If The Uk Pensions Are Bad, Just Try The Inland Revenue!

[msg362]

I filled in my self assessment last ? September. In November I wrote telling them of my Thailand address. On 2nd December I went on line and got a statement saying I owed nothing so I relaxed.

Today, 30th March I get a letter dated 28th February, posted in Belgium ,transported by TNT, delivered by Thai post ( -32days!), saying I owe them £660 and interest is accumulating. Frantic phone call!( Skype is wonderful). They say I wrote in december saying I would pay it, I'm not sure about that, I think they've made a mistake and of course being on line and trying to look up documents is not easy, so I asked for a copy of the letter. "I'll email my colleague in another office but it will take up to 3 weeks to get an answer" ( my emails go a bit quicker than that). ( Incidentally the pensions lot are using the same snail mail TNT service, expect one month at least)

"Why did the 2nd December statement say I owed nothing?"- "because it takes us 3-4 weeks to read letters!!!"

So I write in November, they reply at the end of February and send a letter that takes almost 5 weeks to get here. " Can you email me a copy?" " No"

I can expect to get the reply in June!

Just in time for next year's return!!

My Thai wife does her tax return once a year, can pay on line or go to an office and pay, all finished.

Edited March 30, 2012 by msg362

[bendix]

I left the UK in June 2011. I submitted a P85 claiming a lot of tax back - around 8000 sterling - and instead of dealing with that they asked me to do a self-assessment for the previoius year. OK, I did that, and by December they tell me I owe 2000 because of a miscalculation by my employer.

No problem I said . . how about we now deal with my p85 and offset the 2000 to that.

No can do . . Instead I have had to wait until April 2012 to do a new self-assessment for last year, and then it will be sorted.

10 months after doing the original claim, I'm nowhere near getting any resolution.

[F1fanatic]

Lucky you (msg362)! I've written a couple of letter to the tax people (months ago) and not received any reply...

Instead I keep getting 'statements' telling me I owe them 'late tax return assessment penalties', even though my first letter enclosed all the tax returns they'd sent me (at the same time) which, didn't include one for the latest tax year...

I keep hoping they'll 'catch up', but its obvious they're not going to do so and I've got to steel myself for writing yet again.

Edit - I'm trying not to think about when the 'late return penalty fee' increases to 1000 pounds!

Edited March 30, 2012 by F1fanatic

[theblether]

Refer your file and complaint to the MP for your local area. If he takes it up and sends a letter on your behalf then you will get rapid action.

[F1fanatic]

Refer your file and complaint to the MP for your local area. If he takes it up and sends a letter on your behalf then you will get rapid action.

The OP lives in Thailand - he does not have a 'local MP'.

[stoneyboy]

The inland revenue from a personal perspective have always delivered on time,I have an accountant that deals with my tax returns,he never fails to secure a sizeable refund which is usually deposited into my personal bank account two to three weeks later.

All that said I retain a UK address and only spend extended periods in Thailand,it seems the problems always arise when you sever all ties with the UK.

[F1fanatic]

The inland revenue from a personal perspective have always delivered on time,I have an accountant that deals with my tax returns,he never fails to secure a sizeable refund which is usually deposited into my personal bank account two to three weeks later.

All that said I retain a UK address and only spend extended periods in Thailand,it seems the problems always arise when you sever all ties with the UK.

Again, lucky for you...

Some of us who actually live here (and have been truthful to the tax people), have one hell of a lot of problems trying to get any sort of sense out of them.

[theblether]

Refer your file and complaint to the MP for your local area. If he takes it up and sends a letter on your behalf then you will get rapid action.

The OP lives in Thailand - he does not have a 'local MP'.

You need to calm down with your obtuseness f1.

The OP can contact the MP for the area in which he was last on the electoral roll, he can put forward his case and if as I stated.......

if he takes it up and sends a letter on your behalf

Then you will get rapid action.

Some MP's won't help, others will be delighted at the novelty of helping an overseas constituent.

Before rattling the cage, read what is written

[evadgib]

Some years ago I sued HMRC & asked to attend Court via webcam (21st century an' all that).

Their reply ended in "...off"

[Eff1n2ret]

I have a similar experience to the OP as regards the bizarre mailing system, Last year I didn't receive a self-assessment form, but during the summer there was a story in the online press that many forms had not been sent because the printers had run out of the correct paper, so I didn't worry about it. Around the end of October I wrote to them asking what was happening. I got a reply within a month enclosing a printout of their records which showed that a form had been sent in April, and the letter stated " as the deadline for paper filing has already passed we suggest you arrange to file online."

I guess they have heard the excuse about "lost in the post" a million times, so there was no point in arguing about that, and I went onto the Government Gateway site for the online registration process, which is quick and easy, but requires the account to be activated by a pin number which is posted to you and has to be used within 28 days. Their email acknowledging the registration was dated 5th December and the cut-off date was 5th January. I didn't receive the letter until 12th January, and of course the pin number didn't work. As with the OP, the letter was franked by TNT in Schiedam with the date 21st December, so it had taken more than 2 weeks to get from the UK to Holland.

I printed off a form from a pal's Taxcalc programme and posted it off, including an explanation of the late filing, and also wrote a separate letter enclosing copies of everything including the TNT envelope with the date. HMRC replied quite quickly accepting my explanation and waiving the penalty. I've since had the demand which coincides with the Taxcalc figure, and paid that online, so it's pretty well sorted now.

To be fair to HMRC, in this case it's only the Government Gateway communications which have been sent via TNT from Holland. All HMRC's letters come via the normal post fairly quickly. I tried again with the online registration, and this time the pin number arrived with a few days to spare, but it still came via Holland,

Edited March 30, 2012 by Eff1n2ret

[msg362]

Refer your file and complaint to the MP for your local area. If he takes it up and sends a letter on your behalf then you will get rapid action.

Who is the MP for Chiang Mai?

[msg362]

Lucky you (msg362)! I've written a couple of letter to the tax people (months ago) and not received any reply...

Instead I keep getting 'statements' telling me I owe them 'late tax return assessment penalties', even though my first letter enclosed all the tax returns they'd sent me (at the same time) which, didn't include one for the latest tax year...

I keep hoping they'll 'catch up', but its obvious they're not going to do so and I've got to steel myself for writing yet again.

Edit - I'm trying not to think about when the 'late return penalty fee' increases to 1000 pounds!

I send letters to pensions and the inland revenue by registered post, not expensive, reliable and fast, maybe that helps as they realise I have a record.

[khastan]

My last tax code notification finished up in Wellington New Zealand! The guy who received it kindly posted it on to me in Thailand. Apparently HMRC had included my tax code notification with his in the same envelope.

Edited March 30, 2012 by khastan

[theblether]

Refer your file and complaint to the MP for your local area. If he takes it up and sends a letter on your behalf then you will get rapid action.

Who is the MP for Chiang Mai?

I refer you to my earlier answer.......it's usually a good idea to read all the posts before answering

[nong38]

HMRC do a good job of keeping GBPLC up and running. I just got my tax rebate of £25000, they have had me on the wrong rate for 5 years, still fair do they have come up with the goods plus interest, dont know what you lot are carping on about. I think I will write again soon, worth a sequal I think.

Edited March 30, 2012 by nong38

[inthepink]

When I left the UK I informed the Inland Revenue of what I was doing and received a refund within a couple of weeks as far as I remember. However, this was in 2003 so maybe the service has deteriorated since then...

Edited March 30, 2012 by inthepink

[true blue]

ive been using the self assesment on line web site for the last 5 years for my tax affairs,my record for recieving my annual tax rebate in to my bank account is the 11 april.after completing my return for that financial year on the 5th of april,it only takes about 10/15 minutes to do,you dont even need to put your long winded account numbers and passwords its all there,on your designated site,easy.

[F1fanatic]

Lucky you (msg362)! I've written a couple of letter to the tax people (months ago) and not received any reply...

Instead I keep getting 'statements' telling me I owe them 'late tax return assessment penalties', even though my first letter enclosed all the tax returns they'd sent me (at the same time) which, didn't include one for the latest tax year...

I keep hoping they'll 'catch up', but its obvious they're not going to do so and I've got to steel myself for writing yet again.

Edit - I'm trying not to think about when the 'late return penalty fee' increases to 1000 pounds!

I send letters to pensions and the inland revenue by registered post, not expensive, reliable and fast, maybe that helps as they realise I have a record.

I sent my first letter by registered post but it could around 1000 baht for a one page letter! Hardly my idea of "not expensive"...

Blether - I'm ashamed to admit that I'm cynical enough to be sure than an MP who receives a letter from a constituent who last lived there several years ago - will be kept purely for entertainment value. Why on earth would he care?

[msg362]

Lucky you (msg362)! I've written a couple of letter to the tax people (months ago) and not received any reply...

Instead I keep getting 'statements' telling me I owe them 'late tax return assessment penalties', even though my first letter enclosed all the tax returns they'd sent me (at the same time) which, didn't include one for the latest tax year...

I keep hoping they'll 'catch up', but its obvious they're not going to do so and I've got to steel myself for writing yet again.

Edit - I'm trying not to think about when the 'late return penalty fee' increases to 1000 pounds!

I send letters to pensions and the inland revenue by registered post, not expensive, reliable and fast, maybe that helps as they realise I have a record.

I sent my first letter by registered post but it could around 1000 baht for a one page letter! Hardly my idea of "not expensive"...

Blether - I'm ashamed to admit that I'm cynical enough to be sure than an MP who receives a letter from a constituent who last lived there several years ago - will be kept purely for entertainment value. Why on earth would he care?

I think you are confusing EMS with Registered post. Registered post is only a few baht more expensive than normal post. EMS is horribly expensive.

[bangkockney]

Lucky you (msg362)! I've written a couple of letter to the tax people (months ago) and not received any reply...

Instead I keep getting 'statements' telling me I owe them 'late tax return assessment penalties', even though my first letter enclosed all the tax returns they'd sent me (at the same time) which, didn't include one for the latest tax year...

I keep hoping they'll 'catch up', but its obvious they're not going to do so and I've got to steel myself for writing yet again.

Edit - I'm trying not to think about when the 'late return penalty fee' increases to 1000 pounds!

I send letters to pensions and the inland revenue by registered post, not expensive, reliable and fast, maybe that helps as they realise I have a record.

I sent my first letter by registered post but it could around 1000 baht for a one page letter! Hardly my idea of "not expensive"...

Blether - I'm ashamed to admit that I'm cynical enough to be sure than an MP who receives a letter from a constituent who last lived there several years ago - will be kept purely for entertainment value. Why on earth would he care?

Lol. Anyone who has been registered to vote in Britain within the past 15 years can sign up to vote as an expat by either post or proxy.

[theblether]

Lucky you (msg362)! I've written a couple of letter to the tax people (months ago) and not received any reply...

Instead I keep getting 'statements' telling me I owe them 'late tax return assessment penalties', even though my first letter enclosed all the tax returns they'd sent me (at the same time) which, didn't include one for the latest tax year...

I keep hoping they'll 'catch up', but its obvious they're not going to do so and I've got to steel myself for writing yet again.

Edit - I'm trying not to think about when the 'late return penalty fee' increases to 1000 pounds!

I send letters to pensions and the inland revenue by registered post, not expensive, reliable and fast, maybe that helps as they realise I have a record.

I sent my first letter by registered post but it could around 1000 baht for a one page letter! Hardly my idea of "not expensive"...

Blether - I'm ashamed to admit that I'm cynical enough to be sure than an MP who receives a letter from a constituent who last lived there several years ago - will be kept purely for entertainment value. Why on earth would he care?

Lol. Anyone who has been registered to vote in Britain within the past 15 years can sign up to vote as an expat by either post or proxy.

+1

I get surprised at the amount of people who have no idea of their basic rights, and no idea how constituency MP's work. I stated in my first reply " If he takes it up and sends a letter on your behalf ".

To me that is clear, there is a possibility that the MP will not run with it, you cannot force him to run with it, but rather than convince yourself you have no chance, send the letter and see what reaction you get.

You may be surprised

[brewsterbudgen]

ive been using the self assesment on line web site for the last 5 years for my tax affairs,my record for recieving my annual tax rebate in to my bank account is the 11 april.after completing my return for that financial year on the 5th of april,it only takes about 10/15 minutes to do,you dont even need to put your long winded account numbers and passwords its all there,on your designated site,easy.

Me too. Every year I get a notification to complete a Self-Assessment return (despite living full-time in Thailand for 7 years) and every year I do so online. It takes about 10 minutes as I don't have any UK employment, pension, property or investments - just a UK bank current & savings account. Every year I get about 500 GBP back.

Edited April 1, 2012 by brewsterbudgen

[true blue]

ive been using the self assesment on line web site for the last 5 years for my tax affairs,my record for recieving my annual tax rebate in to my bank account is the 11 april.after completing my return for that financial year on the 5th of april,it only takes about 10/15 minutes to do,you dont even need to put your long winded account numbers and passwords its all there,on your designated site,easy.

Me too. Every year I get a notification to complete a Self-Assessment return (despite living full-time in Thailand for 7 years) and every year I do so online. It takes about 10 minutes as I don't have any UK employment, pension, property or investments - just a UK bank current & savings account. Every year I get about 500 GBP back.

my god you must have some money in your bank accounts,to get that much tax,100s of thousands i would say,and anyway you dont need to claim for tax on savings accounts,jus fill in a r85 form, give it to your branch and they will pay your interest gross.