How do I give money to someone who doesn't want it?
Discussion
I rent a little bit of land to a government department for an annual rent. They have never been very organised in paying up and often need chasing. This year, they were late again and when I chased it, I was referred to a private accounting firm which has taken over all payments from now on. I contacted the private firm and was very promptly paid this and last year's rent.
Problem is that I was already paid last year's rent (albeit a few months late after lots of chasing and no accompanying paperwork) directly by the government department. Since then I've tried to sort it out several times but just been bounced around various people all of whom either ignore my correspondence or refer it on to someone else who in turn ignores it too. Basically, government employees are saying " nothing to do with us now, it's all been passed to the accountant," and the accountants are saying "nothing to do with us, that was before we took on the contract".
Now I'm not one to turn down a few thousand pounds of free money, but I'm sure it would come back and bite me sometime in the future if I were just to forget it and pocket the cash.
Any advice on how to give it back?
Problem is that I was already paid last year's rent (albeit a few months late after lots of chasing and no accompanying paperwork) directly by the government department. Since then I've tried to sort it out several times but just been bounced around various people all of whom either ignore my correspondence or refer it on to someone else who in turn ignores it too. Basically, government employees are saying " nothing to do with us now, it's all been passed to the accountant," and the accountants are saying "nothing to do with us, that was before we took on the contract".
Now I'm not one to turn down a few thousand pounds of free money, but I'm sure it would come back and bite me sometime in the future if I were just to forget it and pocket the cash.
Any advice on how to give it back?
Edited by Desiderata on Tuesday 7th September 09:09
boyse7en said:
blue_haddock said:
Send them a cheque, if they bank it your sorted and if not your in the clear.
Send the cheque to who? The accountants or some body at the council? I think that is the tricky bit that the OP is trying to find out.
They might get their act together, but my experience of local government says they p[probably wont.I would send them both a recorded deliver letter saying they have overpaid you and you would like to pay it back.
If they don't come back to you stick it in a savings account and sit on if for when they finally do realise you have their money.
You shouldn't have to keep chasing them. You've done your bit and been honest, and you're not trying to keep the money.
If they don't come back to you stick it in a savings account and sit on if for when they finally do realise you have their money.
You shouldn't have to keep chasing them. You've done your bit and been honest, and you're not trying to keep the money.
98elise said:
I would send them both a recorded deliver letter saying they have overpaid you and you would like to pay it back.
If they don't come back to you stick it in a savings account and sit on if for when they finally do realise you have their money.
You shouldn't have to keep chasing them. You've done your bit and been honest, and you're not trying to keep the money.
That's what I'd recommend as well. I had a similar situation a couple of years back when I changed mortgage providers and ended up with approx £10k that should have gone to the previous mortgage provider. I called them several times and they were insistent it wasn't there's so I sent that letter and stuck it in a savings account. Sure enough 4 months later they called up and I transferred them the money.If they don't come back to you stick it in a savings account and sit on if for when they finally do realise you have their money.
You shouldn't have to keep chasing them. You've done your bit and been honest, and you're not trying to keep the money.
Desiderata said:
I'm afraid it's not enough for a Ferrari, not even a second hand one 
. Just enough to be a pain in the neck trying to balance my books. It was paid into my business account so I'm trying to work out how to account for it in my tax return etc.
Call it deferred revenue. No tax implication and, as I said, you can hold it against next year's rent. . Just enough to be a pain in the neck trying to balance my books. It was paid into my business account so I'm trying to work out how to account for it in my tax return etc. Gassing Station | Finance | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff