Readers’ forum: Allocating profits on a partnership return

I act for clients A B and C who are in partnership and have an engagement to complete the partnership return and the three individual returns.

There is no written partnership agreement but each year the partners have agreed their respective profit shares between them without difficulty.

However for 2020-21 the partners have failed to agree on a profit split.

Both A and B think that C has not been pulling his weight and they want to allocate a lower share to him than he believes is due. There is a complete impasse at the moment and the deadline for the return is approaching fast.

There are no problems with the partnership accounts as such – just the question of allocation of profits. What can I do in this situation? In the absence of an agreement do I have to fall back on the basic partnership act...