I have a cleaner who comes in for 2 hours every week. She is a nice woman, although her English is poor so communication with her is difficult. Her DH is a sub contractor, and is classified as self employed. He is paid by the main contractor who deduct a certain % for tax and return it to revenue. He can then claim back the tax if his earnings don't reach a certain level. I know this couple are struggling financially. He has worked very sporadically over the last couple of years.
I am an accountant and although I am not specialised in tax I do know a fair bit more about general taxation and budgeting than the lay person. A while ago I offered to check a minor tax point for them, which would have involved me looking at one piece of correspondence and confirming that they were getting a credit they were entitled to. I told my cleaner to bring that letter next week and I'd take a look.
Meanwhile the revenue commissionners had told her DH that until he had brought his income and VAT returns up to date he would not be receiving any refunds.
So a couple of days later he arrives on my door step unannounced. I had never met him before. He introduced himself and I assumed he had come with the letter he discussed with his wife but actually it was a folder full of income and expense details for the past few years as well as the income tax forms sent out by revenue. I was caught on the hop a bit but told him to leave it with me and I would take a look.
A few days later he turned up again, also unannounced. This time he just walked straight in without being invited and showed me some VAT return firms he had been sent. I knew at this stage they were desperate for the money so I decided to help them out. I spent most of that morning with him filling out income tax and vat returns and on the phone to revenue trying to sort it all out. During this I showed him how the forms should be filled out.
A couple of weeks later his wife told me he had received more correspondance. She asked if he could call down. I said know I was busy but if she brought it the following week I would take a look. This was ignored and again he just showed up unannounced. Again he tried to walk in. I stepped into the door so he couldn't get in. He showed my the letters. I took a look and told him quickly what he had to do, and he went off.
This morning his wife asked could he call today. I said no as I was out. I was out all morning and after picking DS1 up from Montessori returned home as he has a quick snack before we leave for basketball. This man was waiting in a car outside the house when I got back. Again with a folder full of stuff looking for me to do a tax return for 2011.
I was exasperated. I told him that. Ad shown him how t complete the forms and he should be able to do it himself. He said he couldn't. Finally I said that I normally charge for this sort of work, and i don't do it for free. He seemed to accept this and left.
I don't want to he them out anymore for the following reasons
1 The requests just keep coming. it seems I will be there designated go to person for all tax issues and I don't want to do this. My friend who the woman also works for has helped out in the past and is now getting calls from him to sort out all sorts from car insurance to clamping to landlord problems. Also they are asking her for money now
2 I do not like people arriving at my house unannounced and unwilling to accept no for an answers. Especially when he just walks in.
3 I know that he is not declaring all his income on the tax returns. Although I am not signing off on them and am therefore not responsible for the contents I am unwilling to be involved at all with fraudulent tax returns.
So sorry for the novel. I feel like a total bitch now. AIBU to refuse to help them out anymore?