a regulator requires us to disclose something, we will. Where we are allowed to, we will tell you first.

Conflicts of interest

Before accepting work, we check whether it conflicts with another client, or with our own interests. If there is a conflict we cannot resolve, we will say so and decline. We would rather turn work down than do it badly.

Responsibility and limits

We take care in preparing work and are responsible for it. But our responsibility has limits, which are set out in the engagement letter.

We are not responsible for loss of profit, lost business, or other indirect loss. We are also not responsible for consequences arising from instructions we received from you or your representative, or from documents we relied on that were not genuine.

Nothing in this limits our liability for anything that cannot be limited by law, including fraud.

Ending the engagement

Either of us can end the engagement. We will usually give notice in writing first, and we will always try to complete any work already in progress or hand it over properly.

If an engagement ends, you still owe us for work already done and costs already incurred.

Governing law

Engagements are governed by the laws of India. Where a dispute cannot be settled between us, the courts of India will decide it.

Questions before you sign anything

Please ask us about anything on this page that is not clear. We would rather explain it twice than have you agree to something you did not understand.