Service Charge Accountant

Job Summary

Preparation of Client Service Charge Accounts, query resolution, preparing accounting data for external accountants, and analysing handover information.

Preparation of Client Service Charge Accounts

• Prepare Client Service Charge Accounts within deadlines and in accordance with industry regulations.
• Prepare Client Reports within SLA deadlines.
• File statutory returns with Companies House.

Query Resolution

• Resolve queries from clients and other stakeholders.
• Escalate complex queries to the appropriate manager.

Accounting Data

• Prepare accounting data for external accountants.
• Analyse handover information.

Complex Single-Client Reporting

• Prepare complex single-client reports.
• Provide expert advice on multi-schedule accounts.

Lease Apportionments and Void Schedules

• Experienced in lease apportionments and void schedules.

Responsibilities & Duties

• Review and process movements of expenditures between Cost Centres.
• Review and process prepayments and accruals at Service Charge Year End Reconciliation.
• Audit income for the year ensuring leaseholders have been charged correctly.
• Prepare service charge calculations including balance sheet reconciliation and detailed analysis of P&L accounts.
• Post deficit/surplus for the year and issue demands.
• Issue Section 20b where applicable.
• Ensure Information provided by external agents is accurate and ensuring income and expenditure is correctly recorded within data system.
• Ensure the filing system for financial data is both accurate and orderly.
• Work as part of a team to support the manager and property accounting side.
• Prepare monthly and or quarterly reporting.
• Answer financial / administrative questions.
• Process property standing information onto the company's data system.
• Prepare financial information for the processing of sales / acquisition of property.
• Establish and maintaining relationships with key clients and external accountants.

Qualifications & Skills

• Knowledge of residential property management and preparation of service charge accounts.
• Service Charge Accounts experince with knowledge of the changes in the industry.
• Relevant property and service charge accounting experience, ideally with a solid working knowledge of a property system - QUBE, YARDI, MRI, TRAMPS etc and will have conversancy with related property terminology and reporting requirements.
• Natural attention to detail with strong problem solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to work to deadlines is essential.
• Self motivated and proactive thinking
• Team player able to work under pressure and multi task

Desired

• Experience preparing residential service charge accounts
• Ability to analyse complex data to produce reports and deliver information to a range of audiences
• Strong interpersonal and communicative skills are essential for this role
• A professional accountancy qualification (ACCA, ACA, CIMA, AAT etc.) would be advantageous.
• Excellent Excel skills including pivot tables and understanding of vlookup
• Working knowledge of property management systems.
• Ability to adapt to new IT systems