THE PERSON BEHIND IPA

The idea behind IPA Bookkeeping & Accounting Ltd began many years ago after a conversation with a self-employed builder. The Self Assessment deadline was approaching, but he was putting off taking his paperwork to his accountant for as long as possible. Not because he had forgotten — he simply hated going there.

He told me that every visit made him feel like a little schoolboy who had done something wrong. His records weren't perfectly organised, things were sometimes missing and, whether it was intended or not, he came away feeling that his small business wasn't important enough and that he was wasting his accountant's time.

What stayed with me most was that he said paying his accountant's bill bothered him less than actually having to go and see his accountant.  Here was a hardworking man paying for professional help, yet the experience left him feeling small rather than supported.

I want IPA to be a place where the smallest sole trader feels just as welcome as a larger business; where disorganised records aren't a reason to feel embarrassed; and where nobody worries that their business is too small, their question is too basic or they are taking up someone's valuable time. 

No business should be considered too small to deserve professional support.

That principle remains at the heart of IPA today: professional bookkeeping built on respect, clear communication and working together. 

If you'd like to know more about the experience that inspired IPA and the values behind the practice, you can read the full story here.

It shouldn't matter  whether your records are completely up to date, a few months behind or need much more attention. It shouldn't matter whether everything is neatly organised in accounting software or you are still trying to work out where to begin. 

Sometimes people fall behind because they're busy running their business. Sometimes bookkeeping has become overwhelming. Sometimes they haven't been shown how to keep good records. And sometimes life simply gets in the way.

Whatever the reason, I believe the starting point should be understanding the situation and working out what needs to happen next — not judging how you got there.

That belief became an important part of why we created IPA Bookkeeping & Accounting Ltd.

We want IPA to be a bookkeeping practice where clients feel comfortable asking questions, explaining what's happened and getting professional help to put things in order. 

A place where you can say:

“I'm behind and I don't know where to start.”

 And where our response is: 

"Let's understand what needs doing and work through it."

We also want to help change the way small business owners think about bookkeeping.

Bookkeeping is sometimes seen as something that simply has to be done so that a Self Assessment Tax Return can be prepared, a VAT Return can be submitted or year-end accounts can be completed.

Those responsibilities are important — but good bookkeeping can provide much more value than that.

When your bookkeeping is accurate and kept up to date, your financial records become a valuable business tool. Instead of waiting until the end of the year to find out what happened, you can have a much clearer picture of where your business stands throughout the year.

You can see what's coming in and going out, keep track of income and expenses and better understand how the business is performing  and identify areas that may need attention .

Having more current financial information can also make it easier to prepare for upcoming tax liabilities and other business costs, reducing the chance of an unexpected bill becoming a difficult surprise.

Good bookkeeping therefore isn't only about meeting accounting and tax obligations. It is about creating reliable financial information that can help you understand your business and make better-informed decisions.

Up-to-date bookkeeping can also make it easier to plan for tax.

When records are several months behind, it can be difficult to estimate what your potential tax liability may be. This uncertainty can lead to an unwelcome surprise when a deadline approaches and the figures are finally brought up to date.

Keeping your records current gives you more reliable information to estimate how much you may need to set aside for tax and VAT, where applicable. This can help you plan ahead instead of having to find the money unexpectedly when a payment becomes due.

This visibility is also important for cash flow. Understanding what is coming into the business, what is going out, what is owed and what may need to be reserved for upcoming liabilities can help you make better-informed decisions about the money available to your business.

For me, this is one of the greatest benefits of good bookkeeping.

Good bookkeeping is not simply about recording what happened yesterday. It gives you a clearer picture of where your business stands today and helps you prepare for what comes next.

When your financial records are accurate and current, you are better placed to understand how your business is performing, plan ahead, manage cash flow and make decisions based on reliable information rather than guesswork.

That is why I see bookkeeping as part of building strong financial foundations for your business—not simply as an administrative task that must be completed for HMRC.

We believe good bookkeeping is a partnership. It works best when the client and bookkeeper work together, communicate openly and understand their respective responsibilities. 

You know your business. We bring the bookkeeping knowledge, systems, organisation and professional support.

By providing information when it is needed, asking questions when something is unclear, and respecting agreed responsibilities and deadlines, we can maintain more accurate records, identify and address issues earlier, and keep your financial information organised, useful and up to date.

I’m Ilze Lasmane, founder of IPA Bookkeeping & Accounting Ltd.

A supportive approach is at the heart of my work, but professional standards are equally important to me.

I have nearly 10 years’ experience in bookkeeping and accounts. I hold professional ICB qualifications, including the Level 3 Certificate in Bookkeeping and Accounts and the Level 4 Certificate in Self Assessment Taxation, together with a payroll qualification.

IPA Bookkeeping & Accounting Ltd operates as an ICB Licensed Practice.

My aim is to combine this professional foundation with something equally important: clear, straightforward communication.

We want you to understand what is happening with your bookkeeping rather than feel that everything has disappeared into a technical process you are expected to understand without explanation. 

If you have a question, you should feel comfortable asking. If something needs attention, we will explain it clearly. And if your records need work, we will focus on what needs to happen next.