Disciplinary outcome: Louise Mellor
Order by consent
In the matter of
Louise Mellor MAAT
Membership number
277872
Date
24 November 2023
Misconduct
Louise Mellor's conduct was found to be in breach of the Code of Professional Ethics and to have posed a risk to the public and/or undermine public confidence in the Association and its members as follows:
- Between on or around 18 November 2020 to 01 March 2023 she failed to maintain the required level of professional indemnity insurance as set out in AAT’s Professional Indemnity Insurance Policy
- For an unknown period up until on or around 15 February 2023, she did not comply with her obligations under the Money Laundering Regulations in force while providing accountancy and/or related services on a self-employed basis. Specifically, she failed to:
a. perform and/or document an ongoing review of risk for existing clients; and/or
b. carry out a regular review of her firm’s anti-money laundering policies, controls, and procedures; and/or
c. have in place any or any adequate procedures to report discrepancies to Companies House concerning persons of significant control in connection to limited company clients and/or limited liability partnership clients - For an unknown period up until on or around 15 February 2023, she failed to hold clients’ money in full compliance with AAT’s Clients Money Policy.
Finding
Grounds for disciplinary action existed and the matter was suitable for exercise of the Investigations Team's powers under the Disciplinary Regulations.
Order
Louise Mellor is hereby:
- Reprimanded for a period of three years
- Fined £1,750
- Deemed ineligible for hold fellow member status for three years
- Warned about her future conduct.
Consent
Louise Mellor consented to the decision of the Investigations Team in accordance with paragraph 6 of the Disciplinary Regulations.
