HMRC’s reputation of being poorly managed and unreliable has further gained weight as reports emerge of people having fully paid their tax yet still receiving threatening letters.
Accountants around England have revealed that a number of people have received threatening letters with regards to unpaid tax even though they actually paid off their tax bill.
The letters claim that the individual’s possessions are at risk of seizure, even though such threats go against official Office of Fair Trading guidelines for debt recovery. The letters state: “We are arranging a visit to your house. We will view your possessions and list those that we will sell at auction.
Angela Perry is a pensioner who received one of these letters even though she was following a payment plan that was previously established by HMRC. Angered by the unjust threats she said she would call the police if any HMRC bailiffs appeared at her door.
Over the last year HMRC has faced criticism from taxpayers, financial experts and even politicians for what is documented as a gradual slope into inefficiency at best and damaging buffoonery at worst.
Error after error after error has led to nationwide outrage and MP pledges to take the taxman to task. However, with government cuts leading to a reduced HMRC workforce the likelihood of the situation improving anytime soon is surely minimal.