Reply to: What would you do...

[SallyAnne]

I'm with SJD and to be fair they've been dealing with them so far. They're not so bad really...

[SallyAnne]

Why? Are they really ugly?

[Ardesco]

They will try and get you to admit you owe them money, best thing is to let your accountant deal with them.

Your accountant should have given you a form to sign giving them permission to deal with the tax office on your behalf.

[Flubster]

Ok - but whatever you do - DO NOT agree to any requests to 'come into their offices' for a face to face meeting

Why? Are they really ugly?

[Troll]

Ok - but whatever you do - DO NOT agree to any requests to 'come into their offices' for a face to face meeting

[SallyAnne]

Thanks very much for that Troll - you've actually put my mind at ease a little even by telling me your example. Its the not knowing that freaks me out sometimes. I wish they'd just get a soding move on

I've just checked, and I've got a couple of insurance policy things (I think they're for Employers Indemnity and Public Liability) - I dont really understand what they are, but I'm guessing they're no good...I'll give Chance O'Hare a call in the morning to see if I took out the legal expenses one. Or if I still can.

Thanks very much mate, and all others who responded.

[Troll]

What costs Troll? Did they take you to court or something?

QDOS was the company that the insurance used - their quote for non insurance (memory a bit fuzzy) was circa £7500 to take it all the way ( i.e. in front of the commisioners)

As you are in the early stages I expect the low skilled dorks have not yet peeved you off....they will!!!
Mine started off as a PAYE investigation and progressed from there - during which time I had to field such blinders as "as a LTD Company you cannot offset your accountants charges against Tax"...feckwits the lot of them!

I'm sure their approach is to make the most outlandish claims in the hope you will roll over & pay up - the original outcome of the PAYE investigation by Hectors minions was a bill for £12500 - the accountant argued it down to £186 (which I still disputed but was advised to pay to "show good faith" or whatever the feck that means).

Then they asked for the contracts- and handed the case over to a senior Revenue case officer- which is where I invoked the insurance -(& I must say QDOS did impress me).
In short this government (of which you approve) has adopted the 'Robber Baron' approach to tax collection.
Any notion of 'fairness' or 'reasonable' has gone - I will be very interested to hear your views on taxation post investigation.

As Mordac says - without a QDOS/Accountax/etc fighting your corner ...get the vaseline out

[Mordac]

A mate of mine had the full works (PAYE leading to IR35 etc., everything bar full cavity search )
Cost him £11K in accountants fees. Which fortunately was covered under his investigation policy. And he won. Which was nice.

[boredsenseless]

What costs Troll? Did they take you to court or something?

Accountants costs, and possibly barristers if you need a point of law arguing.

[SallyAnne]

Mine lasted 2 years....I won eventually & I did have insurance to cover the costs

What costs Troll? Did they take you to court or something?

[SallyAnne]

I hope you're a PCG member Sal. If you are, (virtually) nothing to worry about. If you're not, bend over and get the vaseline out...

Nah I'm not. When I first found out I was being auditted I contacted them, but obviously they couldn't help. (I even posted on this forum to ask people's advice, under my real name! Yous weren't much cop!)

I'm loosening myself up as we speak - I know its going to hurt.

[Troll]

Its been going on for about 4 months and I've heard nothing!

They're clearly going through everythig with a fine tooth comb and I'm sure I'm going to be totally screwed

Mine lasted 2 years....I won eventually & I did have insurance to cover the costs

[VectraMan]

Ask them if the window cleaner is also doing the training. After all, contractors are expected to attend.

I did attend a "team building" meeting that I wasn't allowed to charge for, but it was go-karting so I didn't really mind.

[Mordac]

I really really realy hope thats not true - I'm being auditted as we speak. At first they wanted my travel and subsistance receipts and stuff....then they started on the IR35 stuff - wanted a copy of my contract, explanations of pretty much everything...

Its been going on for about 4 months and I've heard nothing!

They're clearly going through everythig with a fine tooth comb and I'm sure I'm going to be totally screwed

I hope you're a PCG member Sal. If you are, (virtually) nothing to worry about. If you're not, bend over and get the vaseline out...

[Denny]

Send out an announcement to the client HR department that all relevant HR personnel are to attend one of your own company diversity training courses as a condition for you remaining on site. Tell them it's a mandatory one day workshop to help them differentiate between contractors and permies and that it's not your own company's policy for the end client to discriminate against contractors of your company (you) by treating you the same as their own full time staff.