Handyman 0 - Angle Grinder 1.

Merely sending a return late is *not* sufficient grounds for them to issue a fine, you have to actually them some tax too, whenever you do send the return, so long as it turns out you owe nothing, they backtrack all the fines they've threatened. Alternatively send them a cheque which will more than cover what you owe and even if your return is late they still can't fine you.

No - Newcastle.

My accountant gets spares. He used to work for the revenue.;-)

Don't think my guy understands e-mail. Brown envelopes with actual stamps on them - usually lots of small values. I daren't ask why.

Years ago I kept getting threats about fines for a late submission, but I'd delivered it by hand (in time) along with a cheque and got a receipt. The cheque was cashed. I wrote explaining this but couldn't stop the computer spewing out those letters.

Does he feel better now he's gone straight?

If like my accountant (who never has); does he berate how their professional standards have deteriorated over the last few years?

Paper trail..... Letters, faxes OK. Emails not.

It gives him quite an advantage in knowing just how to deal with them.

His opinion of them can't be printed where children might read.

There's nothing to stop you printing an e-mail, though. And I'm not sure a sig on a fax would be any proof.

Same here.

I'm not sure as far as HMRC are concerned, although AIUI, generally letters and faxes are deemed acceptable legal documents whereas emails are not.

There's a lot of inconsistency though - HMRC accept submission of returns on line for example.

I would find it very convenient to communicate with my bank manager by email, and his bank uses email internally. However, he is not allowed to accept external emails from customers. I can understand that, but one would think that they could accept messages from customers using online banking once past the username/password/PIN stage. Their system even knows which manager is assigned to my accounts.

Who is in Newcastle tax wise? Compliance for Lorimar letters is definately Salford, I've just checked my latest letter from Sept last year.

I've got two tax orifices - one's in Wrexham and the other, ISTR is in Sheffield. I don't think they speak to one another. Probably a language issue.

You mean they don't speak Geordie or Mackem? ;-)

Which bank? I may have good news for you ...

(Send me an email if you don't want to talk about it in public)

The one with the recycling logo.

Ah. I used to deal with a branch of that one. They turned their fax machine off overnight "to save on the telephone bill".

Didn't do much for my phone bill, only being able to fax during peak rate.

Owain

My branch told *me* it was for security reasons. I imagined a burglar faxing himself into the branch in the dead of night, but on reflection I think that the cheapskates had their fax machine attached to the phone line that the intruder alarm used for dialling out.

Well.... other than the email thing, I really don't have any complaints. For example, I can reach the manager handling my accounts pretty much at any time either on his landline or mobile, and any issues are generally fixed PDQ.

From what I've seen of "bank managers" these days, I can't imagine a use for them

I think it depends. I seem to have a particularly good one.

Security reasons is the usual blame and/or catch all for any silly buggers idea or incompetence they want to cover up or gloss over.

Rarely does it have anything at all to do with security!...

I have a "relationship" manager somewhere .. bu**ered if I know where he is 'tho!..

Don't you keep it in the wardrobe?