tax certificates in post

legality

We have been advised that annual savings statements must be sent through the post by Law, yearly. Went to Bank - they can do nothing. Trouble is, we live in an area with trainee postmen and a multiple occupancy household next door, that frequently come and go. Sometimes post goes to wrong address.
Asked whether we could receive statement via email.
No, not at all.
It appears to be an Inland Revenue policy. Cannot be changed. Manager at Branch very empathetic, but unable to help.
Is it legal? We don't want Joe Public to know about our savings just because the statement went to the wrong address.
Can we ask that the statement be sent to the Bank so that we can collect it there?
Many thanks

RickyC_IFSWP

You could try to opt for paperless statements with your bank and then do online banking instead. If they can't facilitate that then simply change banks.

Regarding post being delivered incorrectly - that's a Royal Mail issue... Not the banks. And it's illegal for anyone other than the recipient to open mail anyway. Hope you get the problem resolved.

lejog2003

legality wrote: »

We have been advised that annual savings statements must be sent through the post by Law, yearly. Went to Bank - they can do nothing.

I'm not sure who has advised you, but I'd like to know which "law" they are talking about.

Yes banks have a duty to provide an annual tax statement, but I know of no regulation saying it has to be posted. Over the years Abbey National/Santander have missed sending me quite a few tax statements, but I've never had a problem popping into a branch and asking for one. This year their tax statements are available on-line, as are the income statements from the three funds supermarkets I've used this year.

The taxman are also seem to be moving with the times and while their documentation says they require "original statements", they were happy to accept electronic versions when I was last audited.

marlot

You could sign up for a PO box?

Herbalus

My Santander annual statement for the last tax year came today via the messages section online. It's a PDF which can be printed.

I know of no law that says it has to be posted.

HMRC have also stated that electronic versions are accepted in their latest letter to me.

jimjames

Herbalus wrote: »

My Santander annual statement for the last tax year came today via the messages section online. It's a PDF which can be printed.

I know of no law that says it has to be posted.

HMRC have also stated that electronic versions are accepted in their latest letter to me.

Same here. I have a couple of online only bank accounts and have never received any paper notifications.