Self Assessment online problems 31st Jan 2008

pinksleepybear

Hello,

I've had a letter from HMRC which said that I haven't submitted my self-assessment form for last year. Being the prevaricating/lazy so-and-so that I am, I left it til the last minute and didn't complete the self-assessment until 31st Jan 2008. On that day there were problems with the website, and after trying unsuccessfully to use the website for hours, I estimated the tax I owed and made a payment of £50 to cover it, whilst continuing to try to use the website. Later that day, I managed to log in and complete the form. My tax due was £17.

So when I recently received the letter and a £100 fine for not submitting the form, I was absolutely convinced that HMRC had made a mistake. However, I've logged into my account since and can't find any proof that I actually hit the 'submit' button. So here are a couple of questions,

1 - did anyone else have the same problem - basically I'm asking if it was me making a mistake, or a genuine problem with the website on the day.

2 - Although I saved the PDF as a file on my pc, I can't see it from the HMRC website, there's no option to view or submit it. Is this just because the deadline has passed, or does this support my theory of the website fault?

3 - As I've saved the PDF of my form and can show from the properties that I completed it on the 31st Jan, and made a payment to cover the tax owed, if the mistake was mine, is there any chance that HMRC will accept that it wasn't deliberate and rescind the fine?

I don't usually post on this board, so please be gentle...

BoGoF

The problems at the time were well publicised so you would have a good chance of appeal. Did you pay the £50 on 31 January ? If so, you have nothing to worry about as the penalty cannot exceed the unpaid tax as at 31/1. I would suggest either trying to resubmit online or send a paper copy of the Tax Return as soon as possible - if you paid £50 but are only due £17 then HMRC owe you.

pinksleepybear

That's brilliant - thanks for your help. I did pay the £50 before the deadline, so I should get a refund once I send my form in.

Thanks again !!!

superscaper

It does sound like an honest mistake and you have the proof to show it. (If you had submitted it you'd have a submission reference number come up as well as emailed to you to be able to quote). Don't know how lenient they'd be but considering the abolute chaos of the last day and the introduced extension deadline I don't think they could be completely sure that you didn't submit it and should be more malleable. I hope you intend to complete this year's a bit earlier (I've already submitted mine last week). And before you use the laziness excuse as I usually do, I'm the laziest person I know.

Mikeyorks

pinksleepybear wrote: »

so I should get a refund once I send my form in.

As other advice .... the penalty should be rescinded, on Return submission, as there was no tax outstanding at 1st Feb. But I would contact the online Help Desk and seek their advice on how you submit the Return under the protective cover of '31st Jan problems'? They will have been through it a few times!