I’m in the middle of finalising all of the business arrangements for techPolitics LLP, the new company for my website work. One aspect of that is VAT registration, and my accountants need an authorisation code from HM Revenue and Customs. Rather surprising then to collect my post and find 13 copies, yes 13, of the very same letter, all posted on the same day and all arriving on the same day… and all posted business second class, and hence all very delayed by the Christmas post. 1 copy, sent 1st class, would have been far preferable!
After now having received our 25th copy, I’ve spoken to them and they said it’s being ‘looked into’.. and that it’s been widely reported too. She certainly sounded very resigned when I mentioned it… and yes, it’s apparently due to computer error.
So let me see..
24 (so far!) at 25p each = £6 wasted.
Say its happened to 100 companies = £600 wasted.
It adds up quickly!
@Loz – strangely it doesn’t make me feel at all reassured that this is not a one-off occurrence! 🙁 But well done for 3 more copies than I received!
We have now received 16 copies of the same letter as you.
Utterly ridiculous! They are identical.. same content, same date – even though they were received over the course of a two week period…
Perhaps there’s a Daily Mail story in there somewhere…
@Ralf – thanks! Happy 2010 to you too!
@Chris – my accountant informed me that they have come across similar things before, apparently due to a computer error!? Anyway I hope all’s well for you and your new business ventures are going well!
I also have had letters like this in the past – I think 6 were sent to me – all identical from HMRC.
It’s nice to see that tax payers money is spent in such a useful manner.
Perhaps Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs service needs some techPolitics work to get up to scratch?
Merry Christmas, Jon. Thank you for many good blog posts, and a happy and prosperous new year 2010 to you!