Missing client

JodieR

I've had a letter from HMRC asking for contact details for a client who they can't track.
I last saw the client at the beginning of Jan (when he eventually paid my for his company's accounts) and sent him a letter mid-jan which I never got a reply to. I sent a reminder in Feb and then again in March and I put in the March letter that if I didn't get a response by the end of March I'd assume that he no longer required my services.
My guess is that they were in deep financial problems and have 'done a runner'. I have no idea of their current address but I do have his wife's mobile number which was still active in January - should I pass this onto HMRC? Technically as I didn't get a reply to my March letter he's no longer actually a client of mine and the mobile number which I had for him had been cut off when I tried contacting him on it in December, it's only his wife's number I've got.

Help?!

cheapaccounting

The wife is not our client?

All you can do is tell HMRC your last contact address and that you have been unable to contact this ex client.

Did you send a disengagement letter - they are ESSENTIAL so as to terminate your service with no future misunderstandings

JodieR

The wife was a director of the Ltd Company but I didn't deal with her personal tax affairs. It's him personally whom HMRC are trying to chase - the Company never made any money and therefore never owed any tax.
I haven't got round to sending a disengagement letter yet and it's going to be a bit pointless now that I've not got an address to send it to!

cheapaccounting

Is the company record up to date at companies house? Do you know for certain that they have gone away or have they just ignored the letters?

Personally I would send a registered disengagement letter to the reg office - so I am very belt and braces :001_smile: