Tax Phone Call

[M107]

Anybody else had a call from some company doing a survey for hmrc? I did get a letter from hmrc awhile ago saying these people were doing cold calling for a survey on behalf of hmrc.

I fobbed off the woman when she rang me (was waiting for a customer to call back), just wondered what it was all about...............another pointless waste of money, I suppose

 

[Steve3948]

I called HMRC last week to check if it was a scam, as the letter did have a name, they checked this name against their system and confirmed that person worked for HMRC and was instructed to call regards survey.

 

[Evans Electric]

Could it be connected with the letter we all had at the begining of the year ie ; Investigating all sparks.

 

[Steve3948]

No not at all, its the survey thing they used to send in the post but they are trying it by phone.

Its to do with type of work, new build, main contractor or subcontractor etc.

 

[Evans Electric]

HHhmmmm!

 

[Sharpend]

Yes I can see where this going, subcontractor not supplying materials but somehow donating several hundreds of pounds worth of material to the scrap merchant as seen on your bank statements????

 

[steptoe]

Ive just had a letter wanting class 2s from october 2010 ,

I only went SE jan 2012 !

rang them up and some sort of mix up from when I first moved back to UK and had to declare myself employed, but that was 2007 FFS, they got the day and month right, but not the frickin year! headbang

 

[Sharpend]

As the song says, two out of three ain't bad!

 

[M107]

Had another call today & as I had a spare 10 mins I said yes to doing the poll...........................

On a scale of 1 - 10 with 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest

"Do you thing it's ok to avoid paying tax".........................well it depends on what size company you are relating the question to? It must be as vodafone/starbucks/amazon seem to get away with it.

"I need a 1 - 10 answer or a don't know"..........................I don't know then.

"information accessible relating to HMRC and tax avoidance by electricians"...................................only seen the threatening letter they sent out a while ago & as I pay all my tax I don't bother looking at tax stuff. I give it a 1

"are the penalties for electricians proportional if they are caught avoiding paying tax"..........................................How can I answer that (a) i pay my tax so am not bothered about the fines & (b) i've no idea what the fines are. Another don't know I'm afraid.

"on a scale would you as an electrician expect to go to prison for tax avoidance"..........................................No especially as big business & politicians seem to avoid going there for their underhand money laundering tactics. Go for a 1

"On the scale of 1 - 10 how aware are you of your tax obligations"..................................10 I know I have to pay it

"yes but are you aware of all your obligations".......................my accountant probably is, that's why I employ him. Forget the 10 just put don't know.

There were loads of other questions & every one was worded "electrical trade or electricians"......................so if you don't pay your tax be warned it looks like HMRC are gonna come knocking, unless you are big industry/business or in parliament.

 

[kerching]

I have to pay tax FFS?????????????

What next?.....a book telling me what is deemed safe/acceptable?     next it will be some sort of scheme where you have to tell some shiny bottomed paper worrier that you have done some work somewhere.  Next they will be insisting that I am qualified

 

[Steve3948]

Well I'm not answering unless it's a known caller then

 

[M107]

The bird I spoke to ended up laughing all the way through the call once I  got on me soap box...........she was gob smacked when I said yes to requiring their company contact details, apparently nobody ever say yes.

The company doing the calling on behalf of HMRC are Kantar (not sure of spelling) 0800 396999

 

[kerching]

Well I would ask them some security questions first....

KANTAR   eh?     Surely some spelling mistake there then... :slap

 

[steptoe]

I have to pay tax FFS?????????????

What next?.....a book telling me what is deemed safe/acceptable?     next it will be some sort of scheme where you have to tell some shiny bottomed paper worrier that you have done some work somewhere.  Next they will be insisting that I am qualified

no need for that,

or being competent,

as long as you have a cheque that wont bounce you will be fine.