Kingston Brown

[DaveB]

Had a couple of spam emails from these guys recently. The usual twaddle about 90% retention, fully compliant etc.

They also claim

Kingston Brown are expert contractor pay specialists who have been assisting thousands of contractors take home more money using compliant solutions for over 25 years.

Which is a little odd since the actual trading company is Umbrella 2 Ltd, which only came into existence in March this year and which had as one of it's directors a Mr Peter Hazard, who has turned up on here before in connection with Tax Devil.

Are there grounds for reporting these guys to Trading Standards, Advertising Standards etc for claims like this?

[TheFaQQer]

Are there grounds for reporting these guys to Trading Standards, Advertising Standards etc for claims like this?

You can try, but their argument is that their directors / staff have been doing it for that long so that's OK.

Trading standards might be interested in the 90% claim, but advertising standards weren't when I complained.

[TykeMerc]

I hope you get some traction with Trading Standards, I guess it's really a matter of how the fiction is written.

I'm sure they will catch a load of gullible people with their advertising, there are people who're in trouble from using older schemes that sign up for new ones so there's an almost endless pool of fools to sell to.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

Or you could encourage them - get details of how the scheme 'works' and then pass it all over to those lovely people at HMRC who I am sure would love the opportunity to discuss things with them

[WalterWhite]

Or you could encourage them - get details of how the scheme 'works' and then pass it all over to those lovely people at HMRC who I am sure would love the opportunity to discuss things with them

and issue all the people that have used the scheme with tax bills, nice one Lisa

[DaveB]

and issue all the people that have used the scheme with tax bills, nice one Lisa

Since they've only been running since March this year, I don't think there will be that many, and the consequences would be minimal anyway. HMRC will catch up with scheme users in due course and the longer it runs the more it will cost them in the long run. Just look at the threads on APN's etc elsewhere.

[WalterWhite]

Since they've only been running since March this year, I don't think there will be that many, and the consequences would be minimal anyway. HMRC will catch up with scheme users in due course and the longer it runs the more it will cost them in the long run. Just look at the threads on APN's etc elsewhere.

If they catch up with everyone then yes, however there are plenty that haven't been targeted yet.

[TheFaQQer]

Since they've only been running since March this year, I don't think there will be that many, and the consequences would be minimal anyway. HMRC will catch up with scheme users in due course and the longer it runs the more it will cost them in the long run. Just look at the threads on APN's etc elsewhere.

I agree - the quicker the schemes get shut down, the better for everyone.

Why anyone would choose to use one from now is a question I cannot begin to understand though.

[WalterWhite]

I agree - the quicker the schemes get shut down, the better for everyone.

Why anyone would choose to use one from now is a question I cannot begin to understand though.

Not everybody uses this forum though, there are plenty that are oblivious to this

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

Not everybody uses this forum though, there are plenty that are oblivious to this

Serious question - how do you think that we can get the message out there? Who pointed you towards the scheme that you used? Lots of us on here are trying really hard to raise awareness but if people are acting on recommendations it's an uphill battle. Plus the scheme providers often seem extremely credible.