CU Accountants

accountant — Upper Hutt · Upper Hutt

About CU Accountants

CU Accountants is a chartered accounting practice working from the first floor of Chapman House at 108 Main Street, Upper Hutt — proudly local, with the tagline 'Your Business, Our Focus – Accounting that Works for You'. The team describes itself as down-to-earth people who genuinely care about helping clients make sense of their numbers, whether that means running a business, managing personal finances, or simply getting through tax time with less stress.

Their client base is broad: ambitious founders, savvy property investors, and everyday Kiwis who want to stay financially sharp and fully compliant. Startups get help from business setup through to cash flow forecasting; business owners get tailored support that fits their industry and pace; property investors get help staying on top of income, expenses and IRD obligations across residential and commercial portfolios.

What sets them apart, by their own account, is the absence of jargon and cookie-cutter advice — just honest, practical support, quick responses, and a genuine partnership mindset. The practice is cloud-first, holding Xero Gold Champion, Xero Migration Specialist and Xero Advisor Certified credentials, alongside CA ANZ membership and Spotlight Reporting partnerships, with MYOB and Hubdoc support also available.

Behind the counter is a seven-person team led by Principal Steve Gregan, including two Chartered Accountants, a practice manager, client manager, accounts assistant and graduate accountant. Beyond compliance work, they publish free resources — business guides, key IRD dates, payroll glossaries and a cyber security checklist — and maintain an active blog covering topics from Budget analysis to surviving supply chain disruption.

CU Accountants: Upper Hutt's Down-to-Earth Accounting Team

On the first floor of Chapman House at 108 Main Street, a team of accountants is quietly doing things differently. CU Accountants describes itself as 'a team of down-to-earth people who genuinely care about helping you make sense of your numbers' — and everything on their site, from the friendly tone to the tagline 'Your Business, Our Focus', backs that up. Their promise is simple: sharp numbers, smarter business, and proudly local service from the heart of Upper Hutt.

The practice works with a wide mix of clients. Ambitious founders launching startups, property investors managing rentals, and everyday Kiwis who simply want to avoid tax-time stress all find a home here. Whether you are registering a new company or just trying to stay on top of personal finances, the pitch is the same: the numbers should work for you, without the jargon.

Straight Talk, Not Accountant-Speak

If there is one theme that runs through everything CU Accountants says about itself, it is clarity. The team promises straightforward advice that actually makes sense, support that grows with you whether you are just starting out or scaling up, quick responses, and a genuine partnership — they say they are in it with you, not just for you.

No confusing jargon, no cookie-cutter advice. Clients are treated like part of the team, and the goal is that accounting gives you clarity rather than headaches. For small business owners used to opaque fee structures and impenetrable letters from the IRD, that positioning clearly resonates.

Services Built Around Your Stage

The core offer spans four pillars: established businesses, startups, property, and tax compliance. Underneath those sit detailed services that cover the full life of a business.

Accounting and bookkeeping is handled with smart, cloud-based tools that keep everything accurate, up to date and accessible anytime — tidy records, compliance, cash flow insights and performance reporting with less admin. New ventures get help laying strong foundations: choosing the right structure, registering with IRD, GST and ACC, setting up cloud accounting, and planning for cash flow and tax.

Property investors, whether they own one rental or a growing residential or commercial portfolio, get tailored support to stay on top of income, expenses and IRD obligations, with tax planning designed to protect the investment and maximise returns. Cashflow forecasting helps you anticipate shortfalls and manage growth, while the budgeting service helps you plan with purpose rather than guess.

Rounding out the list are business coaching, business sales and purchases, financial and management reporting, payroll services, strategic planning, and tax preparation and planning.

A Cloud-First Practice

CU Accountants leans hard into cloud accounting. The practice is a Xero Gold Champion, a Xero Migration Specialist, and employs Xero Advisor Certified staff, and it also supports MYOB, Hubdoc and Spotlight Reporting. For business owners still drowning in shoeboxes of receipts, that migration expertise matters.

The client experience is digital too. Through the website's client area, clients can upload documents, make payments through a secure payment page, log straight into Xero, and leave feedback. It is a setup built for people who would rather run their business than chase paperwork.

The People Behind the Numbers

The practice is led by Principal Steve Gregan and includes Chartered Accountants Donna Upchurch and Cathy Colpman, Practice Manager Kellie Taylor, Client Manager Alicia Zink, Accounts Assistant Charlotte Johnston, and Graduate Accountant Max Leonard. The firm is aligned with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), so clients get professional standards alongside the friendly approach.

More Than Year-End Accounts

CU Accountants also invests in free public resources: business guides, business tools, key IRD dates, payroll resources and a payroll glossary, plus a cyber security checklist. Their blog tackles timely topics, from cyber security FAQs for NZ businesses to Budget 2026 analysis and surviving supply chain disruption.

If you are after a team that knows their stuff but keeps things friendly and fuss-free, Chapman House, 108 Main Street, Upper Hutt is the place — or call (04) 939-9222 to talk to the team first.

Signature items

  • Accounting and Bookkeeping
  • Business Start-Up Support
  • Rental and Property Advisory
  • Cashflow Forecasting
  • Tax Compliance
  • Budgeting

Menu

Tax Services

  • Tax Compliance — Keeps you compliant, on time and in control with the IRD.
  • Tax Preparation and Planning — Preparation and forward planning to avoid tax-time stress.

Cloud Accounting

  • Cloud Accounting Setup — Smart, cloud-based tools that keep records accurate and accessible anytime.
  • Xero — Gold Champion, Migration Specialist and Advisor Certified Xero partner.
  • Hubdoc — Receipt and document capture to feed tidy cloud records.
  • Spotlight Reporting — Reporting and insights through their Spotlight partnership.
  • MYOB — Setup and support for MYOB users, with dedicated resources.

Business Services

  • Accounting and Bookkeeping — Cloud-based day-to-day records, compliance, cash flow insights and performance reporting.
  • Business Start-Up Support — Structure choice, IRD, GST and ACC registration, cloud tools, cash flow and tax planning.
  • Rental and Property Advisory — Tax planning and compliance for owners of one rental or a growing portfolio.
  • Cashflow Forecasting — Helps anticipate shortfalls, manage growth and make informed decisions with confidence.
  • Budgeting — Goal-setting and practical budgets built with purpose, no jargon and no stress.
  • Business Coaching — Guidance to help owners step out of the day-to-day and work on the business.
  • Business Sales and Purchases — Support through buying or selling a business.
  • Financial Reporting — Clear reports that bring clarity to your numbers.
  • Management Reporting — Regular reporting to support confident planning and decisions.
  • Payroll Services — Payroll handled for you, backed by their payroll resources.
  • Strategic Planning — Planning ahead with purpose so you are not just guessing.

Frequently asked questions

Where is CU Accountants located?
On the first floor of Chapman House, 108 Main Street, Upper Hutt 5018, in Wellington.
How do I contact them?
Phone (04) 939-9222 or email [email protected], or use the Talk to Us contact page on their website.
Do they help with new business start-ups?
Yes — from choosing the right structure and registering with IRD, GST and ACC, to setting up cloud accounting tools and planning for cash flow and tax.
Can they help with rental properties?
Yes, they offer tailored support for residential and commercial property portfolios, covering income, expenses, tax planning and IRD obligations.
Do they support cloud accounting?
Yes — they are a Xero Gold Champion, Xero Migration Specialist and have Xero Advisor Certified staff, and they also work with MYOB, Hubdoc and Spotlight Reporting.
Are they qualified accountants?
The team includes Chartered Accountants and the firm is aligned with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ).
Can I deal with them online?
Yes — the client area on their website offers document upload, secure online payments, Xero login and client feedback.

Tips

  • {"body":"Skip the trip — upload documents, pay invoices securely and log into Xero directly from the website.","title":"Use the client area"}
  • {"body":"CU Accountants is a Xero Gold Champion and Migration Specialist, so migrating from shoebox bookkeeping to Xero or MYOB is their specialty.","title":"Ask about going cloud"}
  • {"body":"Their site offers business guides, key IRD dates, payroll resources, a payroll glossary and a cyber security checklist — all free to use.","title":"Tap the free resources"}
  • {"body":"The office is on the first floor of Chapman House, so call (04) 939-9222 first to arrange a time with the right team member.","title":"Ring before you visit"}

Good to know

  • {"payments":"Secure online payments available via the payments page in the client area."}