How useless are HMRC

I dont normally write junk for the sake of getting stuff off my chest, well, not always anyway, but i`m raging.

Had an appointment today with my local Revenue office to see about getting a Tax Credit pack. I phoned the Tax Credit number at the weekend, and although i`ve lived, worked, and paid my taxes here all my life, as soon as I think about claiming something back for once, apparently I don`t exist on their system. So, I had to make an appointment with my local office to take along some ID to get verified.

Long story short I was a couple of minutes late, and when I found the right office in the decidedly dodgey looking run down building, there was a queue. So I waited until it was my turn. As you do. After explaining to the guy what I was there for, he dissappeared to get the person I was to see. When they came thru looking like a bulldog chewing a wasp with an attitude, asking "And ? Who are you ? " I explained again. The shortened version of the conversation went :
Bulldog : "Well your late so you`ll have to come back tommorrow or forget it"
Moi : "Late ! ?, I`ve been waiting in the queue for at least 5 minutes ! "
Bulldog : "Well your apointment was 10 minutes ago so your times up, you should have pressed the buzzer on the desk anyway"
Moi : " Buzzer ? What buzzer ? "
Bulldog " The buzzer for one of us to come through"
Moi " But the guy was sitting there dealing with someone"
Bulldog " Yeah you should have just talked over him and pushed the buzzer, this is 2 different departments, anyway, are you coming back or not ?"

I mean, WTF !!!!
Although I was a couple minutes late, her people skills weren`t up to much, but the fact they assume everyone is an ignorant mindreader really ****ed me right off
And I had to make another appointment for tomorrow so have to go back through again. More time and fuel wasted.

And another thing !! I got a letter from the Revenue saying I hadn`t returned my Partnership tax return last year so they`re taking £100 out my bank account. But, I`m not a Partnership !!!!!

Governments by christ, someone give me strength.
Or a valium.
Or a drink.
Or both.

[Luckypants]

That sounds like a government employee that would be good efficiency saving right there.

Hmm they called me today - chasing a penalty cos I was late with the self assessment form. They were adamant that I had to pay in one go so I was equally adamant that I wasn't going to. 'Why not?' 'I can't afford it'. 'Have you got no assets you can sell' they asked me. I said it was none of their business and that I would offer payment in 3 instalments and did they want it or didn't they. They decided they did.

[punyXpress]

Welcome to the DARK side, blackadder!
Signed: Slackbladder.

Originally Posted by Ed

Hmm they called me today - chasing a penalty cos I was late with the self assessment form. They were adamant that I had to pay in one go so I was equally adamant that I wasn't going to. 'Why not?' 'I can't afford it'. 'Have you got no assets you can sell' they asked me. I said it was none of their business and that I would offer payment in 3 instalments and did they want it or didn't they. They decided they did.

Sounds a bit iffy of the Inland Revenue to ask you to sell stuff though ?
Either way, their all arses.

Originally Posted by punyXpress

Welcome to the DARK side, blackadder!
Signed: Slackbladder.

Thanks baldrick

[punyXpress]

Should've worn yer burkha!

Grrr! It's that sort of behaviour that gives us all a bad name. I've had my own grief with them in the past and, like Ed, I had to be very fi with them to get a result. If it were me, I'd have either asked to see the manager, made a complaint and refused to leave until they resolved the problem. Or told them that if I didn't exist they could whistle for their tax.

[sauluk]

They sent me a letter the day after I paid my self assessment, sayin I had 30 days to file a return. They then sent me a letter last week saying what I owe and the interest acrued since it hasn't been paid. I paid on their system as soon as I filed!

Apparently they've had an epic **** up in their systems

Originally Posted by CoolGirl

Grrr! It's that sort of behaviour that gives us all a bad name. I've had my own grief with them in the past and, like Ed, I had to be very fi with them to get a result. If it were me, I'd have either asked to see the manager, made a complaint and refused to leave until they resolved the problem. Or told them that if I didn't exist they could whistle for their tax.

I`m going to have to be nice tomorrow when I go back too Grrrrrrr
Deep breath, smile, think nice thoughts