Working in Germany

[Edelweiss]

Let me get this straight, you were an 'employee' of a german agent\company who was physically located in germany and they raised your invoices for you then split the £ to your offshore account and to your local german bank?

Ja, but they weren't Invoicing for me, they were Invoicing for their own hourly rate. I couldn't Invoice for anything as an Employee... In fact, they tried to say my "Timesheet" was an "Invoice"! To load the whole scam on us Auslanders.

Everyone is taking the same risk because Germany can see your houly rates at source.

[TiroFijo]

Ja, but they weren't Invoicing for me, they were Invoicing for their own hourly rate. I couldn't Invoice for anything as an Employee... In fact, they tried to say my "Timesheet" was an "Invoice"! To load the whole scam on us Auslanders.

Everyone is taking the same risk because Germany can see your houly rates at source.

Ahh, I see; your're right, your timesheet is just that.
Normally with an MC, you send them and the agency your timesheet, the agences then invoices the client, agency pays the MC then the MC pays you (doing a split income if you've opted for that).

In your case the agent and MC were the same thing and based in germany where the contract was also based. Anyway why did they come a knocking on your door? Something must have gave them cause to do so.

[TiroFijo]

Because the job of an "engineer" is treated with respect

tim

Well Germany is one of the few places left that does then!
So you went there for the respect and not the rates ;-)

[Northerner]

German Troll

In your case the agent

In Edelweiss' (bogus) case, he/she is just a German troll. I mean how many IT contractors have personal contact with the Chief Tax Officer in 'Bayern'. I mean if you were involved in a legal battle would you not speak with your lawyer first?
Check his past posts all written in German style.

[TiroFijo]

In Edelweiss' (bogus) case, he/she is just a German troll. I mean how many IT contractors have personal contact with the Chief Tax Officer in 'Bayern'. I mean if you were involved in a legal battle would you not speak with your lawyer first?
Check his past posts all written in German style.

Hmmm, you could be right; I do find it strange that they came round to his flat banging on his door. Sounds 1984ish to me.

[Edelweiss]

In Edelweiss' (bogus) case, he/she is just a German troll. I mean how many IT contractors have personal contact with the Chief Tax Officer in 'Bayern'. I mean if you were involved in a legal battle would you not speak with your lawyer first?
Check his past posts all written in German style.

I don't work in IT, I'm a Brit and I'm real!

After I was raided they gave me the option to go volutarily to the Finanzamt or they would come back the next day for the "Interrogation". German Lawyer's cost 500/hour and there is no defence in these cases... So I didn't bother with one.

[Edelweiss]

Hmmm, you could be right; I do find it strange that they came round to his flat banging on his door. Sounds 1984ish to me.

KNOCK KNOCK!
Who's there?
6 German Prosecuters...
And if you don't let us in we're going to break the door down!

What makes you think Germany has moved on in any way?

[BlightyBoy]

KNOCK KNOCK!
Who's there?
6 German Prosecuters...
And if you don't let us in we're going to break the door down!

What makes you think Germany has moved on in any way?

Odd.

I think you may be embellishing, just a tad.

Sure, KNOCK-KNOCK. Did they show you a search warrant? Did you even ask to see a search warrant?

Were there policemen there also? The finanzamt have no legal right to enter your property without either a) your permission or b) a search warrant, and then only when accompanied by the polizei.

What a curious tale....

[BlightyBoy]

What makes you think Germany has moved on in any way?

Next you'll be saying that they've stitched a yellow star to your overcoat and pulled out all your gold teeth.

What makes you think the rest of the world has moved on in any way?

[Edelweiss]

Odd.

I think you may be embellishing, just a tad.

Sure, KNOCK-KNOCK. Did they show you a search warrant? Did you even ask to see a search warrant?

Were there policemen there also? The finanzamt have no legal right to enter your property without either a) your permission or b) a search warrant, and then only when accompanied by the polizei.

What a curious tale....

When I opened the door they just piled in without permission, the Leader gave me the paperwork later. According to them they raided 170 at the same time all over Germany. They only theatened me with the Police when I didn't want to do what they said. They even had one guy following me around all the time and even waited outside when I had a shower. The Agent must've made a deal with them in advance in exchange for immunity because they aready had a calculation of what was owed...
My German bank account was frozen immediately and they took all my valuables. I could see from my bank statement they tried to take the whole amount out, which wasn't there, even though I was allowed to claim expenses to reduce it later.

In my arena, this episode is well known.