This topic was closed on 10 March 2019. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 03/08/19. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

Thanks everyone that has replied... i ang the tax office and they suggested the reduction of payments, but didnt explian it very well. She was basically saying if she did that, id then be in credit, but i'd still be paying them interest... made no sense to me, but its my own fault for not reading up on this kind of thing. I suggested i fill in my return online and get the instant calculation, then give them the ref number and they can then see that my tax is less than the £550 i've already paid and clear the statement they sent me. I may be due a refund, but i'll most likely have to pay class 4 NI and if they are doing this 'in advance' thing, probably a further £150 odd. I dont know why they do the in advance thing, its a bit cheeky... and im guessing its in part to make it all more complicated for people to understand so they get money quicker or something.

Today i got a self assesssment statement of account throygh, saying i owe them £550 by 31st July this year. I thought this was a bit odd since i havent even filled in my tax return and sent it off yet ( i'm self employed, so i cant talk to an employer about this). I rang up inland revenue and they explained to me that i pay in advance for the following year. Basically last year my tax was £1100, but i was charged £1650 (which i thought was right, since i couldnt understand the form etc).... so i paid the £1650 and thought nothing of it. However it turns out the extra £550 was part payment towards this years tax return and the second payment of £550 is due now in the next two weeks, or else it will incur interest. All this is done on them assuming i'll make enough money this year to be paying £1100 tax again or higher. They'ev said if i owe more tax i just pay the extra, if i owe less tax i get a refund. However my problem is thus... due to various factors i have had a very very bad business year and as such, my profits are very low and so is my tax (as i've worked that out roughly already)... my tax this year is only going to be about £345 at the most and i dont have that aside, as i was earning so little it had to be used to pay the rent and i figured i'd have until jan now to save that up while business gets back on track... so now i'm supposed to find £550 of which i dont have in the next two weeks or i get charged interest for money i dont even owe them! Does anyone have any constructive advice? or can point me to another forum that deals more with tax issues etc?

Thanks, thats made things alot clearer

Well i'm not sure what step i'm at.. just recieved word back after having sent LBA (see above for reply)... so i'm assuming i'm going to step 3 and thats filing the claim against them yes? Is that the part where i actually go to court? or could i still potentially get a refund before i gets that far?

I dont suppose someone could point me at the steps of action again, i cant find it?

Ok... I emailed Charles Bacon the other day with my LBA. Today i get through the post a reply from Pat Everett saying. 'Your complaint has been sent to me by Deborah Desborough, Team Manager, member Account Servicing. I've just recieved the papers and will be reviewing them as soon as possible. Once i've finished, I'll write to you with my findings. The Financial services Authority (FSA) allows us 8 weeks to investigate before you have the right to ask the Financial Ombudsman to review your case. this ends on 16th June 2006, and we expect to be able to reply to you by then if not sooner.' Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Thanks, thats given me a bit more confidence about it all now

All in the subject line thanks.

I guess maybe they just dont have time to reply to everyone. However he'll have to reply to mine, since i closed my account.

Just a little update... I sent the premliminary letter for repayment on the 15th April, Had no reply so i sent the letter before action directly to Charles bacon via email. Since a few people seem to have had success this way i think it is the best contact to use. Fingers crossed i get the same result as others.

Hi, Whats the address for Charles Bacon? I'm having no success from my branch. Congrats too, its great when people get their money back

Ok, its been 14 days since the first letter was sent, given it would have taken a day to get there, i'm giving it until tomorrow to recieve a reply. If i get no letter back tomorrow then i can either send the letter before action or i am tempted to send the original letter again, but to one of the people who's names keeps cropping up in the replies people are getting. Also, just a quick point... there was something mentioned in the news about banks getting excessive amounts of complaints recently, so obviously everyone is catching on. However there was talk of the banks giving refunds on the condition that the person sign a non disclosure agreement. I am assuming if this is the case then you are still entitled to the refund without signing this agreement. Its disgusting, and i'm fighting them all the way!

Thanks, that makes sense.