Unjustified Billing and Lack of transparency

Title: Unjustified Billing and Lack of Transparency by SAB&T

Complaint:

I appointed SAB&T as my tax consultants to manage my tax filings and related matters. For two years, I received no invoices or communication regarding fees. Recently, I was presented with a bill totaling R11,296.22, which includes over R7,000 for a SARS dispute where the amount in question was only R700.

Despite this, SAB&T never advised me of the cost implications of pursuing the dispute. I was not given the opportunity to assess whether the cost of the dispute was proportionate to the benefit. I ultimately paid the R700 directly to SARS, and now I am expected to pay SAB&T’s exorbitant fees as well.

When I queried this, their response was dismissive: they stated that they cannot be held accountable for my decision to pay SARS, and that the dispute was time-consuming and admin-heavy. However, this ignores the core issue:

No informed consent: I was never told what the dispute would cost. No billing for two years: I was not given the chance to query or budget for these charges. Disproportionate fees: The cost of the dispute far exceeds the actual tax liability. Lack of accountability: SAB&T refuses to acknowledge their failure to communicate or bill timeously. I believe this is ********* and unprofessional. I request that SAB&T review and revise this invoice, particularly the dispute-related charges, and provide a detailed breakdown of how these fees were calculated. I also request a formal explanation for the lack of prior billing and communication.