My thanks to a loyal reader, who wrote to me about the experience of a chum of his who runs a large vehicle recovery firm.
This company has often been used by HMRC to uplift (tow away) vehicles which had been "dipped" (to test the diesel used) by HMRC at the roadside, and seized if red diesel was found to be present.
The trouble was that HMRC seem to have been a tad tardy at paying the bills for this service. I am given to understand that HMRC told the recovery company that they were trying to get invoices paid within SIX MONTHS!
Not exactly Speedy Gonzales are they?
Unsurprisingly the recovery company doesn't want anything more to do with HMRC, and have blacklisted them as a client.
However, it doesn't end there.
HMRC then sent the company an email which said that, owing to cost cutting, they will no longer be undertaking road side diesel testing as they cannot afford to pay to tow the vehicles away.
The two "take aways" from this tale are:
1 Don't subcontract for HMRC, unless they pay you upfront.
2 Feel free to use red diesel, because you won't be tested.
Tax does have to be taxing.
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forget doing 'business' with HMRC, they don't know what it means. Order something - pay for it.
ReplyDeleteWe can't walk into Tesco's, buy all this crap and give them an IOU!
Dishonourable, incompetent, mean-spirited, puke-inducing bastards. It is HMRC that need towing away.
I recall HMG issued instruction to departments that to support SMEs all invoices were to be authorised and passed for payment within 10 days of receipt.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt the muppets at HMRC consider 'receipt' to mean when it is allocated to an action officer, and they can be bothered to deal with it.
TOTAL TOSSERS - the business concerned should issue a claim in the small claims court. HMRC would undoutbedly not turn up and judgment and costs would be awarded awarded against them (see some heads roll then). If they could be asked to turn up they will have had all the expense of instructing solicitors and would again pay costs of the application.
I bet HMRC have lots of CCJ's against them. They must be collecting those like they do complaints and taxes.
ReplyDeleteAll take, take, take. Forget about rebates, repayments and invoices for services.
I am surprised they haven't installed a new employee wages scheme where each month, every employee's tasks are verified before they get paid (with deductions for mistakes found)
Several offices had all their pot plants removed a few years ago because they didn't pay bills.
ReplyDeleteIn our office we were told that we must help to cut costs so when visiting the loo we are to limit use of bog roll to two sheets per visit.
ReplyDeleteWhen I worked at MOD many years ago, the grease-proof loo paper was stamped
ReplyDeleteGOVERNMENT PROPERTY - USE BOTH SIDES
(maybe I imagined the last part...)
D.