Accountant seems to have stolen £15k+ Don't know what to do

AngryandScared

I'm a regular poster but don't want this associated with my other account.

I had no idea where to post this, I know I can't find legal advice here but I just don't know where to turn emotionally. I'm scared, angry and have been being violently sick since my phonemail with HMRC yesterday morning.

In summary:

• Tax year 14/15 I earnt about £62,000
• My accountant filed for me in late May 2015 (we wanted the SA302 to start house hunting) and told me I would owe £19.5k in tax
• I sent him over £20k, in fees and tax money for the HMRC
• This week I received a letter from the HMRC demanding £900. I was surprised so I rang them. They say they have only received £5300 for my account for that tax year, and 'adjustments' have been made.
• I've filed a report with Action Fraud, I've complained to the bodies he claims to be members of and I've reported it to HMRC fraud (not interested)
• ETA: At this point I tried to call the accountant AGAIN - I've been trying for the past week, and sent an email asking for an explanation - and got through to his switchboard and left another message
• HMRC are telling me to pay the money. Action Fraud tell me I shouldn't have to as that will be admitting liability. The money is gaining interest daily.
• I now earn substantially less and the stress is making me ill.
• I put it all in an email to the accountant, including bank statements, and asked for an explanation. All I got in reply is "I don't understand. Please call me on my mobile". Action Fraud told me to keep it all in writing and insist on that.

I think I just needed to get that all out. I know I should be contacting a lawyer but this surely is going to cost the earth. It might just be cheaper to pay the £900 and then let it lie, but then he's stolen £15k of what I meant to be my contribution towards society. Don't know what to do.

Sorry if that's all a jumble or doesn't make sense. OH isn't much help as I sort all these things out. He wants me to just pay the £900 and let it go, but then what if he's now said I earned far less (looks like that's what he's claimed) in order to pocket the cash, and one day we get chased for fraud!?

Lily-Rose_3

AngryandScared wrote: »

I'm a regular poster but don't want this associated with my other account.

I had no idea where to post this, I know I can't find legal advice here but I just don't know where to turn emotionally. I'm scared, angry and have been being violently sick since my phonemail with HMRC yesterday morning.

In summary:

• Tax year 14/15 I earnt about £62,000
• My accountant filed for me in late May 2015 (we wanted the SA302 to start house hunting) and told me I would owe £19.5k in tax
• I sent him over £20k, in fees and tax money for the HMRC
• This week I received a letter from the HMRC demanding £900. I was surprised so I rang them. They say they have only received £5300 for my account for that tax year, and 'adjustments' have been made.
• I've filed a report with Action Fraud, I've complained to the bodies he claims to be members of and I've reported it to HMRC fraud (not interested)
• HMRC are telling me to pay the money. Action Fraud tell me I shouldn't have to as that will be admitting liability. The money is gaining interest daily.
• I now earn substantially less and the stress is making me ill.
• I put it all in an email to the accountant, including bank statements, and asked for an explanation. All I got in reply is "I don't understand. Please call me on my mobile". Action Fraud told me to keep it all in writing and insist on that.

I think I just needed to get that all out. I know I should be contacting a lawyer but this surely is going to cost the earth. It might just be cheaper to pay the £900 and then let it lie, but then he's stolen £15k of what I meant to be my contribution towards society. Don't know what to do.

Sorry if that's all a jumble or doesn't make sense. OH isn't much help as I sort all these things out. He wants me to just pay the £900 and let it go, but then what if he's now said I earned far less (looks like that's what he's claimed) in order to pocket the cash, and one day we get chased for fraud!?

I think you would be better off posting this on the tax board.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=22

AngryandScared

The same accountant also said they had filed my partners tax return (have an email concerning this) but HMRC say they have not received it. I've been trying to call him for 10 days about this matter, absolutely no response whatsoever. Emailed over 24 hours ago asking where all the money has gone but just got a response asking me to call, to which I replied that I'd prefer a written answer. Now nothing.

He paid £5.3k this year (over seven months after I gave him the full amount) and then made some adjustment on the account to reduce the amount owed by over £13k.

So if it is a mistake (and believe me, I hope and pray it is, because I don't want to get in trouble or end up embroiled in a dispute) then it appears another accountant has also accidentally paid some of my tax and then adjusted the claim for nearly the rest of it. And HMRC have lost my partners tax return. This is like a bad dream.

If an admin wants to move it somewhere more appropriate that's fine by me. I just needed to get this all out to calm down as I've been crying/throwing up for about a solid day.


- this was all in reply to someone who posted that I should give him a chance as it could all be a mistake. It looks like I'm talking to myself now!

fairy_lights

What have Action Fraud told you to do next?

AngryandScared

fairy_lights wrote: »

What have Action Fraud told you to do next?

They gave me the number of a civil legal aid service, who told me they can't help me.

They also told me to ring HMRC's fraud reporting line and give my crime reference number, but the HMRC line say they can't help and don't need the number.

The main HMRC line is just telling me to pay, and that the debt is owed by me, and if I'm saying I did indeed earn 62k in 14/15 I could owe them £20k despite paying the accountant.

Guest101

So you get a letter from HMRC and instead of going to the accountant and saying - whats this about? You contact actionfraud?


...Ok....

pmlindyloo

Has the accountant sent you copies of the tax returns so that you can check that everything is in order?

did you receive a letter for HMRC saying how much tax you owed? I cannot understand why you would pay your accountant the tax when it hadn't been finalised by HMRC and you hadn't received the letter from them.

Until you speak to the accountant you will have no idea what has happened so I suggest you telephone, take notes and then follow up with a letter. If you have a recording device on your telephone use this when you speak to him. Really this is the only thing you can do if he refuses to reply in writing.

pmlindyloo

This link may be useful.

http://www.mylawyer.co.uk/complaints-about-accountants-a-A76053D76906/

I would also take advice about not paying the £900 to HMRC particularly as interest is being added. I am not an expert but would think that you are liable but you would have a claim against your accountant if he has 'stolen' your money'.

And please post on the tax forum for advice.

Andypandyboy

It does seem as if you have got ahead of yourself here. Have you spoken to the Accountant personally? It is not unknown for HMRC to make a mistake. Why, if you owed 19.5k and nothing has been paid over would there only be £900 due and on earnings of 62k?

Calm down, take a deep breath and meet the Accountant.

BJV

Gosh I am so sorry. It is such a shame we pay accountants to look after us and make sure we are doing the right thing so it is doubly bad.

Ok Well first things first you have been open to HMRC which I 100% believe is the best thing to do.

2nd you need to take a deep breath - yes I know that it is easy for me to say but honestly you need to look after yourself and have a much better chance of sorting this out when you are well.

3rd Go and make an appointment with a local solicitor get some real advice. Normally they will offer a consultation free of charge.

4th HMRC do often make mistakes so check everything with them.

I wish i could offer some real nugget of wisdom but so sorry. I know that a tax boffin will be here soon to help with practical advice so please try not to worry.

AngryandScared

Guest101 wrote: »

So you get a letter from HMRC and instead of going to the accountant and saying - whats this about? You contact actionfraud?


...Ok....

I've been trying to contact the accountant persistently for a while now about another matter there is confusion over. He doesn't answer calls or emails. My first call was to him but, yes, I called Action Fraud because that's what the lady at HMRC told me to do. I really am hoping it's one big misunderstanding but his only reply to countless phone calls (initially just asking for him to call ASAP, later saying that I'm being chased for money I paid him) and emails laying it all out is just "I don't understand, please call my mobile". But I've been advised now to keep things in writing. I simply want to know what happened to the money I paid him last year, why HMRC are chasing me for money, and why a massive "adjustment" has been made on my 14/15 year unbeknownst to me. No response.

I've been trying to also find out why my partner's return wasn't filed at all, and have been trying to get into contact over a week but no response at all. It was only when I sent him a long email finally saying what this all looks like, that I got any response, and that was simply to call him.

I know it seems over the top but I'm absolutely bloody terrified.