Not allowed to run a business - sounds like a case for the Human Rights brigade and the EU - they'll soon have it sorted and we can all sleep safe at night knowing that the incarcerated can carry on living a normal life albeit from hotel 'prison'.
Thank you for all your comments. Cut and paste definitely for some of our guys but my point was that I actually want to put in the wording of my invoice 'for pulling our finger out, as per your instructions £x' - just before I tell him to look for somebody else next year. I was just concerned whether a comment like this may be frowned upon by bodies such as ACCA.
A good bye client, team happy and amused and a little satisfaction for me, or am I just a little mad.
My predecessor passed away a few years back, and while the practice was still in limbo, we were the target of other firms cold calling our clients. We too are in a rural location. Many of our clients wasted no time in informing us of this and were outraged by the mercinary behaviour of some of those firms. I don't think it did those firms any particular favours on a local level, but it was really great to know that our clients were so loyal :-).
You have pretty much done all that you can do. I hope that SOCA are able to give you a speedy response on how you should treat the remaining balance of the refund. From my point of view if they do not respond promptly you could only reasonbly repay the refund to the client, as any delay could give rise to a complaint or worse and where do you stand on explaining to the institute or police why you withheld the money without tipping off? We definitely should not be put in this sort of position.
Hear hear - I think it is totally wrong and HMRC should get it's own house in order before penalising the small business for trying to deal with the burdens placed upon by government.
Had the same too - We sent the records for one of our claims back in early July in response to their letter requesting additional documentation. Still no refund!! It's a joke. I have complained and written to my MP - doesn't make any difference. I have even withheld my PAYE on the basis that as the client can't pay me, I can't pay HMRC and by default they already have my payment!!
I really don't see why it should be one rule for HMRC and another for the taxpayer. Their delays can't be good for the economic recovery!!
Like some of the comments previously made, of the small number of clients that we have that are affected by the 50% rate, an increasing number are more interested in 'tax mitigation products'. The end result is very little going to the treasury. As I see it, there are two main reasons. The first being that having earned your cash, you should be entitled to the lion share. Why should you want to give away half? I believe this is a psychological barrier, which I must admit I do not want to give half of my earnings to anyone who hasn't put in equal effort.
Secondly, it is the way in which government spends our taxes. The inefficency and waste would definitely appear to be more visible to those clients and they really don't want to see their taxes wasted. We are all quite capable of wasting our own cash after all! Again as mentioned in a previous posting many of these taxpayers pay for their childrens education privately, private medical cover, pensions etc.
And just really to throw the cat amongst the pigeons - should the fattest child at the birthday party be given the biggest piece of cake? Surely the cake should be divided equally amongst all in attendance.
I have sent a letter before action, posted special delivery, and copied in my MP. And as mentioned in a prior posting, the letter was not dealt with and after a follow up call I ws informed that they were unlikely to deal with it for at least 8 weeks!! I believe my follow up phone call was the point at which somebody actually took notice as I had a response regarding 'my complaint', where they told me again that they had no control over their own security process!! Anyway refund quickly followed - so they can obviouly move when they want! I would add that the amount was never in dispute it just simply took HMRC over 10 months to deal with the claim, most of that time was for 'security checks'.
My favorite was the client who had had a particularly good year and wondered where the cash was if he'd made this amount of profit. I had to point out to him that it was probably in the brand new porsche that he'd just pulled up in!
My answers
OMG
Not allowed to run a business - sounds like a case for the Human Rights brigade and the EU - they'll soon have it sorted and we can all sleep safe at night knowing that the incarcerated can carry on living a normal life albeit from hotel 'prison'.
Sorry what I meant was
Thank you for all your comments. Cut and paste definitely for some of our guys but my point was that I actually want to put in the wording of my invoice 'for pulling our finger out, as per your instructions £x' - just before I tell him to look for somebody else next year. I was just concerned whether a comment like this may be frowned upon by bodies such as ACCA.
A good bye client, team happy and amused and a little satisfaction for me, or am I just a little mad.
From experience
My predecessor passed away a few years back, and while the practice was still in limbo, we were the target of other firms cold calling our clients. We too are in a rural location. Many of our clients wasted no time in informing us of this and were outraged by the mercinary behaviour of some of those firms. I don't think it did those firms any particular favours on a local level, but it was really great to know that our clients were so loyal :-).
You have pretty much done all that you can do. I hope that SOCA are able to give you a speedy response on how you should treat the remaining balance of the refund. From my point of view if they do not respond promptly you could only reasonbly repay the refund to the client, as any delay could give rise to a complaint or worse and where do you stand on explaining to the institute or police why you withheld the money without tipping off? We definitely should not be put in this sort of position.
Penalty Protest
Hear hear - I think it is totally wrong and HMRC should get it's own house in order before penalising the small business for trying to deal with the burdens placed upon by government.
CIS Deductions
Had the same too - We sent the records for one of our claims back in early July in response to their letter requesting additional documentation. Still no refund!! It's a joke. I have complained and written to my MP - doesn't make any difference. I have even withheld my PAYE on the basis that as the client can't pay me, I can't pay HMRC and by default they already have my payment!!
I really don't see why it should be one rule for HMRC and another for the taxpayer. Their delays can't be good for the economic recovery!!
50% Tax Rate
Like some of the comments previously made, of the small number of clients that we have that are affected by the 50% rate, an increasing number are more interested in 'tax mitigation products'. The end result is very little going to the treasury. As I see it, there are two main reasons. The first being that having earned your cash, you should be entitled to the lion share. Why should you want to give away half? I believe this is a psychological barrier, which I must admit I do not want to give half of my earnings to anyone who hasn't put in equal effort.
Secondly, it is the way in which government spends our taxes. The inefficency and waste would definitely appear to be more visible to those clients and they really don't want to see their taxes wasted. We are all quite capable of wasting our own cash after all! Again as mentioned in a previous posting many of these taxpayers pay for their childrens education privately, private medical cover, pensions etc.
And just really to throw the cat amongst the pigeons - should the fattest child at the birthday party be given the biggest piece of cake? Surely the cake should be divided equally amongst all in attendance.
Court action
I have sent a letter before action, posted special delivery, and copied in my MP. And as mentioned in a prior posting, the letter was not dealt with and after a follow up call I ws informed that they were unlikely to deal with it for at least 8 weeks!! I believe my follow up phone call was the point at which somebody actually took notice as I had a response regarding 'my complaint', where they told me again that they had no control over their own security process!! Anyway refund quickly followed - so they can obviouly move when they want! I would add that the amount was never in dispute it just simply took HMRC over 10 months to deal with the claim, most of that time was for 'security checks'.
Missing Profit
My favorite was the client who had had a particularly good year and wondered where the cash was if he'd made this amount of profit. I had to point out to him that it was probably in the brand new porsche that he'd just pulled up in!