Change the account owner

This article explains how to change the owner of your 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 your FreeAgent account. For example, you may have sold your 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.
     
  • Only the existing account owner can make this change.
     
  • In the situation where the current owner of the account is not able to fulfil the following process due to sickness, death, or another reason, you’ll have to contact the support team directly using the blue Help button.
     
  • Users with an advisory role (e.g. accountant) cannot be made the new account owner.

1. Select the relevant user

Select 'Settings' from the drop-down menu in the top-right corner and then select 'Users'.

'Users' highlighted within the My Company area of the 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 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 your account ownership to does not have a verified email address, you’ll see a notice telling you to send the verification email and ask the recipient to verify it.

Notice telling user to send verification email and ask other user 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 a verification email to the 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 highlighted saying email has been sent to the user.

2. Transfer ownership

It’s important to note that once this process has been completed, the account cannot be retrieved by the previous owner, but the new account owner can transfer ownership back if necessary.

Notice telling user this action cannot be undone.

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 changing account ownership.

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

  • The new account owner will receive full (level 8) access, including the ability to delete all data.
  • If required, billing details will need to be updated separately.
  • Only the new account owner will be able to reverse this change.
Boxes for user to check to confirm they understand.

Once you’ve confirmed your understanding, you’ll need to enter your FreeAgent password. 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 ownership has successfully been changed.

Both the old and new owners of the account will receive emails confirming the change of ownership.

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