Three letters from HMRC "Debt Management and Banking"

[7specialgems]

I've been playing letter tennis with one Louise Johnson of HMRC's debt maangement and banking department.

The letters relate to a claim on their part that I owe them a years' worth of PAYE and NIC.

Yet when I log on to the company's HMRC online account, I am greeted with the reality that payments are bang up to date and to the penny.

I've just put letter number four in the post box to tell them yet again to check their data because the company is fully up to date on its dues and I've even printed off and enclosed a copy of the bleeding statement that proves it this time.

Just wondered if there are plenty of others on here that have had similar ridiculous experiences with Hector and if this is actually common place, as naturally I don't want a target on my back and the last letter contained wording that gave it the big one about how they can turn up and seize assets to settle payments not met.

[Kenny@MyAccountantFriend]

Check the reference numbers on the letter as they may have a duplicated paye scheme for you.

Alternatively they may have either not processed the rti correctly or duplicated it.

A call to the paye office should be able to clear it up either way though as the debt management team cannot always see all the details.

[Maslins]

Check the reference numbers on the letter as they may have a duplicated paye scheme for you.

That would be my first thought too. Quite often we've seen companies registered as an employer twice. Inevitably this then means (at least) one of them doesn't have submissions, and HMRC start chasing for "specified charges" (guesses) of what they think might be due for the periods without submission.

[spacebarstudio]

Hi there,

I wonder whether you got anywhere with Louise Johnson , I am on letter number two and we are having exactly the same problem.PAYE and NIC payments supposedly outstanding but our records show it is all up to date.

[GB9]

Have you guys remembered to change the payment reference on each payment you have made? If not then they may not match payment to account. They usually get there but it can take months.

And if you have an accountant then get them to call up as they have a special line that gets answered a lot, lot quicker than the plebs line.

[youngguy]

Just wondered if there are plenty of others on here that have had similar ridiculous experiences with Hector.

During my first yr as a Ltd I mistakenly paid my student loan direct to the loans company rather than via HMRC.

2 months later I got a red letter so I called and they advised me to post (they refused email) evidence I had paid it, which I promptly did.

A month after that I got another letter, I called and was told they were '4 weeks behind on opening their post'.

A month later I got another red letter and I called again....and was told they were 7 weeks behind opening post.

This went on for another month or two at which point I refused to get off the phone until someone gave me an email or fax number.