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?

Honestly @RudeyU if you keep having the same issue with different advisors then I think the issue may be you. Either your perception of how you are treated is a bit off or maybe you are being difficult/rude.

My last dealings with them were around a decade ago. They were always very nice and helpful.

In that case it must just be the people you spoke to. But yes they shouldn't be rude.

@shiningjustforyou

Honestly *@RudeyU* if you keep having the same issue with different advisors then I think the issue may be you. Either your perception of how you are treated is a bit off or maybe you are being difficult/rude.

Yes I was thinking this. Maybe you are coming across a bit aggressive and getting their backs up?

I am always well-prepared and extremely polite, which presumably helps

Genuinely I always believe I am as well. I have never been rude or impolite, I used to get that myself from clients and know how it can be and have what I think is the information they'd need up and ready to give.

I even appreciate some questions to them may seem silly or obvious but it's no reason to patronise someone or be sarcastic.

Incredibly sensitive and helpful to me when I was widowed and left with a monstrous tax situation. Of the institutions I had to deal with they were by far the nicest. Sorry.

YANBU from my experience.

Having dealt with them through both work and personal situations for years, I find them absolutely tedious to deal with and very unhelpful. Same with most of my clients who have to go and speak to them directly, left on hold for ages and never come away from the call with any helpful advice or feeling any clearer regarding the info.

I mainly deal with one dept though so maybe others are better.

@roarfeckingroarr

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

Well, mistakes will get made from time to time in any human endeavour, but unless we pay tax we will not get the services the state provides. Even if we think those services could be better, being difficult about paying for them isn't the way to improve them.

Sorry, OP, another here who has always found them to be helpful and patient.

I had a few issues some years ago and had to make frequent calls to try to understand the situation. If anything they made it worse. Each person gave conflicting info, didn't send what they said they would etc.
At least I found ONE person, kept her direct contact details and had the matter sorted within weeks.
As a department they're incompetent, at best.

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

We had a similar problem with members of staff at my old workplace who had too many calls to answer doing this exact thing, when the calls came through they'd click to pick up then put it down straight away. It's not unheard of at all.

It's a miracle you can get through, they have closed so many offices there are hardly any staff left.

The problem is that tax is too complicated and the telephone advisors aren't properly trained. So, most of the time, they don't know any more than the caller, hence just parrot what the guidance says, which is what anyone can do from looking at their website.

When challenged for more clarity etc., rather than admit they don't know, they go into "arrogant" mode and just say the same, or that "it's obvious" or get aggressive, all as a diversion from them simply not knowing the answer.

YANBU, 90% of the time they are rude, dismissive and unhelpful. Occasionally perhaps you might get through to one who is a decent human being, usually a newish recruit who hasn't been ground down yet.

I think part of the problem is the a large proportion of their "customers" are either trying it on, too lazy to sort their problem out themselves or just plain stupid. It's a similar thing with benefits staff and receptionists in doctors' surgeries, they know most of the people who they are dealing with are dishonest (whether deliberately or genuinely believe their lies) and so they adopt a standoffish attitude to try to shut down the deceit.

I'll never forget the first time I had to go to the tax office to sort out the mistake they'd made (this was nearly 20 years ago, when it was still possible to see them face to face). The smug, dismissive lady who "helped" me was most put out when she found that I knew exactly what the problem was and had all the evidence required to prove it. She was almost shaking with rage when I showed her my 100% accurate calculations, especially after she'd checked them three times in the forlorn hope of finding my mistake.

I'll never forget her, mainly because she was the most competent tax official I have ever dealt with...

By the way, I've been an accountant for nearly 40 years, and HMRC "customer service" has nose-dived ever since Brown merged the different tax quangos, closed down the local offices and centralised it all in huge call centres, thus making huge numbers of experienced tax inspectors redundant in the process!

I'm self employed and have always found them helpful and pleasant.

I'm SE and have spoken with HMRC occasionally. I've always found them pleasant and helpful

They tried to fine me and charge me for tax I didn't owe.

I couldn't speak to them by phone - couldn't get through at all.

I wrote them a letter. The corrected it all (eventually) but didn't apologise at any time.

They can send you a message in the online system - but you cannot reply - you have to try and phone, use online chat or write a letter - how stupid is that?

They are not fit for purpose at all.

Tax is stupidly complex as well.

I'm currently having an issue at the moment - if anybody has got a number that is 100% foolproof to get through on, please share !!!!

Only spoke to them once (called during dinner time which is quieter) and they were helpful and polite

Unhelpful- definitely.
Rude- no.

DS did not receive his NI number in time for starting his job just after his 16TH birthday. We went round in circles trying to get it. Took 3 phone calls. Several times I was asked to use the online system, to access it we needed his NI number!

I only deal with HMRC for self-assessment and never had to speak to anyone. My husband and brother both run businesses and always say HMRC are easy to deal with on the business side, but they ae normally speaking to HMRC because of an issue HMRC have caused rather than anything else.

I’ve always found them helpful but I hear that morale is very low amongst front line telephone staff and lots of them want out. Sometimes that worn-down, deflated attitude comes across whether the adviser means it to or not.

Navigating the maze of a menu system to get through to a person not a recorded message is a trial, but I've found the advisors unfailing helpful and patient.

I have never found them anything but polite and helpful and, in some instances, have actually gone well over and beyond to help me.

Could it be you, OP?

I do agree that having low morale can come across that way. A customer told me I came across as not caring. I 100% cared but was feeling very down about not being able to help them (and the situation generally). I think maybe I wasn’t as sympathetic as I would normally be. And then when I said I did care I think I just came across as defensive.