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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to stage a sit-in in this accountant's offices?

5 replies

Wheezo · 30/05/2012 14:38

Last year I settled out of court for a substantial sum for workplace bullying and sex discrimination (would have been life-changing for me and enable me to set up own business to escape the fear of ever being in a situation where a boss could grind me down in the same way ever again). However, HMRC, despite having received all the details back in August last year, have still failed to make a decision and I am still waiting to be refunded over 50% of the settlement because it is classed as a termination of employment on grounds of psychiatric injury (they have plenty of GP and psychiatric consultant's letters to back this up) and is therefore not classed as taxable income and I should never have been taxed on it (obv I was taxed on payments like notice period in lieu at source).

The accountants I paid to deal with HMRC on my behalf wrote one letter in August, which HMRC lost and now, due to me having spent a good 8 hours on the phone to HMRC over the past week I now realise that the accountants over the past 9 months have done very little else in pursuing a decision and have been fobbing me off and not even replied to HMRC's requests in October to resend originals. ALso to the extent that when I asked the accountants why they were unable to provide me with case notes of contact with HMRC they had made on my behalf (e.g. notes of telephone conversations they say they have made) they sent me an email saying they had made approx 13 calls on my behalf since November but had stopped making any notes on my file because 'they weren't getting anywhere'. I'm afraid a bit of the old red mist descended at that point and hopped onto my high horse and had a rant about professional negligence, duties of care, neglect of duty etc over the phone to one of the partners. No swearing (can generally contain myself when not on MN) and no nastiness but obviously very angry. I said I would be coming into the office until someone sat down with me face to face and explained what had gone on and that I would like a cheque back for the money I had spent with them this far. He said no one would be free to see me and he would get back to me when someone would. 24 hours later and no call back.

Am thinking of packing a rucksack and a picnic and staging a 1-woman, 1-toddler sit in with DS in reception until someone does see me? AIBU? Is it unreasonable to expect a professional to keep a client's case notes up to date even minimally?

I am now in the position of HMRC saying accountants are lying and accountants saying HMRC are lying. I have had nine months of being fobbed off now I feel. What more can I do?

OP posts:
CinnyCall · 30/05/2012 14:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PurplePidjin · 30/05/2012 15:40

Accountant take exams and stuff, is it the Chartered Institute?? The bodies they're registered with will be on their website, anyway, I suggest you take it up with them.

No need to put yourself through all the hassle of a sit in protest unless you've got half a dozen 6' 20st heavily tattooed brothers on speed dial, in which case please post video footage asap :o

fruitysummer · 30/05/2012 16:08

I work for a firm of accountants.

I would suggest you do turn up at their offices, they have been grossly unprofessional in not ringing you back. I am also surprised they billed you before the work was complete. They should definately be apologising to you and offering you some sort of refund (we would).

However, I strongly suspect that it is in fact HMRC who have fucked up. They are a law unto themselves and will blame whoever they can as basically they like to keep hold of money for as long as possible.

HTH

Wheezo · 30/05/2012 22:51

No one would come down to see me. I wasn't allowed up to the offices. Basically I waited 40 minutes, got my file, disengaged them and left but not before having to clean their kitchen sink thoroughly. Kind of ruined my righteous stride.

Hmmm so not quite the sit-in I planned, more of an unanticipated dirty protest Blush and not even on DS's part. . I think my physical reactions to stress are way off and I just don't know how to control them now. So on top of getting red raging crust on my scalp, across my eyebrows (yes - an alluring monobrow of angry sore skin any leprosy-ridden Klingon would be proud of) and in my ears and then my hair falling out I now appear to have the power to vomit once I hit a certain level - which I had to do in the reception kitchenette sink.

fruity This has been the accountants' line the whole time - HMRC are shit - but in 4 admittedly extremely frustrating godforsaken hours yesterday on the phone to HMRC trying every trick in the book and sending a 34 page fax, I had raised a complaint, got the name of the elusive Technician who had been initially dealing with my case , faxed them a Data Subject Access Request to get them on their toes pulling all their information together and today I got a call back from someone who, well, she sounded alive and able to count fax pages and advised me to send everything through recorded delivery direct to her. So there might be some light at the end of the tunnel if I can keep pursuing it. I just genuinely don't know if I am being unreasonable to have expected proper note-taking for the past 7 months out of the 9 months they have been dealing with it? I take notes on everything to do with cases I am dealing with, I wouldn't feel comfortable not doing so and I don't remotely consider myself a perfectionist at work [state of desk is shocking].

OP posts:
FeakAndWeeble · 31/05/2012 07:22

I have no experience of any of this and absolutely no sensible advice to offer you, just wanted to give you a virtual hug because this sounds utterly crap. Well done for having the strength of mind to keep battling and very well done for puking in their sink. Though you do know that for a proper dirty protest you shouldn't have cleaned it Wink

Hope it all gets sorted for you soon. And congratulations on winning your law suit Smile

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