Bodies can reduce the risk by:
- preparing complete and materially accurate financial statements;
- providing clear supporting working papers on time;
- agreeing the audit timetable and information requirements with the auditor;
- responding promptly to audit queries;
- alerting the auditor early to significant transactions, accounting judgements or changes in group arrangements; and
- discussing the expected scope and cost of additional work before it begins, where possible.
These actions cannot prevent every fee variation, but they can reduce avoidable additional work and help bodies understand potential costs earlier.