Invoice for tax return I didn’t continue with…

Mattarag903

Around 6/7 months ago I contacted several companies about an armed forces tax rebate, one of them I spoke too for a bit on the phone the start the process, They told me some documents I needed to send over etc however, due to being deployed, I did not send any documentation over or sign any documents and did not continue this claim any further past the initial call.
Whilst away I received several letters asking if I still wished to continue with the claim, however due to inactivity I had the impression it would cease. 

That is until last week, upon my return home I came back to an invoice for nearly £400 for “doing the leg work” for a claim I hadn’t made and or submitted relevant paperwork for.
It states on the letter this will rise by 8% per annum unless I continue with the claim. But since I hadn’t signed any documents or sent paperwork across I’m firstly unsure of how they got this information to do the calculations to do the tax return without me giving the go ahead, and how they have come up with such a steep price for a service I didn’t know I was getting?

I am due to go away again soon and whilst I had not intention of continuing the claim do not wish to have this over mine or my wife’s head whilst away. Is there any advice?
thank you in advance

NorthYorkie

Sounds like you have a cowboy outfit here. No self-respecting professionally qualified tax adviser would ever send out an invoice with the expression "doing the legwork". You don't say what was actually said or what you agreed to in the telephone conversation, but, subject to that, if you have not received and acknowledged an engagement letter, you do not seem to have any contractual obligation to them. I suggest you write to them saying so.

Perhaps you would like to let us know the name of the firm involved?

sheramber

This will be one of the many tax rebate companies that offer to get you a rebate from  HMRC and take a large  percentage cut of the rebate before sending you what is left.