Debt Collection - The HMRC Way

My thanks to a loyal reader who sent me this rather "amusing" story about a recent visit to a pub, which had itself been visited earlier by a bailiff acting on behalf of HMRC.

I reproduce the text, but cannot vouch for its accuracy as I was not in that pub on that evening.

"I popped into my local pub last night, which happens to be in northern England. The male landlord hadn't had the best of days and a 'letter' was circulating the bar from HMRC.

Apparently when going about his business earlier in the day, he went outside to get into his car only to be confronted by an unknown individual. Apparently a bailiff acting on behalf of HMRC and pursuing a not inconsiderable amount, of unpaid VAT.

The bailiff acting on behalf of HMRC set about haranguing the landlord and subsequently serving this unsealed HMRC letter upon the landlord.

Not impressed the landlord of the pub drove off 'having had enough'. (You can imagine the conversation, and fill in the blanks when you finish reading this).

The HMRC letter that was circulating the pub was a photocopy of a letter from HMRC in Peterborough. The bailiff had hand written over it addressing it to an individual at the pub address, and written on the bottom that he would be returning the following day to remove the landlord's car (distraint etc).

You can understand why the landlord wasn't impressed.

The only problem is the unsealed, hand delivered HMRC letter was addressed to the LANDLADY (let's say she's called Mary), who was in the pub about three years ago, and there have been several landlords in the pub since!

I can't begin to count the number of 'indiscretions' this bailiff has committed, let alone breaches of legislation, but you would imagine serving an open letter addressed to Mary, a female upon a male, would at least be obvious to most people in the UK – clearly not HMRC representatives.

I did however make a note of his telephone number if anyone wants it.

You couldn't begin to make it up!"

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Tax does have to be taxing.

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