Madness at HMRC

Madness at HMRC

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I have just had a completely bizarre 10 minutes.

I raised a query with the online helpdesk in June 2008, as I couldn't view my corporation tax clients. In the last couple of the days they have come online, and I had a call whilst in a meeting and had a message to talk to them about the query. I duly phoned back, however, when the calldesk person tried to ID me, she said I didn't have the same address for the agent so wouldn't speak to me. I phoned the agent maintainer, as per the phone number she gave me, and guess what wrong number, oh no no agent maintainer here, and passed me on again. At last did get through to the office, to be told only one agent maintainer there and she had gone home for the day.

What should I do, as per previous experiences, thought it might be worth a shot to try and speak to another person on the online helpdesk, and low and behold, I am who I said I am, and they could see all my details!!

Is this a new strategy, to try and make us accountants think we are going mad!!!
Nicola

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By User deleted
05th Feb 2009 21:04

Similar experience last year
I phoned the online helpdesk with a query about a corporation tax client last year & was also told they couldn't speak to me as the address I gave over the phone didn't match their records for me as agent. I was given a number to call about this - this number turned out to be the just the self-assessment helpline - the lady I spoke to there was quite helpful although she didn't have a clue why I had been told to call - she confirmed that my SA address etc was my correct address & suggested I spoke to the agent maintainer who was on a different number. Similarly for me, the agent maintainer only worked part-time & I didn't manage to get in touch. To cut a long story short I have given up with online helpdesks - previous calls where I was allowed to raise a query never produced a satisfactory response. Staff at corporation tax offices are invariably helpful & knowledgeable & if I have an online problem I now give up & use the old-fashioned paper route.
By the way - what is the point of having an email address for the online helpdesk? - the only email response I ever got said call the phone number!

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By neileg
05th Feb 2009 16:58

As Mrs Tachyon would say
Bugrit, millenium hand and shrimp.

Appologies to non-Terry Pratchet readers.

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