Paid from old job, next steps advice please

Hom3rS1mps0n

Hi. Long story short, I was asked late last year to return to a job I used to work at for more money etc. I agreed under the proviso I wouldn't have to travel outside of my local area (young son I didn't want to be away from). Anyhow, when the job was due to start I was informed my role would be primarily based in London. As my location arrangements had been verbally made I had nothing in a written contract to back me up so I politely declined the start date.

That was Dec and I started a new job at a different company in early Feb. At the end of Jan however I found I had been paid by my old company. At first I though "Well serves them right, they mucked me about". I did contact them to notify them that I had received correspondance from them (I had, welcome emails etc) but didn't mention the payment.

End of last month I was paid again. This time I decided I should come clean and tell them about both payments. I did so and was told it they be recovered - they weren't. A week later, I did the same thing, notified again and told again payment would be recovered. Again nothing, so a week later I rang my hiring contact at the company alongside emailing him asking for an account number to return the money to so I could put it behind me. Still nothing...

It's now been over 2 months and they are showing no interest in recovering this money. Does anyone have any advice on what to do here? I know legally I have no claim to the money but I'm starting to resent having to chase up repaying it to a company that (imo) mucked me about over xmas and is now showing no interest in the situation.

Thanks!

[Deleted User]

Just keep it safe for the next 5 years and 10 months. If they haven't collected it by then, you can keep the first one.

Then take it on a month by month basis.

Hom3rS1mps0n

So it's 6 years by law until it's yours?

Dazed_and_confused

You might to look at your Personal Tax Account on gov.uk to see if the old company are reporting these payments to HMRC.

If so there may well be tax consequences further down the line, particularly until they make a further report to HMRC amending the income/tax figures to the correct ones (zero presumably unless they let you keep some of it!)

NB. You won't be able to get HMRC to change anything, they will simply be showing you what this employer reported. It is upto the employer to change the figures, not HMRC.

BakingC

Shove it in an interest paying account and wait until they ask for it back.

Just re-forward the email to the hiring contact every couple weeks if you don't hear anything no need to type anything new.

comeandgo

Are you an employee or self employed? If employee HMRC will have information saying you have received the wages and this will complicate your PAYE tax. Ask the company to sort this out immediately before they do their year end computer run.

Hom3rS1mps0n

I'm an employee. I've already been onto HMRC who've put me down at my new employer and taken the old one off my tax account. I've also switched my current account to prevent the old company paying me in any more wages and further complicating things

jonnygee2

So it's 6 years by law until it's yours?

6 years is the limit after which they cannot make a legal claim for the money back.

A slightly separate issue is that keeping an accidental bank transfer is technically theft. There's no limitation on that, however, given you have evidence of attempts to repay, you are pretty safe from that one. Still might be worth a final email to say that you have made several attempt to repay and that you will be taking no further action until contact from them to make your position clear.

Most likely they'll care a lot more whenever their year end comes around.

Hom3rS1mps0n

I did mention on my last email that it would be the last time I was chasing them up but I'll make it clear again.

Thanks for all of the advice.

Marvel1

I'd probably open a new account and transfer it there for safe keeping so I don't dip into it.