MSE News: Single parents sent 'threatening' letters demanding proof they live alone

janey70

I've had a letter off Concentrix asking to prove my earnings for last year sent a years worth of wage slips to them through recorded post so know they've got them but been over a month now and not a word from them tried ringing but hopeless the automated message says 20 min approx wait but been on for nearly a hour each time and still not got through any ideas when I should here anything ?

darrenforster99

Had to deal with this Concentrix this morning, really appalling customer service. Was put on hold with a recorded message stating I should only be on hold for 20 minutes. 1 hour later I finally got through to someone.

I'm self employed and I run my own business, I don't have time to mess around waiting an entire hour on the phone for someone to pick up.

Plus the letter I received had been dated 9th June giving me up till the 9th July to reply - it only arrived on the 13th July - thankfully when I got through the person said he'd be able to extend the deadline.

The letter though was so inappropriately written, I have Asperger's Syndrome and take things very literally. I'm also self employed and the letter itself appeared to be demanding nearly 200 pages of documents to be printed, when I asked if I could send them by e-mail or something the guy said they don't have any e-mail addresses (what kind of firm is this that in this modern day and age they can't accept correspondence by e-mail and that it must be printed).

Anyway some of the documents they were insisting I sent to them including things like the "registration document for all your business vehicles" to help us prove that your working 30 hours a week. What??? Firstly why should I send my V5 to anyone, especially some dodgy company who's saying they want it to see if I work 30 hours a week - how from my V5 could they possibly tell this, that is my own private document that shows that I am the owner of my car and they're expecting me to send it to them!!

After talking to the guy on the phone he explained that they didn't really need half the documents, all they needed was proof that with my PC repair business I was actually doing on average 30 hours per week.

Here are some of the things they requested

"details of type of work you do and or nature of business" - don't they already know that?
"your Unique Taxpayer References" - more than happy to supply that but surely if they're working for HMRC they should know that already - HMRC does!
"copies of advertisements placed by you" - I've got invoices for adverts placed but I don't always get to keep a copy of the advert itself.
"registration documents for the vehicles you use for the business" - any reason why? what has that got to do with HMRC at all - my only vehicle is all road taxed/insured/mot'd etc so what's it got to do with them - possibly even breaking data protection act there by asking to store irrelevant information!

missapril75

darrenforster99 wrote: »

Anyway some of the documents they were insisting I sent to them including things like the "registration document for all your business vehicles" to help us prove that your working 30 hours a week. What??? Firstly why should I send my V5 to anyone, especially some dodgy company who's saying they want it to see if I work 30 hours a week - how from my V5 could they possibly tell thisexpecting me to send it to them!!

...all they needed was proof that with my PC repair business I was actually doing on average 30 hours per week.

Here are some of the things they requested

"details of type of work you do and or nature of business" - don't they already know that?
"your Unique Taxpayer References" - more than happy to supply that but surely if they're working for HMRC they should know that already - HMRC does!
"copies of advertisements placed by you" - I've got invoices for adverts placed but I don't always get to keep a copy of the advert itself.
"registration documents for the vehicles you use for the business" - any reason why? what has that got to do with HMRC at all - my only vehicle is all road taxed/insured/mot'd etc so what's it got to do with them - possibly even breaking data protection act there by asking to store irrelevant information!

I don't know the answers...I don't even know what a V5 is.

But here are some thoughts.

They probably don't have full access to HMRC computer systems. Would you want them to?

So while HMRC probably does know what you do, Concentrix probably doesn't. I'm quite sure that if the letter was issued by HMRC it would probably ask that anyway since it would likely be too complicated for general, all inclusive type letters, to differentiate.

As far as hours go, I do know that some things are included and some not. And what is included for one purpose may not be included for another.

If, for example, you had several vehicles that might suggest more employees engaged in work activities and hours worked might then be fewer per individual.

The content of the adverts might support other information. Or maybe an inconsistency might be revealed?

Sometimes one needs to be involved in work of an investigatory nature to see the relevance of certain bits of information. It's that stuff that usually catches people out if they're trying to pull the wool over eyes.

HappyDays1980

Hi
It is a shock when you first receive a letter from HMRC or Concentrix asking you for proof of your Self Employment, during my period of claiming Tax Credits I had to deal with both.
The best way of dealing with it in my opinion is to give them what they ask for, if you can't supply everything that they ask for then explain in a covering letter why.
I spent an entire weekend preparing the documents and a covering letter and on both occasions everything was fine.
I had no idea that these checks even existed until I received my first compliance request. It done me a favour to be honest as I kept records of everything that I did in my business after that ,which was time consuming but well worth it when the next request was received a few years later.
Good luck.

penny7271

I have found a document entitled Code of Ethical Business Conduct for Concentrix / Synnex Corporation. This may help with any complaints, it has been extremely hard to clarify whether Concentrix works to any code of conduct, as a company HMRC outsources too (and now they are acting as bailiffs for the Government too), it is HMRC's Code of Conduct that they should be adhering to. At present they appear to be completely unaccountable to anyone.

files.shareholder.com/downloads/SNX/0x0x686839/7248E741-BB76-4813-A6B1-01F0C22D3391/Code_of_Ethical_Business_Conduct_English_.pdf

I sent a Subject Access Request to Concentrix on 2nd June, the same time I sent the pile of documents they requested. The SAR has been completely ignored and not only did they fail to respond within the 40 days defined by the Information Commissioner, but on the 17th July they had the gall to return my original SAR request letter back to me, with my documents. I telephoned them to ask why, their response was 'it was no longer needed'. That was not their decision to make.

I have now telephoned the Information Commissioners Office who are now aware of the situation, as per their advise, a further letter will be sent, as my original request is still valid, and should they fail to produce the required documents within 14 days, a formal complaint will be made to the Information Commissioner, who will then investigate on my behalf.

I will write again once I get a response.

Penny

annalicious

I received a letter back in the beginning of the year! Again I tried to contact and was not successful, as I am now finding myself without tax credits, also finding it hard to get back what's actually owed to me(and not vica versa) how can I get any resolution from this?

MakeAChange_2

i have just tried to update me tax credits and have been told i cannot do this because concentrix are working on something, never heard of them, never had any letters or calls from them, i am really confused, so just thought id do a search on MSE and found this thread. I am currently on hold to them now but i have been on hold for 30mins already. I really hope they do not mess up anything as iv just got a new job and will not get paid for another month yet!

major_morgan

infoRef: 0000000XXXXXX NI No: xxxxxxxxx

Dear Sir/Madam,

Recently I received a letter from Concentrix (dated 29th Oct 2015) requesting information about my claim for tax credits.

The letter states that:

We have information that suggests there might be another person linked to your address between 06 Apr 2015 and 28 Oct 2015.

We need to check whether this is someone you should be claiming with as part of a couple.
To do this you need to send us some information so we can get a full picture of your circumstances.

The letter requests original copies of:

Statements from bank and building society accounts, including any joint accounts from 6th April 2015 up to 30th September 2015

Mortgage statement or a copy of your home rental agreement

Council tax bills, dated after April 2015

Gas, electricity, telephone and water bills from 6th April 2015 up to 30th September 2015

Any court or solicitor letters, including legal separation documents, Decree Nisi, Absolute of Dissolution

That’s a lot of information. I called Concentrix to enquire about the request. Your representative told me that you had discovered a possible connection between my address and a Mr Miles Hague.

I have never heard of Mr Hague but your rep insisted he had evidence that we were linked, although he could not specify what evidence. Instead he provided generic reasons as to how Mr Hague and I could, in theory, be linked. None of these held water.

In your letter you list my address as "XXXXXX, XXXXX, XXXXX". I pointed out that my full address is Flat 1/1, XXXXXXX. Your rep was not aware that my flat is one of 6 properties located at this address. The address that you have for Mr Hague does not specify a flat location.

I take data protection very seriously and I aim to minimise the amount of personal information that I give out. I feel it would be reckless to disclose sensitive personal data on the basis of such a vague connection between my address and "another person".

It is equally reckless to ask for the information on that basis. I think you may be in breach of the data protection act by doing so.

The amount of information that you are asking for is excessive and I fail to see how some of it could possibly have any relevance; the purpose being to determine the truth about the alleged link with Mr Hague. You say we are a couple - Based on what?

This looks very much like a general phishing expedition. It cannot be right to continue to request so much personal information on the basis of such a tenuous link. I therefore ask that you withdraw your request.

I would also like to make a freedom of information request for the information you have, that suggested a link between Mr Hague and the property that I reside in.

Please be assured that I will submit my Tax Credits Review Form on time in the normal way, this should provide the information that you require.

Kind Regards,

Bruce McPhee

Note: Pretty sure what they are doing is unlawful. Long short is that they must have a valid reason to ASK for the information.
I'm still fighting for written confirmation of the withdrawal and a response to my FOI request. Shudder to think what this would have been like as a single parent etc

NYM

Maybe you should edit your post if that is your real name.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

major_morgan wrote: »

infoRef: 0000000XXXXXX NI No: xxxxxxxxx

Dear Sir/Madam,

Recently I received a letter from Concentrix (dated 29th Oct 2015) requesting information about my claim for tax credits.

The letter states that:

We have information that suggests there might be another person linked to your address between 06 Apr 2015 and 28 Oct 2015.

We need to check whether this is someone you should be claiming with as part of a couple.
To do this you need to send us some information so we can get a full picture of your circumstances.

The letter requests original copies of:

Statements from bank and building society accounts, including any joint accounts from 6th April 2015 up to 30th September 2015

Mortgage statement or a copy of your home rental agreement

Council tax bills, dated after April 2015

Gas, electricity, telephone and water bills from 6th April 2015 up to 30th September 2015

Any court or solicitor letters, including legal separation documents, Decree Nisi, Absolute of Dissolution

That’s a lot of information. I called Concentrix to enquire about the request. Your representative told me that you had discovered a possible connection between my address and a Mr Miles Hague.

I have never heard of Mr Hague but your rep insisted he had evidence that we were linked, although he could not specify what evidence. Instead he provided generic reasons as to how Mr Hague and I could, in theory, be linked. None of these held water.

In your letter you list my address as "XXXXXX, XXXXX, XXXXX". I pointed out that my full address is Flat 1/1, XXXXXXX. Your rep was not aware that my flat is one of 6 properties located at this address. The address that you have for Mr Hague does not specify a flat location.

I take data protection very seriously and I aim to minimise the amount of personal information that I give out. I feel it would be reckless to disclose sensitive personal data on the basis of such a vague connection between my address and "another person".

It is equally reckless to ask for the information on that basis. I think you may be in breach of the data protection act by doing so.

The amount of information that you are asking for is excessive and I fail to see how some of it could possibly have any relevance; the purpose being to determine the truth about the alleged link with Mr Hague. You say we are a couple - Based on what?

This looks very much like a general phishing expedition. It cannot be right to continue to request so much personal information on the basis of such a tenuous link. I therefore ask that you withdraw your request.

I would also like to make a freedom of information request for the information you have, that suggested a link between Mr Hague and the property that I reside in.

Please be assured that I will submit my Tax Credits Review Form on time in the normal way, this should provide the information that you require.

Kind Regards,

Bruce McPhee

Note: Pretty sure what they are doing is unlawful. Long short is that they must have a valid reason to ASK for the information.
I'm still fighting for written confirmation of the withdrawal and a response to my FOI request. Shudder to think what this would have been like as a single parent etc

...and your claim will be suspended. It isn't unlawful. They have a valid reason. This exercise is uncovering a large amount of fraud.