Fast Track Reclaim

ConfusedUser

Hello, can anyone help me please?  I have a really bizarre situation that I do not know how to tackle!

I noticed my tax code was lower than expected and on investigation, found HMRC had me down for a healthcare benefit from my previous employer.  I advised them that this was incorrect and a few weeks later I received a notification that they are issuing a refund. To jump to present day, it turns out that they have sent my cheque to Fast Track Reclaim, as this was listed on my record as "my agent".  I replied to one of their adverts years ago about PPI and so this is where they come into it.  But this tax refund has nothing to do with them!

I have received an invoice form Fast Track, for £393 for their services (again, they have had no involvement - they did not know anything about this as I have not instructed them on this occasion).  It is not even as if they have sent me any cash, just an invoice!

HMRC said it is down to me to sort this out as I have authorised Fast Track to be my tax agent.  I had no such idea that they would be involved in my tax, I only signed up for any PPI claim I might be eligible for.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I tackle this?  Is it even legal?  And how do I get this money-sucking leech off my tax records at the HMRC?  I have asked them to remove it but the guy I was speaking with did not seem to know if he could do this or not.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!  I am lost for words that they can get away with this, it is daylight robbery!

Thanks in advance
Neil

born_again

You need to contact the company & get them to cancel the arrangement

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2019/08/google-martin-lewis-ppi/

Clearly will have been a tick box that allowed them to do this.
This company comes up many times. Just search the forums.

ConfusedUser

born_again said:

You need to contact the company & get them to cancel the arrangement

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2019/08/google-martin-lewis-ppi/

Clearly will have been a tick box that allowed them to do this.
This company comes up many times. Just search the forums.

I tried calling them, and got cut off on both options for Payments and Customer Service.  All I can find is an admin email and complaints email address.  I have sent an email to both and in that email have requested cancellation of my agreement.  I cannot help but think that this will go unanswered and will just be ignored.  Meanwhile, they are sitting on a large sum of my cash!

MyRealNameToo

ConfusedUser said:

Hello, can anyone help me please?  I have a really bizarre situation that I do not know how to tackle!

I noticed my tax code was lower than expected and on investigation, found HMRC had me down for a healthcare benefit from my previous employer.  I advised them that this was incorrect and a few weeks later I received a notification that they are issuing a refund. To jump to present day, it turns out that they have sent my cheque to Fast Track Reclaim, as this was listed on my record as "my agent".  I replied to one of their adverts years ago about PPI and so this is where they come into it.  But this tax refund has nothing to do with them!

I have received an invoice form Fast Track, for £393 for their services (again, they have had no involvement - they did not know anything about this as I have not instructed them on this occasion).  It is not even as if they have sent me any cash, just an invoice!

HMRC said it is down to me to sort this out as I have authorised Fast Track to be my tax agent.  I had no such idea that they would be involved in my tax, I only signed up for any PPI claim I might be eligible for.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I tackle this?  Is it even legal?  And how do I get this money-sucking leech off my tax records at the HMRC?  I have asked them to remove it but the guy I was speaking with did not seem to know if he could do this or not.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!  I am lost for words that they can get away with this, it is daylight robbery!

It is perfectly legal for you to appoint someone as your tax agent.

With PPI you would have received interest on the award which will have been paid net of tax. Most people dont earn enough interest to have to pay taxes on interest hence it can then be reclaimed from HMRC but for the claims management company to do this for you they need to be registered as your tax agent.  Hence during the sign up process they'd have told you that by signing up you are consenting to them being your agent along with their rates for any further work outside of the no win, no fee for the PPI claim. 

Now the problem with tax agencies is they can't be appointed for just a single thing, it's an all or nothing thing. So you consented, they were registered, you didnt ask them to deregister and so now HMRC have correctly issued the monies to your agent and per the terms you agreed with them their handling of the monies will be billable. 

Unfortunately these are the things people agree to because they dont actually read what they are agreeing to or dont think ahead far enough but instead are just focusing on the compensation and what they're going to do with it. The side effect of the blood frenzy that sites like this try to whip up, though in fairness to MSE they do say not to use claims management companies but to do it yourself.