Friday 11 May 2012

HMRC's Postal Chaos

Loyal readers will recall that in April I wrote the following:
"I was a tad gobsmacked when I heard Danielle Stewart (partner in Baker Tilly) singing HMRC's praises (re their handling of post) in this video discussion about the recent Budget.

Run the video forward to 17:30 and you will hear her say the following about HMRC's postal delays:

"so much better over recent years......their standard of response nowadays is so fast you can't believe it compared to what it used to be. 

You could wait months for a reply.
Now you'll be surprised if you wait a week."
I can only conclude that she must have some special postal arrangement with HMRC."
My thanks to a loyal reader who commented thusly the other day:
"I have spent a total of 143 minutes on the phone to the tax office over a period of our days. 

 I finally got through today and made a formal complaint as I was greeted by a man whose response was "oh yeah we're busy at the minute". I was then put on hold again to speak to a manager and told the same she said she would make a formal complaint for me but warned me the current turnaround for complaints is 45 days!!! 

When she dealt with my query for a tax refund she told me where to send my stuff to but also warned they are currently 6 weeks behind with the post WTF and advised I probably wouldn't hear anything for apprx eight weeks!!!! 

I made the comment that if I didn't respond to people in my job for this length of time I would get the sack and she responded "oh it's a government problem we can't do anything about it".

I asked if I had pressed the number to speak to someone about paying them tax they would have answered quick enough and she couldn't make a comment but did say with a little giggle that there is a separate number to call if you want to make them a payment - YES I bet there is and I bet it is answered within seconds. 

This is absolutely appalling and there is no wonder this country is in so much shit the Government can't even get this right!!"
Anyone from Baker Tilly care to comment?

Tax does have to be taxing.

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7 comments:

  1. It is so tempting to contact her....

    http://www.bakertilly.co.uk/contact/people/Danielle-Stewart.aspx

    .... but it is obvious that it was bull.

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  2. If someone complains to me about the wait I suggest they contact their MP, not our fault our budget has been cut and we got to loose 8000 staff from call centres and processing offices.

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    Replies
    1. You nailed it mate.Those of us in call centres who are not relentlessly brown nosing know the taxpayer and their agents get an inferior service from HMRC. We try very hard to do the best we can with both hands tied behind our back.If you think things are bad now wait till RTI kicks in.

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    2. I agree, the best way to push for improved service etc is for people to highlight every problem/issue with HMRC with their MP.

      MPs' mailbags are increasingly reflecting the growing discontent with HMRC' service levels, increase the pressure on MPs to address the issues (the problems with HMRC are the responsibility and the fault of the politicians).

      RTI, as you say, will not be the panacea for HMRC's ills but will be the poison that may well kill it.

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  3. All conscientious staff think the service we now offer is appalling- including the amount of people available on the phones, the difficulty in speaking to people face to face, even trying to speak to the same person twice if you have a debt.

    The additional processes applied by short term higher management trying to justify their existance, allied with a severe reduction in staff (and adding a few tonne of inept management) result in a workforce that is disillusioned, computer systems that are archaic and 'customers' that are incredibly disatisfied- and I frankly don't blame them.

    We keep hearing how processes and bureacracy are going to be cut back on, but see little evidence of this.

    I too encourage people to make formal complaints, they seem to be the only stats that budge the (don't) go getters at the top of the tree.

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  4. You spoke to a manager ? Why didn't you ask to speak to someone who knows what he's talking about ? !

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