<RANT>
Bloody VAT people......
Having closed down my previous Ltd, I incorporated a new Ltd company a few weeks ago and did the usual stuff like applying for VAT registration etc. (or more strictly true Mr Upton at 1st Accountancy did...hello Darren.. )
Last week I received a letter from the VAT office which was worded in such a way that I inferred they would make my life difficult unless I contacted them by the 24th Feb.
For example, the letter was headed in bold type, 24 point text "You must reply by 24th Feb" and "to avoid a visit from our compliance officer"
Needless to say I was a little worried to think the VAT boys assumed I was on the fiddle when I had only been trading a few weeks.
I called them first thing yesterday morning to be greeted by a very nice lady who told me the purpose of the letter was "just to make sure I was OK and didnt require any help or input to our VAT accounting" - I pointed out that they could help significantly by not wasting my time worrying me with their bloody stupid letters.
To me, this proves 2 things
1) The VAT people can put the fear of God (or Allah) in all of us.
2) They are obviously massively over staffed to have people whose only role is to write letters like the one I received and then sit back and take the phone calls from the nervous new directors.
Why couldnt they just have written a nice letter with a cheery "If you need any help just give your friendly neighbourhood VAT man a call on 0800....." ?
</RANT>
Bloody VAT people......
Having closed down my previous Ltd, I incorporated a new Ltd company a few weeks ago and did the usual stuff like applying for VAT registration etc. (or more strictly true Mr Upton at 1st Accountancy did...hello Darren.. )
Last week I received a letter from the VAT office which was worded in such a way that I inferred they would make my life difficult unless I contacted them by the 24th Feb.
For example, the letter was headed in bold type, 24 point text "You must reply by 24th Feb" and "to avoid a visit from our compliance officer"
Needless to say I was a little worried to think the VAT boys assumed I was on the fiddle when I had only been trading a few weeks.
I called them first thing yesterday morning to be greeted by a very nice lady who told me the purpose of the letter was "just to make sure I was OK and didnt require any help or input to our VAT accounting" - I pointed out that they could help significantly by not wasting my time worrying me with their bloody stupid letters.
To me, this proves 2 things
1) The VAT people can put the fear of God (or Allah) in all of us.
2) They are obviously massively over staffed to have people whose only role is to write letters like the one I received and then sit back and take the phone calls from the nervous new directors.
Why couldnt they just have written a nice letter with a cheery "If you need any help just give your friendly neighbourhood VAT man a call on 0800....." ?
</RANT>
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