To think HMRC are incredibly rude and unhelpful?

[RudeyU]

As a small business owner there have been a few times where I've needed to speak to HMRC for advice on a couple of things.

Every time I speak to them, no matter whether I get different advisors or not, they are incredibly rude, sarcastic and patronising. Is it a condition of working there?

I don't think I have had one useful bit of help or advice from them any time I've contacted them, I'm not sure why on earth they even have an advice line as it just seems an absolute chore for anyone who works there to actually help you or advise you on anything.

Has anyone else had this problem? I've never been spoken to the way they seem to! Is it because you're not a customer and they get their money either way so they just don't give a shit?

Yanbu they can be awful

Or amazing but never just neutral

YABU

I've always found them extremely pleasant and helpful.

Honestly I have never been spoken to so appallingly. Just a simple request for some advice is met with sarcasm and rude replies every time. And that's if the advisor doesn't put the phone down the second you get through.

I've always found them super nice and helpful! I called in a panic about documentation I needed for mortgage urgently and the chap was so helpful and efficient. But I guess there are always poor members of staff in big organisations so some of it might just be luck.

Perhaps the reason for your call or the capacity in which you are calling makes a difference. I had to deal with them a lot in my old job and never found them particularly bad. But then I wasn't calling as a tax payer, I was calling in a professional capacity.

But since being self employed I've found them absolutely awful to speak to.

I'm SE and have called them a few times but haven't since Covid hit so maybe something has happened with their processes or they've taken on more staff who haven't been properly trained to meet demand.

You actually.spoke.to.them???
How did this magic occur?

I've called a couple of times recently just to double check some info, in a sort of "I've read this but can you just confirm I've understood X correctly" or similar and the replies I get are just horrible.

Things like "well it's there in black and white" or "it's not a surprise that we charge you tax" (never said it was and it actually turned out they'd made a mistake that time hence why I was calling to check!). Consistently spoken over too.

Why have an advice line at all if you're just supposed to know everything already and never ask a question or for clarification on anything?

I'm self employed and always found them extremely helpful and patient. Even when I called with a really stupid problem that was my own fault. That was about a year ago.
Maybe you have been unlucky

Perhaps I have just been unlucky then!

They very obviously just put the phone down as well when the call comes through!

Me too. I've recently started helping out in a Probate Dept and have had to call them not really knowing what I'm talking about and they've been nothing but super helpful and patient with me on every occasion. In fact, I mentioned it to me boss not that long ago how surprised I was that they are easily contactable and so helpful

In my 15+ years as a tax advisor I've always found any individual at HMRC a pleasure to deal with and they will try and help you as much as they can. As an institution it can be clunky at times though.

@Justcallmebebes

Me too. I've recently started helping out in a Probate Dept and have had to call them not really knowing what I'm talking about and they've been nothing but super helpful and patient with me on every occasion. In fact, I mentioned it to me boss not that long ago how surprised I was that they are easily contactable and so helpful

See I think this must be where the capacity in which you're calling matters. Because I worked in a very similar field (another type of law) for years and dealt with them regularly and they were fine.

But since I've been contacting them about my own tax/business they have been appalling.

I run a small business and have found them really helpful
Even when I had a VAT inspection a few years ago and was a gibbering wreck the man who came was lovely

YABU. It's going to depend on your query and who you get answering the phone.

@cowburp

YABU. It's going to depend on your query and who you get answering the phone.

I don't really think my query should make a difference as to whether someone is rude to me or not though?

@haba

You actually.spoke.to.them??? How did this magic occur?

I was also amazed at this.

Depends if your question is rude/tax evading?

Haven't found them to be rude but I do object to waiting up to 60 minutes for my call to be answered.

@cowburp

Depends if your question is rude/tax evading?

Of course not.

The only things I've called about are asking if I've understood something in regards to VAT correctly and after I had a query about my self assessment. Neither were rude or tax evading. Simply asking for a bit of clarification or guidance.

Her Majesty's Robbing C*nts sums them up well

@RudeyU

Perhaps I have just been unlucky then!

They very obviously just put the phone down as well when the call comes through!

That absolutely is not true. It's likely a problem with the system.

I work for a charity and have a,ways found them very helpful and polite when I've needed to speak to them. Yep, think you e been unlucky OP

I’ve had amazing support on self assessment and on child benefit. On multiple occasions over a period of years. I’ve spoken to some incredibly lovely people who have gone out of their way to help. Never found it too bad to get through either. I am always well-prepared and extremely polite, which presumably helps.

I'm self employed and, even when asking for clarification of the most obvious or stultifying point, have found them to be really helpful. I usually end up having a laugh with them.

It was the same when I needed to talk about a large amount of money they said I owed. After a few calls we all agreed which bits of paper I needed to send in. At which point they send me a £500 rebate.

I can't have been lucky with who I got every time, can I?