Tax Claim Woes

ember

New Member
Oct 21, 2008
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Hope I’m posting this in the right forum, if not, please feel free to move it to a more appropriate one ;-) And sorry in advance, this is going to be a long one and a bit of a rant!

I finished working for my previous employers in August and wasn’t due to start in my new post until the end of September. While I was employed from the April to the August I was taxed at BR, despite the fact that this was my only job and that I’d filled outa P46, my tax just never did seem to get sorted out.

When I received my P45, I had a look on the HMRC website and downloaded a P50 so that I could claim my overpayments back. I wasn’t going to be working for over 6 weeks or claiming any benefits, so fulfilled the criteria set out for claiming it back.

Before I sent off the forms I phoned the tax office in question down in Merseyside to ensure that I was sending it to the correct office. During the call I asked how long it would take for the tax rebate to get sorted out and was told around 4-6 weeks.

Well it got to 5 weeks, so I called them to be told that there is a backlog in opening the mail there and it’s more than likely not been even opened yet the projected timescale I was given this time was 6 – 8 weeks…….

It’s now 8 weeks, so I phoned again. This time I was told that the backlog is due to the fact that they’re closing/relocating the office that I’d sent it to and the mail received there is being redistributed to two other tax offices to be dealt with. I've now been told that I might be lucky and see it this side of Christmas :eek::confused::mad:

Is this worth raising a complaint with them? I just feel that I’ve waited for the money I’m due back long enough now. In previous dealings with them they were never as slow as this and I usually got back any overpayments within a month. What really annoys me is the fact that I’ve saved the various Govt Depts a fortune by not claiming any benefits and making do with what I’d got for the time being. And they’d be quick enough to ask us for any overpayment back!
 

GlasgowGirl

Facilitator
Jul 22, 2008
287
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They have a backlog in opening the mail? A backlog in opening it, I could understand, but not even to have opened it seems pretty shoddy. I'd say yes, complain - you've nothing to lose and it might do some good. Do they have a complaints process?
 

Jorumian

Facilitator
Sep 1, 2008
347
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Birkenhead
You are not alone

Hi Ember,

Sorry to hear of your tax woes... I'd certainly register a complaint, even if it is just to make someone open your file and take a look at it.

You are not alone. My friend was erroneously taxed £1200 for freelance work for this year that he wasn't going to do. He notified the tax people that he would not be doing this work any longer as he had a new full time job, but they taxed him towards this years payments on it anyway to the tune of £1200. He is entitled to claim this back. He got in touch earlier this year to claim this back and still has not had a resolution over six months later. Indeed it took him until a few weeks ago to get the name and direct phone number of a person at the tax office that is supposedly dealing with his enquiry.

I'd suggest perhaps that this is worth pursuing and from my friends experiences, it seems the only way to do this is by bugging them continually until they actually DO do something about it. Either that or just being patient, which in the current climate, and given the restraint you have shown so far, I feel is a little unfair on you.

I'm sorry it isn't better news or advice, and I hope you manage to get a swift resolution. Although the only thing swift about the tax office, is when they are taking money from you.