Policies | ceascape.business.solutions

ceascape.business.solutions div. of CJ Hamilton Ltd

OFFICE POLICIES

ACCOUNT INFORMATION

Accounts are due upon receipt of invoice. Ceascape.Business.Solutions does not provide financing or extend credit. Accepted payment methods are cheque, cash, e-transfer, and in-person credit card payments. For bookkeeping or corporate tax clients who pay by credit card, a processing fee applies equal to the greater of $5.00 or 3% of the transaction amount. Returned cheques are subject to a $45.00 fee. Outstanding balances shown on monthly statements are subject to a semi-monthly statement charge of 1.25% of the total outstanding balance.

If you request an estimate, please provide complete and specific information about the work required. Work performed outside the stated estimate may result in additional charges.

All accounts must be paid in full before any compliance item, including a tax return or other filing, is submitted. Signing a return does not guarantee filing if an outstanding balance remains. Clients are responsible for any penalties, interest, or other consequences arising from unfiled returns caused by unpaid accounts.

Accounts outstanding for more than 15 days will result in a hold on further work until the account is paid in full. This policy applies without exception.

For personal tax returns, documents used to prepare the return are returned to the client after the account is settled. The standard client package generally includes a cover letter, T1 jacket, and the most commonly requested schedules. If you require additional schedules, detailed pages, or a complete printed return, please request this before printing and filing. Additional printing or photocopy charges may apply, including for schedules requested after the return has been printed or filed.

Summary returns are no longer offered.

For electronic returns, a paper copy is not automatically produced. If both an electronic return and a paper copy are required, an additional printing fee applies. Electronic return files are encrypted using the last six digits of the client’s Social Insurance Number.

Consulting and other time-based work is typically invoiced shortly after the middle of each month. Payment is required before further work continues. This ensures clients have reviewed any documents provided and allows time for feedback and discussion.
Effective August 1, 2023, regular bookkeeping and monthly client projects billed on a time basis are rounded up to the next half-hour. Flat-fee projects are not affected.
Effective September 1, 2024, for clients who are not regular full bookkeeping clients under a monthly or quarterly bookkeeping or consulting engagement, all time is rounded up to the next full hour. Flat-fee projects are not affected.
Training and coaching are normally billed at twice the regular hourly rate. Unscheduled training requested while on site for another purpose, and subject to available capacity, is billed at four times the regular coaching rate. To avoid surcharges, please book training well in advance and clearly identify the intended outcome.
A prepayment equal to the expected fee may be required for all work unless other arrangements have been agreed to in advance.

Legal stuff

Government or Legal Processes: If Ceascape.Business.Solutions or CJ Hamilton Ltd. is required to respond to a subpoena, court order, government agency request, or other legal process involving documents or testimony related to information obtained or prepared during an engagement, the client agrees to pay the applicable hourly rate for all time spent responding and to reimburse all out-of-pocket costs, including applicable GST.
Dispute Resolution: Before starting litigation, any dispute about the meaning, performance, or enforcement of an engagement must be submitted to mediation. The client agrees to participate in mediation in good faith after any party provides a written request to mediate.
Mediation arising from an engagement will be administered in British Columbia by a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia, in accordance with its mediation rules. Any litigation will be conducted in British Columbia under applicable provincial law. Mediation results are binding only if all parties agree to be bound. Mediation costs will be shared equally by the participating parties.
Limitation of Liability: To the fullest extent permitted by law, the liability of CJ Hamilton Ltd., including its employees, shareholders, and directors, is limited to the amount billed on the most recent monthly invoice for the services provided under the applicable engagement. The client agrees not to make any claim exceeding that amount, and CJ Hamilton Ltd., including its employees, shareholders, and directors, may rely on this provision as a complete defense to any claim exceeding that amount.
CJ Hamilton Ltd., including its employees, shareholders, and directors, is not responsible for losses arising from advice provided or work performed, including loss of profits or other direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, whether or not the possibility of such damages was known or advised.
No action arising from services provided under an agreement may be brought more than one year after the date the last services were provided under that agreement.
Indemnification: The client agrees to release, indemnify, and hold harmless CJ Hamilton Ltd., including its employees, shareholders, directors, partners, executors, heirs, successors, and assigns, from any liability or costs arising from known misrepresentations, fraud, incomplete information, or inaccurate information provided by the client or the client’s management. This indemnity continues after the engagement ends. Notwithstanding the foregoing, maximum liability for services rendered is limited to the fees received for the last invoice issued and paid. This provision survives completion of the engagement.
Relevant Parties: The client will not assert a claim for damages against ceascape.business.solutions or CJ Hamilton Ltd. unless the client has concurrently or previously asserted a claim against all other persons who may reasonably be liable in relation to that claim. Any release, waiver, covenant not to sue, or similar remedy granted by the client to a third party will be deemed to apply in favour of ceascape.business.solutions and CJ Hamilton Ltd.
Confidentiality: CJ Hamilton Ltd. maintains a duty of confidentiality regarding client affairs. Except for information in the public domain or as otherwise required by law, confidential client information will not be provided to third parties. To complete an engagement, CJ Hamilton Ltd. may require access to personal information. The client represents that all consents required under applicable privacy legislation have been obtained for the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information to CJ Hamilton Ltd. Personal information will be managed in accordance with the Client Privacy Code available on the company website.
Delays Beyond Our Control: CJ Hamilton Ltd. will make reasonable efforts to complete engagements within agreed time frames. CJ Hamilton Ltd. is not liable for failures or delays caused by circumstances beyond its control, including delays caused by the client.
Consequential Loss: CJ Hamilton Ltd., including its partners, officers, and employees, is not responsible for consequential loss, injury, or damages suffered by the client or the client’s clients, including loss of use, loss of earnings, business interruption, or unauthorized distribution of any confidential document or report prepared for the exclusive use of the client.

DISCOUNTS

One discount period is offered each year: February 25 to March 15. This discount period is intended to assist eligible low-income seniors and students.
A 10% senior discount is available on T1 preparation only where the client receives both CPP and OAS, has no more than one additional pension, and provides all required information by March 15.
This does not apply to any other schedules including the medical and donation schedule. It applies to the base price only.
To qualify for the discount, all information must be received by March 15, and the return must be signed and paid by March 20.
No discounts are offered from March 16 to April 30. No other discounts are available outside the stated discount period.
Discounts are not available for returns that are picked up.

APPOINTMENTS

Office appointments are scheduled with consideration for client convenience; however, availability may be affected by scheduling and operational factors. Clients are encouraged to confirm appointments and to provide notice as soon as possible if rescheduling is required to void a no-show fee.
If you have scheduled an appointment and have not received a confirmation email at least 24 hours before the appointment time, please contact the office to confirm the appointment.
If you are not present at the scheduled appointment time and have not contacted the office about an unexpected delay, the appointment may be cancelled after 15 minutes and a “no show” fee may apply. During busy periods, appointments are often scheduled back-to-back and extended holding times may not be possible.
Missed appointments or appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice may be subject to a no-show fee equal to one hour at the current hourly rate. This fee will remain on the client’s account and must be paid before further work is performed or additional appointments are scheduled.
Out-call appointments at a client’s home or office may be arranged at a mutually convenient time. Out-call appointment times are subject to a 30-minute arrival window before or after the scheduled time due to factors such as traffic, prior appointments, or office calls. Appointments outside regular business hours, Monday to Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or outside the Fraser Valley/Ridge Meadows area, may be subject to travel charges.