Change the account owner in a client’s account

This article explains how to change the owner of a client’s FreeAgent account. This process will grant ownership of the account to someone else.

There are a few scenarios when you might want to change the owner of a client’s FreeAgent account. For example, they may have sold their business to someone else, or there was a mistake made in the setup process.

Please note:

  • The new account owner needs to have been added as a user and verified their email address.
     
  • This functionality is only available if the client account has been transferred to the dashboard and the practice is managing their FreeAgent subscription. If the client is managing their FreeAgent subscription and their account has been linked to the dashboard, the client will have to change the account owner.

1. Switch to the client's account

Log in to your Practice Dashboard and select ‘Switch to’ beside the relevant client to access their account.

'Switch to' button highlighted next to listed client on Clients page.

2. Select the relevant user

Select 'Settings' from the drop-down menu in the top-right corner.

Settings highlighted within drop-down menu below business name

Next, select 'Users'.

'Users' button highlighted within My Company area of Settings page.

Select the ‘Change Account Owner’ button.

'Change Account Owner' button highlighted at the top of the page.

Then, select the ‘Change account owner’ button next to the user that you wish to transfer ownership of your client’s account to.

'Change account owner' button highlighted next to verified user.

What if the user has an unverified email address?

If the user that you want to transfer the account ownership to does not have a verified email address, you’ll see a notice telling you to send the verification email and asking the recipient to verify it.

Notice telling user to send verification email to other user and ask them to verify it.

To do this, select the ‘Send verification email’ button next to the relevant user.

'Send verification email' button highlighted next to not verified user.

A pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm if you want to send the verification email to this user. To do so, select ‘Yes, send a verification email’.

Pop up window asking user if they want to send verification email to other user.

Once the verification email has been sent, you’ll see a pop-up message saying that the verification email has been sent to the relevant user.

Notice telling user the email has been sent to the other user.

It might be a good idea to speak directly with your client and ask them to verify the email for a timely response.

3. Transfer ownership

Notice saying new user will immediately replace old user.

Check that you’re transferring the account ownership to the correct user. If not, you can select ‘Change user’.

'Change user' button highlighted in first step of account ownership change.

You’ll have to select the checkboxes to confirm your understanding of the following:

  • The new account owner will receive level 7 access regardless of the previous level held by the account owner. This can be edited later if required.
  • If required, billing details will need to be updated separately.
Boxes for the user to check to confirm their understanding.

Select ‘Transfer account ownership’ to complete the process.

'Transfer account ownership' button highlighted at the bottom of the page.

A pop-up window will appear saying that the account owner has successfully been changed.

Pop up window telling user the account owner has successfully be changed.

Both the old and new owners and the accountant making the change will receive emails to notify them of the change of ownership.

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