MTD: re-authorising software

Going round in circles & getting very confused

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I have 3 VAT returns I wanted to submit today but the 18 month re-authorisation issue has reared its ugly head.

As far as I can remember, the process back in 2019 was that I as agent applied for authorisation (presumably via the ASA I had to set up), the client received an email, they clicked on a link in the email and hey presto! Am I remembering that correctly?

Now it appears the client needs to log into their GG and re-authorise from there. Have I got that right? And, if so, why is this a different process from the original authorisation?

As it happens, none of these 3 'clients' can log into their GGs:

One can't remeber his login and is asking me like I would somehow know what it was. For another, the bookeeper (understandably in a way) set up the contact details to her mobile but she has now, very sadly, died from cancer. We've been going round in circles on this one for months. And the third is me personally and I don't and have never had a GG in my own name, I've just used my agent's HMRC Online a/c and made me a client.

So, snookered all round. If someone could confirm that the re-authorisation is definitely done via the GG, I would be very grateful and will crack on with setting one up for myself. Also, is this a BTA (I'm guessing) or a PTA that I need?

And, finally and just because I'm paranoid about this sort of stuff, there's presumably no issues for agents in having an ASA and also a BTA? (I seem to remember there was some issue back in 2019 about links or tokens or something which put me off getting a personal a/c at the time).

Replies (10)

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By DaveyJonesLocker
31st Mar 2021 13:41

The reauthorising is for your vat software to connect to hmrc nothing to do with clients authorising you

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By adam.arca
31st Mar 2021 13:46

Thanks for replying.

So when the link from the software (TaxCalc VAT Filer btw) takes me to the HMRC login page, am I supposed to be logging into my ASA? Is that what you're saying (because it's not the way the narrative reads to me)?

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Replying to adam.arca:
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By DaveyJonesLocker
31st Mar 2021 14:37

I use Taxcalc too and yes was my ASA.

And I didn't need to remove a link as per the other reply.

The wording is carp but that's definitely the way I re-authorised

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By Wycher
31st Mar 2021 14:18

I believe you have to remove the link from the software to the gateway and then re link it, via the software. Not sure how it is done exactly in your software but surely their support service should be able to send you the details.

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By adam.arca
31st Mar 2021 15:01

Thanks both for helping me out.

I did go back in via the software link with my ASA details and it worked straight away. I obviously grasped completely the wrong end of the stick on this one but I had originally tried logging into my ASA but directly rather than via the link and didn't see anything. The wording could definitely be a lot more helpful but I'm going to have to give myself 1 out of 10 for today's brain-dead efforts.

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Replying to adam.arca:
By Michael Beaver
31st Mar 2021 15:35

Just as a heads up, I'm also using TaxCalc and sometimes the reauthorisation doesn't work and you get an error. You may have to work out how to delete the most recent 'token'.

Just call TaxCalc support when and if that happens as it's easy to fix once you know how.

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Replying to adam.arca:
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By DaveyJonesLocker
31st Mar 2021 16:01

HMRC will NEVER win the Plain English awards!

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Replying to DaveyJonesLocker:
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By johnhemming
31st Mar 2021 17:17

DaveyJonesLocker wrote:

HMRC will NEVER win the Plain English awards!


I think the words that appear are decided on by the MTD supplier and not HMRC. Hence you are kicking the wrong target.
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By SteveHa
31st Mar 2021 16:32

For the record, I recently had to do this for SA/CT, but things are never simple. Why HMRC still insist on personal details being used I don't know, and to make matters worse, we have changed our phone systems and so both numbers used for 2FA no longer work.

6 weeks, and several calls to HMRC (and as many un-returned calls) before I got someone who had a clue and managed to reset it all. Now it's set up with my personal info, which I've had to pass on to the IT manager and my immediate superior in case I get hit by a bus, or something.

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By Vedder
31st Aug 2021 17:21

As a Trader I tried to reauthorise Andica software for my MTD VAT return 3 months ago. Andica have checked I am doing everything correct on my PC as I have for the previous returns. HMRC helplines eventually come back with one line responses and blame the software. I have 2 Gateway accounts. The VAT one won't reauthorise but the partnership one will. However the Partnership one doesn't have the VAT account so it wont communicate with my software. I have tried to reregister for VAT on the Partnership Gateway but obviously it wont allow this because it is already on the other Gateway. You can only reauthorise the software via the software.
Another related problem is that if you cant submit digitally then you are assessed on pre covid turnover. I appealed in June and haven't heard a thing but the estimated assessment still stands on my VAT account. If only one person of the 10 plus I have been in touch with at HMRC would take ownership of this issue that would surely help.

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