A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

fuddle

SDG I came to that realisation the first time I used it. I was parched. The determined Annie I am didn't buy a drink though. I'll fill a bottle next time for sure.

My grandma must have used egg on her pies then because they were lovely and golden. My pie looks a tad anaemic but it should taste nice with peas and gravy. I was sure my mum used to call corned beef 'pauper's food' when I was a kid (My dad lived on corned beef and tomato sauce sandwiches in his lunch box) The price really was a shock.

Mrs_Chip

Smiley - undoubtedly. I never worked on the Revenue side (cursed the day that Revenue and Customs were joined together), but I think I have seen pretty much every variety of ineptitude in my own dept and no doubt the Revenue was/is the same.

No excuse, but also now morale is at rock bottom after years of bashing the grades that do the casework, cutting back on staff and pay, closing offices and basically saying move or on your bike.

At some point HMRC will reach meltdown, there is no way it can continue as it is. The Customs side is now the poor relation, so all that has gone to pot (no pun intended lol), and the very senior management are to be trusted as far as you could throw them. It has got to the stage when even the higher managers want out as it is such an awful place to work, so what hope is there for the staff at the coalface? Add in very angry 'customers' (justifiably most of the time) and tearing up letters is the tipof the iceberg.

Byatt

smileyt wrote: »

Byatt - do HMRC staff deliberately destroy customers' letters? I'm horrified!

It happened when I was there, even at a top level, back in the days when post had to be cleared in a set time. If it happens now, I couldn't swear to it, but with a lot less accountability (in my time we had designated employers/tax payers we were in charge of, also calls came to the revenue officer direct and we also had to give out our full names, and it still happened), I can only imagine it does still happen. Another thing some staff did was put the letters in the files and leave them, so if and when the taxpayer queried it they could come up with some excuse. Usually however, it was some mug like me that had that honour and because I had a conscience, couldn't just ignore it. I would recommend sending by registered mail if you really, really want a reply. All my letters have disappeared, so next time I will send by registered. Sorry, but it's an unpalatable truth. It all comes down to numbers and productivity. They never learned that if you did the job properly initially there would be a lot more post. Back in the 80's an inspector took away a sack of post, and it was never seen again. Us lesser mortals couldn't say a word.

Mrs C, you are spot on. A close family member works for the HMRC and what she tells me is horrifying. They sound like all they do is act as debt collectors, it's awful, it was bad enough in my time (70's to late 90's) but at least there was some job satisfaction. Even if small.

My query is currently with the DWP, but none of my letters have reached the person concerned.

edit, you know, I've never told anyone this before outside of the revenue, the official secrets act I had to sign, really meant something to me, and I feel almost as if I have betrayed my country!!

fuddle

Byatt go back and delete/alter if you feel uncomfy hun but you or Mrs C hasn't said anything we didn't already suspect.

Byatt

fuddle wrote: »

Byatt go back and delete/alter if you feel uncomfy hun but you or Mrs C hasn't said anything we didn't already suspect.

Thanks Fuddle, I think I will leave it, it has to be said, just struck me I'd never said it before, and I am quite militant in my quiet way, so don't know why I've not said anything before.

prepareathome

I would think you do have the right to complain - it cannot at very least do much for you window having all that weight against it, never mind privacy.


Why do so many people and companies think if you live in social housing you have no rights - yep a bug bear of mine as we are only HA house left now along my road all others been bought and a lot then privately rented out and my darling neighbour whenever he did work in his house in past used to take down fence and use my back garden as his work area, when asked he told me my property was not mine and he owned his so he had to right to use mine as he pleased - we had not long moved in here so put up with it for a bit but it went on and on over the years until he stuck his nose in when we were having our poplar trees taken down ( dead but still standing and dangerous but what a fight as preservation order on them) and he came into my garden and told the workmen they were not allowed to leave me the stump of one of the trees ( had seen it on tv a stump left around 3ft high, insides scooped out and flowers planted inside) as he didn't want it.

That was it for me so calls to both council ( was council property then) and parks and gardens - in charge of the tree removal, and head honcho came out and asked what was wrong, So asked who had right over my garden and told him what neighbour had done in back and how he had cut all my flowers in front when doing his hedge as he didn't like them. Head honcho told me of course my property as renter and as long as I did nothing that broke conservation rules or was dangerous to public I could do what I liked and then went and told neighbour - oh such a big argument ensued but I got my stump which had now for years been a lovely sight as I put lavender in it and it gives a lovely smell as you walk up path - in full flower at moment.

Neighbour told me when I started to grow vegetables in side garden he was complaining to council as I should only keep it as grass or have it concreted over or flagged as he has done with his front and I had yet another visitor from council asking what I was doing ( had many thanks to neighbour, he told them once my dogs dirtied in garden and I never cleaned it, another that my house was so dirty it was causing rats, each and every one all checked - in fact rat catcher fell about laughing when he saw I had then four Jack Russels as he told me how they use them to catch rats and he said he had been contacted by a MP who was friends with neighbour and he was looking forward to getting back to the stuck up *wat - his words.

My neighbour married the daughter of family who used to own all the land round here - they still own a big house just a couple of hundred yards away but the family sold the land way back in 1930's, just kept a garden slightly smaller than my side garden, who then built these houses and he thinks as the family ( her parents think they are someone) still mix with the weathly ( yet his wife is so nice). Also found out that when we got the house her sister had tried to get it ( married to neighbours brother) but we got it, so he hated me from the start - never funny with hubby or sons, but then they are taller than him, but me he loathes yet I have honestly never even risen my voice to him never mind sworn at him. If I try to talk to him he just ignores me, always has - he will just come bang on door as if he is going to knock it down yell in my face about whatever and goes.

Jeepers done it again, hijacked the thread, sorry guys seem to be wandering down memory lane a lot lately.

Oh contacted MP this morning and her aide got back to me asking me to send copies of both hubby and my P60s for past 10 years which I scanned in and sent and they got onto WTC and a start of a result.

I couldn't remember when we first got WTC - yes could have gone into bank statements and checked but hadn't I admit but aide phoned me and asked could I do so, so went on-line ( easier than digging out paper statements) and checked back for first year they were asking for repayment 2004/5 and guess what we never received WTC then yet they wanted £1236.82 back as over payment. I didn't know at first that you could claim it if no children and first year I did was 2005/6. \

Aide told me when MP contacted whoever at WTC they told them they had no record of me claiming for 2004/5 so I scanned the letters in for MP to see.......so that has already been wiped out as they cannot under stand why they asked me for money then- computer error!!!!!!!

The other years I did claim so MPs aide told me it could be a few weeks before I hear, but promised MP will keep checking with them.

So down from nearly £6k to under £5k now.

So if anyone ever gets any letters saying they have been overpaid way in past check when your first started claiming......I told you I am seen as someone they can use to top up their coffers, bet I am one of many who end up paying back what they are legally entitled to.

I said yesterday I half expect a letter saying although didn't claim HN/CTB for past 7 years ( as said to scared to as paying it back plus paying rent and council tax for current year is to much) but can i give them the money I would have got anyway - well this is almost the same, paying back WTC I never received in the first place.......

If I was writing a novel and put all this into the book I would have letters by the ton saying such things do not happen in real life...........

One thing so far no mention of repayments being frozen while they investigate as says on website so tried phoning but got told they could not access my account so cannot tell me, so called aide again and he is checking.


Today got to admit pain levels are rather high - stress and the weather I suspect, just glad I have a portable scanner I keep by my bed that I just plug into laptop via usb rather than have to go and stand by printer/scanner/copier in study. All letters from WTC in box on shelves by bed - am so glad I have it all organised like this, my bedroom is bedroom, office, library, craft room etc all in one, makes it a bit cluttered looking but for really bad pain days like this a real boon - I have bookcases either side of my bed filled with books, important letters ( kept there till dealt with totally) and all sorts of things I might need.

I have noticed that some of my plants under fleeces in side garden seem to be growing as its pulled up over them and I want to get out and check them but no chance of me getting dressed and out there as yet as pain meds just taking edge off so can at least do things while propped up on pillows, so annoying.

Yesterday did get into back garden and found I have 3 yes 3 raspberries and blackcurrents are forming. Tomato plants at long last have yellow flowers dotted around on them as has cucumber, courgette and pumpkin plants so things slowly growing. Strawberries still green but growing.

Got to try and get downstairs as put a lamb joint in slow cooker last night and need to get it served to hubby - he will not touch it, you have to slice it and he will tell me he does not know how much to take, and I will tell him off if he takes to much - always my fault always his excuse not to do anything, but if you ask him when I have told him off in past for taking to much he would say never but she would so I have never done it, anyone want a nearly 58 year old toddler.

I am 56 next week and do you know part of me feels for my birthday I would like to have him move out as his constant need of me to look after him is really getting me down. Its not that I don't love him but just feel I want a break of looking after children - mum put me in charge of brothers and sisters from age 5 ( I have vague memories of neighbours telling mum it was disgusting how she would send me out with my two brothers and told to stay out till baby cried for his next feed - a big pram 3 year old brother on seat and new brother in pram and my my eyes were just below handle I remember pushing it and having to check checking side to side , mum eventually did admit to me in my 40s she couldn't cope, had been baby of her family and spoilt and when she had 3 children it was to much so I became the family drudge and as more children arrived I had more to do, to this day my brothers and sisters admit they don't see me as big sister, not parent but more like the nanny they had, it was them( 4 of them) and me outside and still is.

Oh gosh don't feel depressed but think maybe should see about some councelling or something as a lot of the past suddenly popping up, only since the letter arrived on Saturday, seems to have stirred up so much I thought I had dealt with, but its just those letters just seemed to have made me give up, no matter how I try and try I can never be allowed to move on, past will always come back to haunt me in the form of benefits I received being claimed back.

Sunday was 5th anniversary of mums sudden passing, so that will be in the mix somewhere then my birthday and I look to future and think can I go on like this living in fear we will have no income or cannot get out of bed at all..........yes depression is appearing.......so maybe phone drs tomorrow about getting some anti-ds again, not had them for a while and up my vit d levels........

Enough sorry you all have so much worse problems than me so do not waste time feeling sorry for me, just getting this off my chest is a big help ( tried writing things like this in past and not sending but doesn't work the same, just knowing someone has read it seems to be the magic key)



GQ I hope by now this has been resolved.

Hugs, Love and Healing xxxxxxxxxxx

SDG31000

PAH I'm not feeling sorry for you, just sympathy for the problems if that is allowed. I just wish I was closer and could bake you a huge birthday cake and buy you a bottle of something fizzy.
Have a HUGE hug instead and lots of good wishes
((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

oldtractor

pah ((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))

Pooky

PAH - hope you get some luck with your TC.

We had our renewal notice in today with a "you owe us £1280" bit in it....nice! We've always kept them up to date with every change but they seem incapable of actually putting the correct figures in the correct boxes. The figures they had on the form didn't actually match what we'd given them in the renewal notice.?? Spent ages on the phone trying to sort it and will now wait until they've made more calculations and see what happens. Didn't realise the payments had stopped as I bank with n@tw*st and my account still isn't showing right.

It's a ruddy good job we've got a good store cupoard, some savings and have learnt to live as frugally as possible so as to not rely on this money (it goes into my "savings for yearly one offs/birthdays/Christmas" fund so although that will be short, it doesn't impact on daily living.

Told our DD's (both teens) that belts need to tighten until this mess is sorted and they both agreed to be more economic with the biscuit tin and take shorter showers......well it's a start! :rotfl:

fuddle

Aw PAH I just wanted to say that I read your post from beginning to end, I always do I'm pleased you have recognised that anti-d's would help, I'm swearing by them right now. I see them as being the best thing I have ever done for myself and I tried to struggle on with it since my teens, 15+ years.

Well done your MP's aide - a very caring, quick worker.

And PAH I don't feel sorry for you... I feel for you. There's no pity or there there just support, just we listen and we respond. It helps to just let it go eh

So much going on for you. You look after you and use whatever tool is out there to help you - hey misses, that's what you're doing with the MP's aide and the anti-d's. You rock PAH So strong.