I have now for the umpteenth time rang someone at HMRC whose number is on their letter only to be connected to the contact centre and then been told they cannot put me through to the persn who wrote the letter
This burocratic maze is starting to wind me up . Such a simple process of talking to someone about a minor matter which then takes a further 2/3 weeks to resolve
Does anyone have a way of dealing with this
Stephen Payne
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Replies (4)
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Not good usually
However I find if there is a need to talk to someone where the indivdual owes a debt, the debt recovery section are usually quite helpful in giving you good contact information. Another Inspector you have been dealing with on another matter can sometimes help too (though obviously you can't do either very often or you will annoy them).
Writing back may be the best way for most cases - or asking the call centre operative if they can suggest the best way round (somtimes the agent priority lines give better information).
Really the working together process needs to discuss this and we all need restraint if there is a work around so as not to overburden the Revenue and lose their goodwill.
How about this
We were sent a cheque because we were the supervisors of a voluntary arrangement. We were not entitled to the cheque. I rang the number on the letter to be told that they could not talk to me because we were not the agents for the individual. I said that we had a cheque but were not entitled to it. They could not even talk about the cheque. They would send money to me but not talk. After some time I spoke to a supervisor who sympathised with the position and said she would sort it - but still not put me through to the person who was working the case and sending me cheques.
I think you are lucky
I have written 6 letters, 2 were lost, 1 of those was recorded, over the last 7 months. This is to put untaxed interest on my PAYE code. They still have not got it right. But progress is being made, but ....v...e...r...y... ...s ...l...o...w...l...y.... I think it will drift into 2008/2009 tax year.
I am afraid that the government wants to reduce the proportion of the staff salaries to the tax take. I think the government is trying to get it below the US figures.
I'm afraid this is the way it works now
I sympathise and also get frustrated by the number on a letter not connecting you to the person you need to speak to.
The only solution I have found, which isn't entirely satisfactory, is to ask for a "call back". This may work if you happen to be there when the letter writer calls back but you just end up in the loop again if you happen to be away from your desk.
Failing that, I have resorted to writing back - it is sometimes more cost effective than endless "telephone tag" but there are inevitably additional delays, especially in some offices.
I wonder if this is going to be less of an issue when the new Agent Priority Lines are rolled out where you can get to speak to a more technical person from the outset.
I really do think, given that HMRC could not run their organisation without the help of Tax Agents, that they should do more to make the experience less frustrating and stop making it impossible to speak to the people we need to.