Monthly Bookkeeping with Bank Reconciliation

Keeping your books up to date isn't just about HMRC compliance—it's about knowing where your money actually is. When your bank statement and your records don't match, that's when problems start. And trust us, problems are much easier to fix when you catch them early.

We handle your monthly bookkeeping end-to-end: transaction categorisation, bank reconciliation, VAT-ready records, and HMRC compliance. Whether you're a sole trader in Medway managing a construction business or a limited company in Maidstone running a consultancy, we keep your books clean and current. No more end-of-year panic, no more HMRC enquiries about missing transactions, and definitely no more wondering if your bank balance is actually what your spreadsheet says it is.

What this helps you do (fast)

• Stay compliant with HMRC and Companies House deadlines — Your records are always current, so filing deadlines don't become emergencies
• Save 5–10 hours per month on manual reconciliation — We handle the tedious bits while you focus on your business
• Spot cash flow issues before they become crises — When you see every transaction categorised monthly, you notice patterns (like that client who's always late)
• Get audit-ready records for year-end or HMRC enquiries — If HMRC asks questions, you've got clean, reconciled books to show them
• Reduce the risk of costly errors — Bank reconciliation catches duplicates, missed transactions, and bank fees before they compound

How it works

Step-by-step process:

1. Discovery call — We review your current setup (Xero, QuickBooks, spreadsheets, or paper records). If you're not on cloud software yet, we'll recommend the best fit and handle the migration.
2. Onboarding — Grant us read-only access to your bank feeds (secure, via open banking), or send us monthly statements. We map your Chart of Accounts to match how you actually think about your business expenses.
3. Monthly reconciliation — We categorise every transaction, match them against your bank statement, and flag anything that doesn't add up. You'll see pending transactions, bank charges, and direct debits you'd forgotten about.
4. Review & reporting — End of each month, you get a clean P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow forecast. We highlight any anomalies (like an unusually high expense category) so you can investigate.
5. VAT-ready & HMRC-compliant — When it's time to file VAT or your tax return, your books are already sorted. No last-minute scrambling, no guesswork.

We work with Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, and even Excel if that's where you're starting. Cloud-first where possible (it makes reconciliation automatic), but we meet you where you are.

Costs & timelines (no surprises)

Pricing factors:

• Transaction volume — A sole trader with 50 transactions/month costs less than a limited company processing 500+ transactions/month
• Complexity — Multi-currency, e-commerce platforms (Amazon, Etsy, Shopify), CIS, or crypto transactions add review time
• Frequency — Weekly reconciliation costs more than monthly, but it's worth it if you need real-time visibility
• Software — Xero/QuickBooks setup included; legacy migrations (Excel to cloud) may require a one-off setup fee

Commonly reported ranges by local providers:

• Monthly bookkeeping with reconciliation: £150–£400/month depending on transaction volume and complexity
• Catch-up bookkeeping (if you're behind): £50–£100/hour for backlog cleanup, then switch to monthly retainer
• Cloud accounting setup (if needed): £200–£500 one-off, includes Chart of Accounts mapping and bank feed connection

Timeline: Most setups complete within 5–10 working days. Once we're set up, monthly reconciliation typically takes 2–3 days from when we receive your bank statement. If you're behind on bookkeeping, we'll give you an honest estimate after reviewing your backlog—could be a week for a few months, could be longer if you've got years to catch up on.

No hidden fees. All prices exclude VAT. We offer monthly payment plans and can adjust if your transaction volume changes significantly (up or down).

Kent (UK) focus

We work with sole traders, limited companies, landlords, and contractors across Kent. Whether you're in Medway managing a construction firm (CIS compliance adds complexity to reconciliation), Canterbury running a hospitality business (lots of card transactions to match), or Maidstone operating a consultancy (expense categorisation matters for tax deductions), we handle your bookkeeping remotely with the same care as if we were in the same office.

Kent businesses face the same HMRC deadlines as everyone else—31 January for self-assessment, quarterly VAT returns if you're registered, Companies House confirmation statements. The difference is that when your books are reconciled monthly, these deadlines aren't scary. You're not frantically trying to remember what that £247 payment to "ACME Supplies" was for six months ago—it's already categorised and explained in your monthly report.

Remote-first, Kent-focused. We don't need to meet in person (though we can if you prefer), but we understand the local business landscape. Construction CIS rules in Medway, professional services in Maidstone, tourism and hospitality in Canterbury—we've seen it all, and we know what HMRC expects when they review your records.

FAQs