I can't be the only one

I can't be the only one

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This morning I received yet another confusing HMRC statement of account for a client.

I've had two in the last few months which have been detailed, complicated and difficult to understand. Involving adjustments to 2-3 years SATR's, reallocation of refunds and payments, penalties and interest charges.

In each instance HMRC have double counted charges resulting in the statements incorrectly showing tax owed of several thousand pounds. Each one of these I've queried and HMRC have agreed they were incorrect and have issued amendments.

I'm convinced the (main) cause of the confusion is the way HMRC prepare the statement of account, it defies logic the way amounts appear to be allocated.

There must be hundreds if not thousands of tax payers who have paid too much tax just because they or their advisers don't review and then challenge these statements.

Replies (6)

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By User deleted
18th Feb 2014 13:36

Agree ....

... plus the prominent figure is often not the one that needs paying now!

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By JimH
18th Feb 2014 13:42

Similar happened to me
HMRC adjusted the self-assessment calculation from my filing, stating my P2 coding had an adjustment to collect earlier year tax (it hadn't and the tax had already been long paid). I think a bundle of gremlins have gone in and randomly played around with everything.

But what I wonder is if it really is HMRC staffing with people who don't don't understand the statements.

Anyone yet worked out a way to recover the costs of correcting HMRC after they change the accurate work of an Agent and produce revised calculations, P2s and statements, which all then have to be corrected and reissued?

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Glenn Martin
By Glenn Martin
18th Feb 2014 16:02

I wish I could bill them

for the time we waste.

I set a new Ltd Company client up in November, formed company, registered them for CT and requested PAYE scheme.

last Monday I receive a £800 fine notification as the had not filed a 2012/2013 P35 by 19th May 2013. Have new client (not been in business before) almost suicidal going nuts with me.

I ring up on Tuesday spend about 45 minutes speaking to several different people but got no where. they said the fine was due. I asked them to explain how a company can be expected to file paperwork 6 months before it was even created still got no where. Then my post comes with fine reduced to nil.

client had tried to ring up and pay on his card in the meantime but fortunately couldn't get through. 

Probably wasted about 2 hours plus had new client stressed to hell for 2 days.

is the HMRC now run my YTS or New Deal apprentices these days.

 

 

 

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By zeofiles
18th Feb 2014 21:05

Grateful for the small things
At least your client has received a statement. We are seeing an increasing number of clients being sent letters from debt management threatening collection proceedings when there has been no prior request for payment / statements sent.

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By seawych
18th Feb 2014 21:33

Customer flipping service!

The rot set in when they brought in credit card style statements. Before that, you could see each unpaid amount together with any interest charged and any credits against that charge.

HMRC workstations still show this stuff and there are still actually people that understand it all (If they haven't retired or been redeployed) But you'll be lucky to find one.

All anyone outside HMRC can do is keep every single statement and check carefully for differences or, if you're up to it, navigate through each tax year and each payment in SA online.  The online info is hard work to get through but it's better than the expletive deleted that you'll get through the post!  

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Locutus of Borg
By Locutus
19th Feb 2014 10:14

Why can't they just ...
... do statements like everyone else, instead of trying to invent a square wheel?

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