What should you do first after receiving an FTA request?
Start with the complete notice and correspondence history so each response answers the question actually raised.
| First task | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Identify the request and response date | Record the tax type, periods, requested information and stated deadline; distinguish an audit notice from a routine application query. |
| Preserve the original evidence | Keep returns, invoices, contracts and earlier responses intact, including records that need an explanation or do not agree. |
| Assign responsibility | Identify the authorised representative, the people who hold the records and the manager who approves factual statements. |
| Reconcile and index the response | Tie the requested figures to source records, explain unresolved differences and retain the version supplied with its acknowledgement. |
Firswood supports the response; the FTA conducts the audit and determines its findings under the applicable procedure.
Our in-house team includes ACCA-qualified members and an FTA-registered tax agent; representation and management approval responsibilities are agreed before work starts.
Start with the notice and preserve the record
We review the tax type, periods and questions identified by the authority, together with correspondence already exchanged. The first working document is a request tracker: each item has a responsible person, an evidence source and a status. We also identify the person authorised to communicate with the FTA and the internal manager who approves factual responses.
Keep original records intact and bring forward earlier explanations, even where they are incomplete or appear inconsistent. Rebuilding the chronology helps us understand how the current issue arose. The FTA Taxpayer Charter describes taxpayer rights and obligations; our support operates within the applicable procedure and the authority's stated requirements.
Connect the explanation to the documents
We reconcile requested figures to the relevant returns, accounts and transaction records. A response may need sales or purchase schedules, contracts, customs evidence, bank records or a clear explanation of the business model. We index the material so that the figures and narrative can be checked against the same source documents.
Where a difference remains unresolved, we document it and identify the evidence needed to explain it. If the request reveals a wider accounting problem, we set out the reconstruction work required and its effect on the response.
Manage responses and follow-up questions
You review factual statements and material calculations before they are supplied under the agreed authorisation. We retain the version sent, supporting files and acknowledgement so later questions can be answered consistently. Calls and meetings are supported by an issue list and a written record of agreed next steps.
An audit-support engagement is distinct from a statutory financial audit and from a pre-audit health check. The FTA conducts its own audit and determines its findings under the tax procedure framework. We help your business respond and understand the position; we do not claim to control the audit outcome. See the Tax Procedures Law.
Review the result and the work still required
When findings or an assessment are issued, we help reconcile them to the matters reviewed and explain the practical actions that follow. Any decision about correction, payment, reconsideration or a formal dispute requires its own assessment and applicable timetable. We agree those tasks explicitly and distinguish them from the original audit-response scope. Process improvements can then be assigned to the finance team.
Documents and records to prepare
Tick the records you already have. The final request depends on your entity, the period and the work agreed. Please do not send financial records through this website.
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Related reading: UAE accounting records: how long to keep them and how to organise the archive.
How the work starts
Triage the request
We review the notice, establish deadlines and representation arrangements, and preserve the existing correspondence.
Prepare the evidence
We reconcile the requested information and coordinate factual input from your finance and operating teams.
Respond and follow through
We prepare approved responses, track further requests and help you assess the outcome and remaining actions.
What affects the scope and fee?
- Tax types and periods under review
- Number and complexity of authority requests
- Quality and availability of supporting records
- Meetings, reconstruction and further technical work
We set out the deliverables, responsibilities and fee in the proposal. Work outside that scope is discussed before it is added.
FTA audit support FAQs
Can Firswood stop an FTA audit or guarantee its outcome?
No. The authority decides the scope and outcome of its audit. Our role is to help organise accurate evidence, prepare supported explanations and manage the agreed response work. A strong response file improves the quality of the process, but it is not a guarantee that no adjustment or assessment will follow.
Should we contact you before answering the first request?
Ideally, share the complete notice and any response date as soon as possible. If you have already replied, provide exactly what was sent and all acknowledgements. We can then assess the current position and avoid preparing an answer that conflicts with an earlier statement or overlooks material already supplied.
What if the original accountant no longer works with us?
We identify the records held by your business, the previous accountant and the accounting system, then agree a retrieval and reconciliation plan. Missing working papers can increase the work needed, but should be reported clearly. We reconstruct the position from available evidence rather than assume the former adviser's calculations were complete.
Does audit support include a formal tax dispute?
Not automatically. Responding to an audit request and challenging a decision are different tasks with their own requirements. We review any assessment and explain the available next steps within an agreed scope. Reconsideration, litigation or other specialist representation is confirmed separately, including who is responsible and what evidence is needed.
Can you review our VAT records before any FTA contact?
Yes. A VAT compliance review is designed for that situation and can assess selected transactions and processes before an enquiry arises. Its scope and testing are agreed with you. It is a useful way to identify gaps, while remaining distinct from an authority audit and from any assurance about future FTA decisions.
Sources and further reading
Original page research: 5 October 2026. Service comparison and preparation checklist updated: 9 October 2026. Requirements can change; check the linked authority guidance for the latest position.
How we use sources
