“On 8th September 2014 we introduced a new policy for reviewing accounts.

Solicitors submitting accounts for review will no doubt be aware that our recent and current processing times are lengthy. While we accept that our level of service could be better, it is our experience that the standard of a significant proportion of submitted accounts are incomplete and are not supported with the necessary documentation. These cases require our reviewing officers to spend additional time and effort trying to problem solve, balancing accounts or writing to financial guardians looking for the necessary information.

Therefore, to address issues and help improve our processing times, a new policy will be applied to all accounts submitted after 8th September 2014.

Solicitors are advised that we will be returning all accounts:

• which do not have a completed account form attached;
• that are incomplete;
• that are not in the Public Guardian’s prescribed form. Note that accounts of charge and discharge will no longer be acceptable.

We may also return any/all forms which do not balance (although this will be subject to discretion).

This measure has been taken to reduce the amount of time spent on incomplete accounts and to help improve the standard of accounting submitted. This policy will apply to accounts submitted by lay and professional financial guardians. Solicitors advising prospective financial guardians on their potential role are asked to bring the above information to their attention.”

More on this can be found here.