How to choose an accounting firm in Dubai: 12 questions to ask before you sign.

Choosing an accountant in Dubai is not hard because there are too few options. It is hard because there are hundreds, and most of their websites say the same things. The difference shows up months later, in how quickly they reply, whether your books are closed on time, and whether you understand the numbers they send you.

First, be clear about what you need

Before you speak to anyone, write down which of these you actually need:

• Monthly bookkeeping (recording sales, purchases, bank transactions and expenses).
• VAT returns every quarter, if your business charges VAT.
• Corporate Tax: year-end accounts and the annual return.
• Payroll posting and WPS support for your staff.
• Monthly management reports you can use to run the business.

A trading company with 300 invoices a month needs something very different from a two-person consultancy. Knowing your volume (roughly how many invoices and bank lines a month) makes every quote you receive easier to compare.

The 12 questions

1. Who will actually do my books, by name? Many firms sell with a partner and deliver with whoever is available. Ask for the name of the person who will handle your account and whether that person stays the same.
2. How quickly do you reply, and where? Most business owners here live on WhatsApp. If the firm only answers email within two working days, you will feel it.
3. Is the fee fixed, and what makes it change? A fixed monthly fee is easier to plan around. Ask exactly what would push it up: more transactions, a second company, a new bank account.
4. What is included, and what is billed separately? Year-end accounts, Corporate Tax returns, audit support and one-off projects are often extras. Get the list in writing.
5. Which software will you use, and who owns the data? Your books should be in a system you can access and export at any time, not in a spreadsheet on someone else's laptop.
6. How do you collect my bank statements and receipts? The best setups need little effort from you each month: bank feeds, a shared folder or a WhatsApp photo of a receipt.
7. By which date will my books be closed each month? "Monthly" can mean anything. A firm that commits to closing by a fixed date (for example the 15th) is a firm that plans its work.
8. Who prepares my VAT return, and who reviews it before it is filed? Two sets of eyes on every return is a simple habit that prevents most errors.
9. How do you track my deadlines? VAT returns are due 28 days after each tax period ends, and Corporate Tax returns nine months after your financial year ends. Ask how they will remind you, and when they will ask you for documents.
10. Have you worked with businesses like mine? Restaurants, real estate brokers, contractors and e-commerce sellers each have their own quirks: delivery platform statements, commissions, retentions, marketplace payouts. Experience with your sector saves months.
11. What happens if I want to leave? A good firm will hand over your books, ledgers and working papers without drama. Ask now, while everyone is being polite.
12. How will you take over from my current accountant? A clean handover takes about a week when records are tidy. Ask what they will need from you and from your previous firm.

How to compare the answers

Put the answers side by side in a simple table: named contact, reply time, monthly fee, what is included, close date and software. The smallest quote is rarely the smallest bill over a year, once late returns, extra charges and your own time are counted.

How we answer these

At GoStride Accounting Services, every client has one named accountant, replies come within one working hour during UAE business hours, fees are fixed and agreed up front, and books are closed by the 15th of each month. You can see what we do on our accounting services page, or read how a handover works in how to switch accountants in the UAE.