Old Umbrella Company (Tailored) in Liquidation

[ladymuck]

Thanks for doing that. Do you think this thread is worth adding on Martin's Money forum?

Can't go any worse than some of the threads on that forum. That place is harsher than Mumsnet

[Bhattman]

I am a newbie on here, just discovered this forum. I recieved a letter this morning from the insolvency firm ask to pay £35k within 28 days. I used tailored for about a year and realised how dodgy they were when my accountant pointed it out to me, I declared all my income in the tax return for that year and settled the tax bill with HMRC but now this. I ve tried calling the number on the letter but all I get is a receptionist saying we will call you back. Don’t know what to do.

[Bhattman]

Hi I have received a letter today requesting I owe £20000 to tailored today. Can we get together there appears to be a few of us and seems that maybe we could instruct a solicitor jointly perhaps as it may not be so expensive

I’ve had a letter too requesting £35k. I think it’s a good idea about a joint solution.

[eek]

Taken from piebaps link your current steps would be

1. Confirm where the letters are coming from so which jurisdiction you are dealing with (if its not the IoM it will be the England and I suspect it is).
2. Find appropriate advice for that jurisdiction
3. Write back to the party claiming money and dispute the claim
4. Ask that party for evidence - this needs to be made available in hard copy and you are not obliged to click through to unverified websites
5. If evidence is produced- seek professional help
6. If evidence is not produced within a reasonable period, write back and tell the party claiming money that you regard their claim to be invalid.

my only addition to the above is that I suspect doing 3 via a solicitor who isn't the recommended one may discourage the liquidator rapidly - if you add costs to his work you may rapidly become someone not worth chasing..

[GregRickshaw]

As someone caught up in the recall debacle I am reading more and more posts with eyes popping out of my head.

I had no idea there were so many schemes, understandable considering the complex tax laws, tax laws many of us still can't comprehend.

It does feel as the promoters of these schemes are in the last days of Saigon territory, not meant as flippant.

I sought legal advice.

[Iliketax]

Taken from piebaps link your current steps would be

1. Confirm where the letters are coming from so which jurisdiction you are dealing with (if its not the IoM it will be the England and I suspect it is).
2. Find appropriate advice for that jurisdiction
3. Write back to the party claiming money and dispute the claim
4. Ask that party for evidence - this needs to be made available in hard copy and you are not obliged to click through to unverified websites
5. If evidence is produced- seek professional help
6. If evidence is not produced within a reasonable period, write back and tell the party claiming money that you regard their claim to be invalid.

my only addition to the above is that I suspect doing 3 via a solicitor who isn't the recommended one may discourage the liquidator rapidly - if you add costs to his work you may rapidly become someone not worth chasing..

I'd also suggest:

1. Looking at the liquidator's statements at Companies House (e.g. the 28 July 2020 says HMRC are owed £1 but no narrative and the unknown amount advanced to clients). Then keep monitoring those (you can get auto alerts but they won't be frequent).

2. Talk to the liquidator to find out what is going on (but I would not suggest using real names or your own phone number without knowing more). Try to get the liquidator to post here. Try to help them understand what actually happened in terms of the way that the scheme worked so that they wonder whether the directors acted appropriately.

3. Consider who is sending the emails asking for money back. If it is the liquidator then it needs to be taken very seriously. If it is the director or employees then tell the liquidator that.

4. Wonder why a random solicitor cold calling you in these circumstances is appropriate and whether the SRA thinks that is appropriate.

5. Wonder what the extra money that you actually got was. It'll be taxable (99.99999% certain) but it might not be a loan. If I give someone an advance of their September salary in August, it might mean that it is just taxable in August and not repayable at all (or not repayable at all if they work in September).

Remember that the liquidator has a limited budget (probably £15k to £30k here) and so won't be able to get into detailed technical discussions and detailed litigation unless the position is very clear or they are supported by a creditor.

[Healthcare]

Help!

I've received an email from the Director of my old Umbrella Company stating that they have gone into liquidation. To put things frankly it was a dodgy umbrella company which used a salary advance as an additional payment. I left as soon as I realised the error of my ways and I am in the process of sorting my tax affairs with HMRC.

The Director has stated in the email that the liquidators MAY ask for repayment of these salary advances. They have then forwarded details of a specialist solicitor which he feels I may need if they do pursue these repayments? I did not receive any more money than my hourly contract rate.

Surely they cannot do this? Wanted to gain some sort of legal perspective and understanding of what is happening here? Any advice would be much appreciated.

I worked with Tailored and I left because I did not understand the “advance payments”.

The staff at Tailored would say “this is NOT a loan scheme” “this is TOTALLY legal” numerous times and so I was tricked into believing that everything was legit.

I read the contract and it says that “advance payments are repayable after ____ months of initial payment”. After querying this I was told, in writing, that I would not need to pay anything.

Today I received a letter saying that I owe them money.

They will not get a single penny from me. I am furious.

[Spaceuk]

I was told multiple times as well that it was not a loan scheme and that it wasn't repayable either but that was only ever on the phone. I wish I had gotten that in writing like you did!

[eek]

snip

Find a solicitor, take the contract and those emails and get them to write a letter of dispute asking for all evidence including all GDPR information relating to you...

Also edit your post as I believe you are very identifible from that and I can read it 2 ways (one of which isn't at all good for you).

Can I be very clear here don't post anything that might make you identifible online and amounts of money (even small amounts) may tell readers who you are...

[eek]

I was told multiple times as well that it was not a loan scheme and that it wasn't repayable either but that was only ever on the phone. I wish I had gotten that in writing like you did!

please edit that quote...