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Customer Service
Enough time to email software providers so why did it take so long to put a message on the website!
If "boy" George is as committed to the
HMRC machine, as he infers, then internet based filing systems need to be flawless, not some of the time but, at all times.
The accountancy and taxation profession provides (extremely) cost effective; preparation and submission of a variety of HMRC requirements (personal and corporate self-assessment, RTI reports) and the least we should be able to expect is that the "engine room" is fit for purpose.
Over the last few months, we've seen, with worrying regularity, periods of downtime and, those who work within the HMRC movement are either, totally ignorant, or simply naive, about what the situation is, when reasonable enquiries are made.
Until and unless HMRC accepts its shortcomings and stops referring to taxpayers as customers, the situation will only become much worse.
Get your act together, HMRC (again)
The lack of swift, clear explanations from HMRC is a concern in this episode as it suggests the tax department is not aware of, nor responding to issues that affect “customer service”.
I’ve also got a growing suspicion that with all its initiatives to go digital and stimulate innovation in the tax software market, HMRC may also be relying more and more heavily on the commercial software providers to field customer service calls. But even if this is the case, some of them are being updated, but others are not.
One could speculate that until the transfer of the service availability page to Gov.uk, it had been a pretty reliable source of system-related announcements and advice - and that the transparency over these issues extended to the press office, which is where AccountingWEB turns when we hear of disruptions.
Something has fallen down with the department’s reporting mechanisms, and until it can offer satisfactory diagnoses and assurances, we have got to operate under the assumption that the potential flaws within the RTI system have not been eradicated.
Given all the other publicity that has surrounded the payroll and universal credit data system during the past few years, you would think HMRC would pay more attention to getting these things right and communicating service availability information quickly and efficiently.
Not potential flaws in RTI system - actual flaws
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. There needs to be an independant body setting standards for tax software including HMRC's end of the tax processing system. HMRC has a conflict of interest being a tax collector and effectively a rule-setter controlling software standards. Currently "flaws" or "bugs" in the system can operate in HMRC's favour with no oversight.
Couldn't agree more.........
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. There needs to be an independant body setting standards for tax software including HMRC's end of the tax processing system. HMRC has a conflict of interest being a tax collector and effectively a rule-setter controlling software standards. Currently "flaws" or "bugs" in the system can operate in HMRC's favour with no oversight.
From what I can see HMRC has a variety of strategic visions, none of which, in my view, can successfully be achieved, until and unless, there are independent assessment and inspections, along the lines of Ofsted (as in Education).
Too much to ask for?
Not only PAYE
We had the same issue with the SA100 submissions. Just went into a loop.
After 15 mins abandoned attempting to submit. No emails saying problems. No notifications on their websites. Nothing. How about an automatic penalty?
Then got some few hours later a confirmation email saying received but my software still had it as not submitted. As I do not trust HMRC software finalised submission in my software. Hope that HMRC does not get confused (again)
Some perspective..
Although it should work properly - the issue on Monday was about getting responses and I got a message when I tried to submit saying so (probably put there by my software supplier I know)
So delayed responses. As I have not had a submission rejected in available memory and it was the end of the month I simply submitted them all. Once I had seen the email responses from the gateway I just went through and collected the responses.
I guess the point is I was able to submit on time
M
Institutes/Associations and other bodies
Surely, this type of issue is exactly what these bodies we pay towards are meant to take up on behalf of everyone? With 'n' hundred thousand members between them, they *should* carry enough clout with the relevant people to cause pause for thought on expanding the digital scene at the very least.
By which I would expect them to stand together with a joint working party, not as individual bodies since this is fundamental to theway things are going to be.
No wonder there are more and more disillusioned practitioners dropping these bodies if they can't organise more than a cheese and wine evening to entertain one another.