Tax Threats - Help!

[insom]

Do you guys have any experience dealing with HMRC? A company screwed my taxes up over a period of 2 years, and now HMRC claim i owe them £2200 in income tax. They have been impossible to deal with and wont see reason, just claim i owe the money and that they are right.

[garlok]

Re: HFO Services

Unfortunately mate that may well be the case. Normally they are quite helpful in getting the information together for you. You will need to get P60s from your employer at the time and check against your payslips. The Revenue will then normally help you to check by telling you what has actually been paid by your employer.

A lot of people now miss the fact that NI and employers NI now fall under the collections arms of the Revenue and this can also lead to underpayments if your employer is/was less than diligent with PAYE.

Frankly, don't ignore this it is taken as red with Revenue debts whatever the law says that you are guilty unless you can prove innocence. I would reccommend you start by writing to your local inspector (recorded) and ask for the information as you cannot understand where the problem has occurred. The telephone lines are only manned by call centre phone jockeys whose knowledge of tax matters is somewhat limited.

Finally a piece of advice , heed or don't as you will but it is most unwise to ignore the Revenue or the Customs or attempt to screw them around. They are one crowd that humble pie is a useful tool.

regards
Garlok

[insom]

Re: HFO Services

Unfortunately mate that may well be the case. Normally they are quite helpful in getting the information together for you. You will need to get P60s from your employer at the time and check against your payslips. The Revenue will then normally help you to check by telling you what has actually been paid by your employer.

A lot of people now miss the fact that NI and employers NI now fall under the collections arms of the Revenue and this can also lead to underpayments if your employer is/was less than diligent with PAYE.

Frankly, don't ignore this it is taken as red with Revenue debts whatever the law says that you are guilty unless you can prove innocence. I would reccommend you start by writing to your local inspector (recorded) and ask for the information as you cannot understand where the problem has occurred. The telephone lines are only manned by call centre phone jockeys whose knowledge of tax matters is somewhat limited.

Finally a piece of advice , heed or don't as you will but it is most unwise to ignore the Revenue or the Customs or attempt to screw them around. They are one crowd that humble pie is a useful tool.

regards
Garlok

I know what the problem was... I worked through an umbrella agency, and both the umbrella (correctly) and the agency sent in tax returns for me, and the agency claimed the tax returned as unpaid ... morons

Im just having problems dealing with them, and would rather they take it to court than automatically take it out of my salary, which they have arranged, starting April....

[garlok]

Re: HFO Services

Ugh! mate, don't let them take you to court. Really. Unless you can afford a top taxation lawyer they will rip you to bits and you in all probability you will lose. Maintain a proper dialogue. And yes I know an awful lot about "umbrella" agencies and the like. I was in design engineering contracting and consultancy for over 23 years. Depending on the timeframe i.e. anything after 1999 then you will have been subject to IR 35 and all "relevant contracts" have to be declared. There is a scheme for construction and building workers but that also became tightly controlled as well. Two years ago as well all self employment partnerships, charities clubs and associatiosn were all brought under the dark shadow of the Companies Act 1986 as amended and the Corporation Tax regulations.

There fore from what you have said you need to get your own information together, you need to blast the agency and ask for all of the figures they have submitted (threaten them with reporting them to the Revenue hotline for fraud if there is any bother) and like I said write in sensible terms to your Inspector of Taxes and ask for help in sorting this. If they take you to court then there will be penalties and interest added which i think without checking is 12% at the moment.

regards
Garlok

[insom]

Re: HFO Services

But surely, if they take me to court, I have the letters I sent them, my P60's of my employment, a statement from the umbrella company, then surely they have nothing to stand on?

Im sorry this has killed the original thread.

Ugh! mate, don't let them take you to court. Really. Unless you can afford a top taxation lawyer they will rip you to bits and you in all probability you will lose. Maintain a proper dialogue. And yes I know an awful lot about "umbrella" agencies and the like. I was in design engineering contracting and consultancy for over 23 years. Depending on the timeframe i.e. anything after 1999 then you will have been subject to IR 35 and all "relevant contracts" have to be declared. There is a scheme for construction and building workers but that also became tightly controlled as well. Two years ago as well all self employment partnerships, charities clubs and associatiosn were all brought under the dark shadow of the Companies Act 1986 as amended and the Corporation Tax regulations.

There fore from what you have said you need to get your own information together, you need to blast the agency and ask for all of the figures they have submitted (threaten them with reporting them to the Revenue hotline for fraud if there is any bother) and like I said write in sensible terms to your Inspector of Taxes and ask for help in sorting this. If they take you to court then there will be penalties and interest added which i think without checking is 12% at the moment.

regards
Garlok

[garlok]

Re: HFO Services

Hi insom, I have recently had to help my niece's husband try and sort their issues out when the agency went bust. Let me say just this the Revenue did not back down depsite all of the evidence that someone else had walked away with the cash.

I have given my opinion and support to you.

regards
Garlok

[insom]

Re: Tax Threats - Help!

Thanks for moving this over Niddy, and appologies for hijacking the thread...

Your input has been greatly appreciated Garlok. I am writting, what I hope, to be a final letter to HMRC, including P60's, employment conditions, etc etc ...

Hopefully they will pay notice to it this time, if not, guess I will have to start on the agency themselves

[insom]

Re: Tax Threats - Help!

Just had another conversation with HMRC, and it is definately looking alot more positive. A note has been made of dispute, and they are willing to investigate the issue in more detail.

Highlight of the conversation, I must of been really frustrating this guy, as he managed to utter "For Fuck Sake" down the phone at me, not realising I actually heard it...

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Tax Threats - Help!

Did he? Keep time of call. You can use this against them if necessary lol. They record ALL inbound calls

[insom]

Re: Tax Threats - Help!

More entertaining then anything and bought a funny conclusion to my dreary day (you guys not included in that statement)

I have included the guys name and time of call in the letter as reference to the conversation. Interesting too know if they will listen to it or not...

[BBoo]

Re: Tax Threats - Help!

Have to say I agree with Garlok 100% on this one, no matter how solid or strong your case, do not let it go to court if there is any way of avoiding it.

HMRC are actually extremely helpful most of the time. If they have opened a dispute then that is a positive step forward. What exactly are they intending to do now they've opened a dispute?

[insom]

Re: Tax Threats - Help!

Im just waiting for the final bits of info to come through. Once i can forward it onto HMRC, then they will investigate that against the troublesome company. Should have it all ready by monday

[5corpio]

Re: Tax Threats - Help!

This is what the person did @ his tax offive in India....

A snake charmer has released dozens of the poisonous creatures in a tax office in northern India after claiming officials had demanded......Forum Alternative News LINKY