Question

Case Data: Smit & Ng Chartered Accountants

You are a junior manager at Smit & Ng, a firm of Chartered Accountants. You are responsible for reviewing ethical matters which arise with the firm's portfolio of clients. During recent investigations you identified the following matters:

Heggen Co

The planning for the audit of Heggen Co's financial statements for the year ending 31 March 2020 will commence shortly. In preparation the audit partner, Max Warren, telephoned Heggen Co's finance director, Jim Carrey, to set up a planning meeting and to remind him that fees relating to the audit engagement from the previous year were still outstanding. Mr Carrey raised concerns about the conduct of the previous audit, stating numerous examples of when he and his staff had been interrupted when they were busy. He stated that he wanted guarantees that this year's audit will be more efficient, less intrusive and cheaper, otherwise he will seek an alternative auditor.

Required

1. Identify and discuss the ethical and other professional issues found in the above case.

Answer 1

In the above concernes put forwarded by Mr Carrey,

It is understood that he was more concerned and affected by interuption caused by previous audit team and also inefficiency in the audit work carried out.

Some of the important principles of professional ethics is having professional competance with due care and professional behaviour

A professional accountant has a continuing duty to maintain professional knowledge and skill at the level required to ensure that a client or employer receives competent professional service based on current developments in practice, legislation and techniques. A professional accountant should act diligently and in accordance with applicable technical and professional standards while providing professional services.but here the client was not satisfied with the quality and efficiency of the audit work delivered by the team.