On accepting an appointment, it is considered best practice to provide the client with a suitably worded Engagement Letter. The engagement letter protects the firm by provide a record of the contract between your firm and the client, and minimises the risk of any future misunderstandings between the parties.
Letters of engagement are mandatory. On accepting an appointment, the practitioner must send the client a letter of engagement. This forms the basis of a contractual relationship between the practitioner and the client.
When should the engagement letter be sent and signed? The audit engagement letter should be sent after verbal confirmation of the appointment of you as the auditor and ideally signed before the start of any audit work.
You need a form of engagement document, but you don't necessarily need customised letters. An engagement brochure meets the requirements of APES 220 Taxation Services and APES 305 Terms of Engagement. You should make sure the client acknowledges receipt.
How to write an engagement letter Write the name of the business leader. Specify the purpose of the partnership. List the duties of the client. Identify the timeline for completing the project. Include resources the client delivers. Attach a disclaimer. Validate the terms of the agreement.
An engagement letter is drafted by the company rendering the service, often with the help of a lawyer. It is than presented to the client, and both parties must sign in order for it to be legally binding.
A letter of engagement is a legally binding document signed by both the business and the client. Much like a contract, it sets out the terms of an agreement to carry out a specific job, project, or service package between an organisation and its client.
Engagement letters set the terms of the agreement between two parties and include details such as the scope, fees, and responsibilities, among others. Some of the benefits of engagement letters are that they are legally binding documents, they reduce misunderstandings, and they set clear expectations.
8 Critical Elements of an Effective Engagement Letter CLIENT NAME. The first critical element may seem obvious—the identities of the parties involved in the engagement. SCOPE OF SERVICES. CPA FIRM RESPONSIBILITIES. CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES. DELIVERABLES. ENGAGEMENT TIMING. TERMINATION AND WITHDRAWAL. BILLING AND FEES.