Inland Revenue is chasing my friend. What should she do?

Gertie_Walker

This P60 shows her total pay for the year as £8756, tax paid £543.20. The HMRC calculation shows pay £13731, so they have obviously added together the two pay amounts, hence the underpayment. She has actually underpaid about £1 for that year, which HMRC would normally overlook. She needs to send them a copy of the P60, pointing out their error.

maninthestreet

Gertie is correct - the HRMC don't seem to be able to read and/or understand their own documents.

Gertie_Walker

I think this is an example of their new computer system doing mad things.

mfang

thanks big-saver for helping me post this up, the 'victim' is me.

actually the story is I thought there was only one repayment, which was the 667.40 and i only received 1 cheque for 667.40 for the tax year 2009-10, but they spelt my name wrongly so i sent back the cheque with a letter requesting to correct the name.
A few months later got the new cheque only to see the same mistake, wrong name and each time only 1 alphabet was mis spelt!

all these while i didnt know about the tax of 655.40 for the year 2008-09, till i got the letter from HMRC.

so imagine i got a shock when i got the letter because no repayment has been made so far and yet i had underpaid tax.
plus i only got one p60 form for the tax year to april 2009, no one sent me another p60 form for the tax year to april 2010.

So I have just got off the phone from HMRC, calling them from overseas and I still have to be put on hold for about 6, 7 mins before someone talked to me, told me there could be some mistake and asked me to discard the underpayment letter. the staff didnt even bother to listen to my explanation and just told me someone will check my tax again and notify me.
that is some crap!

so what would be my next step? any advisers?

thanks to all who dropped a comment, appreciate it

Errata

Write to HMRC, using a method which ensures the letter is both delivered and signed for, confirming your telephone conversation with them and asking them to write to you by return if there is anything you have misunderstood.
You need a paper trail as evidence of who said what and what was agreed. Do you have confirmation in writing from HMRC that they recieved the cheques you returned to them?

mfang

nope Errata, unfortunately i dont have records, when they sent the wrong cheques to me, I mailed it back without making a copy for myself.

today i only noted down the person's name i talked to just now, so should i start writing to them now or wait for their reply, usually their snail mail takes about 1 month to reach me.

Errata

you need to be proactive, take control and write confirming the conversation. I have no idea what system is in place for ensuring receipt and sign for letters posted from Singapore, but I suggest you find out. If there isn't a system then send the letter to your friend in the UK and ask them to do the necessary with it.

ETA - write to them asking them to confirm that the cheques have not been cashed, that will provide your proof.

glider3560

As said above, you need to make sure your delivery is signed for. Either use the Singapore postal service or a courier, like DHL or FedEx (who also operate in the UK).

mfang

okie noted, thanks Errata, I will find out and draft a letter now. thank you.

mfang

thanks glider3560, almost forgot about DHL n Fedex