Bookkeeping
Catch-up and cleanup bookkeeping
Catch-up bookkeeping for UK businesses whose records have fallen behind. Finbryn works through the backlog in Xero or QuickBooks Online month by month, reconciles every feed to the statements, corrects coding errors and duplicate entries, and records each adjustment so your year-end accounts and VAT returns rest on agreed balances.
Bank reconciliation summary
Illustrative client · August 2026
GBP
| Account | Difference | Status | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating account··4821 | 184,220.16 | 184,220.16 | 0.00 | Reconciled |
| Reserve account··0937 | 60,000.00 | 60,000.00 | 0.00 | Reconciled |
| Company card··1006 | (12,418.52) | (12,418.52) | 0.00 | Reconciled |
| Card processor clearing | 8,905.40 | 8,905.40 | 0.00 | Reconciled |
| Payroll clearing | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Reconciled |
Last weekly runFri 28 Aug, every account agreed to its statement.
Two open itemsTwo card receipts requested from you, marked on the card account until they arrive.
Illustrative. An example of the document, not a client's figures.
Behind on the books?
It is common for a growing company to get several quarters behind. A director who used to do the books runs out of time, a bookkeeper moves on, or an app stops syncing and nobody notices. The problem tends to surface at the worst moment: a VAT quarter, a Companies House deadline, a mortgage or finance application.
Our approach
We gather statements for every bank account, credit card and payment provider across the backlog. Then we work forwards from the last period that was right, coding and reconciling each month so its closing balances are proven before the next one starts.
Errors get fixed as we meet them: bank-feed duplicates, drawings posted as expenses, transfers treated as sales, VAT coded at the wrong rate. Each fix is written into an adjustments schedule that shows the period, the entry and the reason.
What you are left with
A reconciled ledger for the whole period, a profit and loss account and balance sheet for each period you need, and the adjustments schedule. If VAT returns already filed turn out to be wrong, the schedule shows by how much, so you and your adviser can decide how to correct it with HMRC.
Keeping it current
Once the backlog is cleared, monthly bookkeeping stops it building up again. Catch-up work is quoted per month of backlog; see pricing for how that works.
If a VAT quarter or a filing deadline is close, say so on the first call. We will reconcile the periods that matter most to that deadline first, then work through the rest.
Directors and sole traders too
The same approach covers a sole trader's Self Assessment records or a director's personal expense claims that fell behind alongside the company books, not only limited company ledgers; we scope the backlog across whichever entities and personal accounts actually feed into your reporting.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: Catch-up and cleanup bookkeeping
How long does a catch-up take?
It depends on the number of months and accounts involved. We give you a schedule once we have seen the statements.
What if a filed VAT return was wrong?
We show the difference in the adjustments schedule. Correcting it with HMRC is then done by you or your appointed agent.
Can you fix books another bookkeeper left?
Yes. Picking up after a previous bookkeeper is one of the most common catch-up jobs.
Do you tell us if a catch-up uncovers a filing that was wrong?
Yes, if reconstructing a period shows a VAT return or Corporation Tax figure that no longer matches the books, we flag it clearly so you or a credentialed signer can decide whether an amendment is needed. We never quietly leave a known discrepancy unmentioned.
What is the first step before a catch-up engagement starts?
A short review of what records already exist, bank statements, prior software access, receipts, so the quote reflects the real state of things rather than a guess. Gaps in the records are expected and get flagged rather than filled with an assumed number.
How far back can you go?
As far back as you have bank and card statements. We quote per backlog month after seeing the accounts involved.
Will you change figures that were already reported?
Only where the records show an error, and every change goes in a written adjustments log.
How do we get started with catch-up and cleanup bookkeeping?
Getting started with catch-up and cleanup bookkeeping begins with a short review of your current records and software access. Once that is done we confirm scope and timing in writing, and ongoing work begins on the schedule agreed with you.
What if our records for catch-up and cleanup bookkeeping are not up to date?
If your records are behind, we scope a catch-up first so catch-up and cleanup bookkeeping starts from a clean, reconciled base. That catch-up is priced and timed separately from the ongoing engagement, so you always know what each part costs.
Related services
- BookkeepingMonthly bookkeepingOngoing monthly bookkeeping: transactions sorted into categories, accounts reconciled and month-end reports delivered in the software you already use.
- BookkeepingBank and credit card reconciliationEvery bank, card and payment-processor account reconciled line by line against its statement, so the balance in your books always matches the balance at the institution.
Industries
- Ecommerce (Amazon and Shopify)Bookkeeping for online sellers on Amazon, Shopify, Etsy and their own storefronts, built around clean payout and sales tax data.
- Real estate and property managementBookkeeping for property owners and managers tracking income, expenses and reserves at the level of each individual property.
Next step
Talk to the team that would run your books
A short call covers your setup, your software and what a first month would look like. You get a written scope and price after it.