Dealings with HMRC

Andypandy

In response to the new proposals by HMRC for them to have more 'policing powers' over accountants dealing with tax, an agent put forward the following suggestions (Got to say, find the idea pretty funny):-

What can we as indviduals do? Zero co-operation.

Demand that HMRC put EVERYTHING in writing - never, ever, accept phone calls from them. If they do call you put them "on hold" for 10 minutes, then put them through "identity checks" then, once they prove to you who they are, simply inform them that "for security reasons" you must insist that they put it in writing and hang up. Thats what they do to us.

When you receive a letter from them, write back asking for clarrification of points as you dont quite understand what they are saying. If you can find 5 points in a letter write to them 5 timers, once for each point.

Challenge their every decision. If your tax computations are just one penny different to theirs - appeal.

Keep ALL tax returns until the last possible day before filing and send their computer into melt down.

The idea being to bury them under an avalanche of work.

Monsoon

It's funny. But my response would have to be (I'm in serious mode, sorry!):

And have their already sh!te response rates become even worse? Many of their offices open post that arrived 6-8 weeks previous. Do we really want to add to that?

I know they are a useless bunch of ****ers but I don't see how this can help. And yes, I can't believe I am writing this, me 5 years ago would have been well up for it!

If we want them to work together with us, we have to do as we would be done by.

I wouldn't want my firm singled out as a difficult one and selected for enquiries (I know, they shouldn't do this. But I bet they do).

Though, saying that, we recently got a letter saying, "We have lost our tax calculations on this client. Please would you be so kind as to send them again?" To which we replied, "Of course we can re-supply you with information we have now archived. There is an admin fee payable up front...." *grin* To which they replied "I'm sorry, we have no idea which client you are talking about, can you supply a NI number? [we quoted their ref, which was the PAYE ref]" They are bloody useless!