do i have to do a tax return? (Text removed by MSE Forum Team)

shazz1234

i hope people here can help me because im at my wits end.


i was checking some old papers and found a tax return that says it has to be done by the end of january. i didn't think i needed to do one so i called hmrc and they said it was because i was a company director and i legally had to do it.


id read on here that this wasn't true so i asked them what law said that and the guy went away and came back saying it was section 8 of some taxes management act. i went away and googled that but it doesn't mention company directors so i called back and got someone who said i still had to do the retrun. then i asked to speak to amanager and they said they weren't going to waste amanagers time with that and hung up on me. i called back AGAIN to complain and got a manager who said they couldn't find details of my last call and didn't know who id spoken to so there was nopthing they could do


im furious about the (text removed by MSE Forum Team) service they've given me and want to knopw who to complain to now.


also do i have to do the tax return since the law didn't say anything about company directors just some stuff about officers of the board and inspectors but no ones name was on the return i got sent.

chrismac1

You are right on both counts:

1. You do not need to do a tax return legally just by being a director, but if they have sent you a Notice to Complete one then I am sorry you are stuck with it at least for this year.

2. It is hard to exaggerate just how rubbish the UK tax service is. I deal with the Revenue of Ireland from time to time, which is an 8 out of 10 service compared to 2 out of 10 for HMRC.

You could try a formal COMPLAINT CASE letter. Always get the names and tax offices of people who give you rubbish service and put these details into letters. After all a few thousand of these characters are going to lose their jobs, might as well be the poor ones if possible!

Laurajo_2

Hmrc, as usual, are confusing the law with their own policy.

Legally, you shouldn't have to do one and have no obligation to tell HMRC that you should do one (as you would if you were self employed, renting out a property etc).

Unfortunately for you, HMRC can insist on you doing one.

I would do it for this year, and then write to them saying you do not wish to be in self assessment (assuming you don't need to be in SA), explain all tax is paid at source etc etc (assuming it is) and to remove you from self assessment. Takes longer, but it's a lot easier than phoning them - and having to deal with the poorly trained unfortunate souls on the other end...a fair few of whom will have very little experience in tax.

shazz1234

thanks both


ive calmed down a bit now so ill just do the return and write to them like you say

antonic

chrismac1 wrote: »

You are right on both counts:

1. You do not need to do a tax return legally just by being a director, but if they have sent you a Notice to Complete one then I am sorry you are stuck with it at least for this year.

2. It is hard to exaggerate just how rubbish the UK tax service is. I deal with the Revenue of Ireland from time to time, which is an 8 out of 10 service compared to 2 out of 10 for HMRC.

You could try a formal COMPLAINT CASE letter. Always get the names and tax offices of people who give you rubbish service and put these details into letters. After all a few thousand of these characters are going to lose their jobs, might as well be the poor ones if possible!

Yet again your wrong (not about the bad advice I might add) but about the grade of some of the people that are losing their jobs.

Some of them are at AA grade, who dont have any contact with the general public, I am sure that they will be touched by your crass comment especially as they have to decide if they want to apply for Voluntary Early Severance by 18th December.

I hope you have a Happy Christmas, I doubt if they will be.