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Background: retired UK self-employed hobbyist age late '60s. Minimal revenues £5,000; £3,200 outgoing.
Pursued March 2013 by telephone from an HMRC collections agency for a fine—late return filing 2011-2012. (a)
Agreed in March 2013 by telephone to ££ monthly SO payments with the collections agency.
- - - -
1) Today December 6th a letter is received from the collections agency under a 47p stamp:
"We have reviewed your Time to Pay management and have identified that this falls outside our Client's requirements as it will not be paid in full by 31st March 2014"...
2) I Googled the collections agency name and legalbeagles.info was returned.
I quickly registered to enquire amongst the experienced people on these pages if my written reply is legally correct:
Ref [...]
3) As I left to post the letter, the 'phone rang. It was the collections agency.
Paraphrasing:
(as we spoke, they looking up my details)
They: "Your repayments agreed March last year (sic)... Erm..oh...no, we don't have a problem. The repayment amounts are alright. Okay?"
Accordingly, the issue has gone away but if any Regulatory Authority registered on these pages wants my recording of the telecon and pointing to the redundant website, please send me a message (b)
Conclusion: collection agencies get it wrong
rant / end
a) Yes, I since hired an accountant to file for me.
b) Yes, I said I was recording the telephone conversation.
Pursued March 2013 by telephone from an HMRC collections agency for a fine—late return filing 2011-2012. (a)
Agreed in March 2013 by telephone to ££ monthly SO payments with the collections agency.
- - - -
1) Today December 6th a letter is received from the collections agency under a 47p stamp:
"We have reviewed your Time to Pay management and have identified that this falls outside our Client's requirements as it will not be paid in full by 31st March 2014"...
"Contact us by 11th December"
2) I Googled the collections agency name and legalbeagles.info was returned.
I quickly registered to enquire amongst the experienced people on these pages if my written reply is legally correct:
Ref [...]
Thank you for your letter December 5th in which you seek to change the Contract we made in March.
I do not wish to change the Contract. But you are most welcome to call me on [...] or by email [...]
Thank you.
etc
3) As I left to post the letter, the 'phone rang. It was the collections agency.
Paraphrasing:
(as we spoke, they looking up my details)
They: "Your repayments agreed March last year (sic)... Erm..oh...no, we don't have a problem. The repayment amounts are alright. Okay?"
Myself: "Not okay. I am not filled with confidence working with you not least because your website no longer exists"
They: "Don't tell me, I only answer the 'phones"
Myself: "Please advise your co-workers. We comply with your rules for late filing fines, but we deal with a company who forgets to pay £5 to renew their Internet domain name."
Accordingly, the issue has gone away but if any Regulatory Authority registered on these pages wants my recording of the telecon and pointing to the redundant website, please send me a message (b)
Conclusion: collection agencies get it wrong
rant / end
a) Yes, I since hired an accountant to file for me.
b) Yes, I said I was recording the telephone conversation.
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