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auntieh
Rank; Really should become a politician
United Kingdom
619 Posts |
Posted - 17/09/2007 : 19:36:32
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A couple of thoughts re this thread. HMRC is clearly not following its discretionary powers woth regard to applying the reasonableness test as asserted by Tracey Gale. In my case I have advised them that I telephoned their office at least twice during the period May to July 2003 to query my payments and was told that if they were not right that they would gradually osrt themselves out over the next few weeks/months and not to worry (so I didn't, not for three years until they decided to write asking for a refund). At no time was I told that in fact a software error had resulted in my husband's income being incorrectly recorded as zero and byt he time the award notice arrived it had disappeared.
I have asked for recordings of all calls I have made to TCO and have finally been rewarded with a recording of just one, made by me last year. Therefore the bit about taking into account phone calls that haven't been recorded has clearly not been taken into account in my case. Neither has the fact that the overpayment was caused by HMRC computer error and there was no way I could have discerned this from the award notices.
With regard to backlog of complaints - I have three outstanding from June plus one sent to Richard Summersgill in July.
With regard to the letters being sent out regarding illegal recovery from 2003/4, I was told by an advisor on Saturday that there are over 250,000 cases affected and letters to be sent out and these are still being processed. They are not being dealt with by any particular department, just by the general staff dealing with tax credits. I am not going to wait but have written both to R Summersgill and the complaints manager at Preston asking for mine! |
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 19/09/2007 : 08:04:00
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I'm still trying to find out the implications of these reviews. I think I will ask the LITRG for a statement we can quote them on about the significance of these. I am also getting an 'insider' view, as well as - hopefully - the 'official' line from Richard Summergill (if indeed he is giving me the 'substantive reply' I have been promised this week), to see how far the three correspond! I really don't think we can all get excited about the prospect of money coming back to us, but this episode is another nail in HMRC's coffin, and I am gathering evidence of cover-ups and things that they really don't want Jo(e) Public to know. Have to get facts right and okay what I say with sources, but I am working on it. Watch this space.
Morpheus : Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.
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auntieh
Rank; Really should become a politician
United Kingdom
619 Posts |
Posted - 19/09/2007 : 19:42:55
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| Ali you are beginning to sound as mysterious as your avatar looks! I'm all agog! |
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Alan the Geordie
Da Purple one
2787 Posts |
 Posted - 19/09/2007 : 21:52:22
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quote:
Originally posted by auntieh
Ali you are beginning to sound as mysterious as your avatar looks! I'm all agog!
Well fetch some o' yer grog ower here Bonny Lass and we'll get wersells palatic together! 
"Broons aall roond f'th' lads an' mind ye divvent drop yer dottles on th' new proggy mat!!"
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Larn-Yersel-Geordie-Scott-Dobson/dp/0946928010 |
Edited by - Alan the Geordie on 19/09/2007 21:53:47 |
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auntieh
Rank; Really should become a politician
United Kingdom
619 Posts |
Posted - 19/09/2007 : 22:42:15
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| Ooo I'd Love to but I am having a heart 'procedure' the week after next to cure my palpitations so maybe I'd better wait till that's done! |
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Alan the Geordie
Da Purple one
2787 Posts |
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auntieh
Rank; Really should become a politician
United Kingdom
619 Posts |
Posted - 20/09/2007 : 14:02:26
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| I had them before tax credits were ever heard of - might have been made worse by them of course. Can't blame them on my kids, ex, or job either as apparently I was born with a small fault in my electrical wiring. Only just been told this I am 55! I will continue therefore to drink gin when offered! |
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Alan the Geordie
Da Purple one
2787 Posts |
Posted - 20/09/2007 : 17:25:08
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quote:
Originally posted by auntieh
I had them before tax credits were ever heard of - might have been made worse by them of course. Can't blame them on my kids, ex, or job either as apparently I was born with a small fault in my electrical wiring. Only just been told this I am 55! I will continue therefore to drink gin when offered!
I've often thought that most of the women I've known weren't "wired up right"! 
Glad to see you have a positive mental attitude towards the important things in life - DRINKING!! 
"Broons aall roond f'th' lads an' mind ye divvent drop yer dottles on th' new proggy mat!!"
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Larn-Yersel-Geordie-Scott-Dobson/dp/0946928010 |
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auntieh
Rank; Really should become a politician
United Kingdom
619 Posts |
Posted - 20/09/2007 : 22:20:14
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| Yes I am positive I like gin. Your posts always cheer me up Alan I will try to remember some of them when I am having the dreaded procedure - no general anaesthetic for me apparently! |
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Alan the Geordie
Da Purple one
2787 Posts |
Posted - 20/09/2007 : 23:31:02
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quote:
Originally posted by auntieh
Yes I am positive I like gin. Your posts always cheer me up Alan I will try to remember some of them when I am having the dreaded procedure - no general anaesthetic for me apparently!
Thank you for your kind words.
Good luck with "the dreaded proceedure". Ye divvent need any anawhaddyacaalit (wizn't she ane o' them Russian female shot-putters? - ye knaa, a blacksmith wi' tits) - a dozen bottles iv dog (brown dog = Newcassel Broon) shud de it for ye Bonny Lass!
Aah knaa - it duz it vary canny fer me lyke!
"Broons aall roond f'th' lads an' mind ye divvent drop yer dottles on th' new proggy mat!!"
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Larn-Yersel-Geordie-Scott-Dobson/dp/0946928010 |
Edited by - Alan the Geordie on 20/09/2007 23:33:19 |
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 23/09/2007 : 07:46:22
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Hi Auntieh, you're very brave with all this prodding and probing and messing around. I wish you well with your medical procedure. Take care now. x
Morpheus : Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.
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auntieh
Rank; Really should become a politician
United Kingdom
619 Posts |
Posted - 23/09/2007 : 14:44:00
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[quote]Originally posted by Ali M-W
Hi Auntieh, you're very brave with all this prodding and probing and messing around. I wish you well with your medical procedure. Take care now. x
Thanks Ali. I'm not brave really but I'm taking the view that I've survived three pregnancies, including one epidural caesarean delivery, a couple of marathon sessions of root canal treatment and a bunion operation so hopefully this will just be one more procedure to add to my medical CV.
Now the darn thing has been postponed for a fortnight.  |
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 23/09/2007 : 15:12:11
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Always the way when you've psyched yourself up for something.
Morpheus : Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 28/09/2007 : 08:27:27
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Evasive and missing-the-point response received from Tracy Gale, HMRC.
I'm trying to find a way to post it here, as it's not in electronic form but was sent to me slow-mail, so you can see just how bad it is.
Don't think I can scan and text-bridge so that I can insert it here (too clever for me).
Might just copy chunks out at different times so we can all consider it!
It's evasive and dismissive even by HMRC's standards. Still, than in itself comdemns them.
More later...
Morpheus : Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.
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Alan the Geordie
Da Purple one
2787 Posts |
Posted - 28/09/2007 : 13:05:36
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<<It's evasive and dismissive even by HMRC's standards. Still, than in itself comdemns them.>>
They're digging an already deep hole even deeper for themselves.
"Broons aall roond f'th' lads an' mind ye divvent drop yer dottles on th' new proggy mat!!"
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Larn-Yersel-Geordie-Scott-Dobson/dp/0946928010 |
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 29/09/2007 : 19:56:20
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Tracy Gale's letter - some 'highlights' for you:
Minutes of Meeting
...I am afraid I am unable to meet your request...
Threshold for writing off overpayments
Our overall policy...is not to publish thresholds about the point at which decisions are made not to recover overpayments. This...has the potential to open up avenues for systemic abuse...
Targets for reclaiming overpayments
We have no targets for reclaiming overpayments. Each case is dealt with on its merits...
I am afraid it is not possible for you to visit the overpayments dispute team...because of the need for customer confidentiality...
With regard to the number of disputed overpayments written off, Ministers have given figures in answers to parliamentary questions...[ie. we're not telling you!]
Proposed Amnesty for Overpayments
...I am unable to go into any further detail about the matters covered [in meetings with Ministers]...as discussions between officials and Ministers are confidential.
Alleged discourtesy of a member of my team
...I do not actually accept that any member of my tteam displayed discourtesy during the meeting with you...
Handling of Complaints and Disputes
We have Service Delivery Agreement targets...published in our Annual Report which is available on our website... [Don't make it easy for us, then.]
Lost Calls
...Very occasionally, there may be difficulty retrieving a recorded call..[for 'very occasionally', read 'very often, if there is significant evidence in that call that the claimant was right'...]
...etc., etc. Have you had enough yet?
(fonts changed)
Morpheus : Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.
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Edited by - Ali M-W on 29/09/2007 19:58:55 |
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auntieh
Rank; Really should become a politician
United Kingdom
619 Posts |
Posted - 29/09/2007 : 21:36:04
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Hiding behind a giant smokescreen in my opinion. And what about the systemic abuse of claimants by the shambolic workings of HMRC?
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onlimee
Rank; Hector Tax Inspector
44 Posts |
Posted - 30/09/2007 : 21:50:49
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Ali
Sammy's managed to show a copy of letters he's received by scanning them in and putting a link on here - if you fancy reproducing your letter from TG that way maybe he could explain how to do it?
May save you time and your eyesight ? lol |
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sammy
Rank; Really should become a politician
690 Posts |
Posted - 30/09/2007 : 23:44:23
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I can't really explain how to do it without knowing which software you use particularly if there is several pages to scan. But if you are able to scan, send them to me, in order. ie image1.jpeg(=page1) image2.jpeg(=page2) etc...
I will format so they are all on one page, if you want to do it yourself you could upload to a free server
http://imageshack.us/
When you link to it from this forum you need to put the url between image tags, the code can be found on the link to the left of the message box --Forum Code is ON
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 01/10/2007 : 21:36:11
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Sammy, thanks for that, but I might just leave the technical stuff to the experts. I'll email the letter to you asap and see if you can get it posted on the forum, so we can get the comments flowing.
HMRC were supposed to send me an emailable version, but they were supposed to do a lot of things, and they may well be trying to make it awkward to share the letter as I would wish to.
Morpheus : Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.
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HMRC Response - Comments welcome
