Are HMRC always this incompetent?

[Marcellus]

I know the answer but have to get this one off my chest!!

We had a new employee join us on 1st July and they've taken a massive salary cut.
They are due an PAYE refund each month which is larger than their salary.
We as their employer have to pay it to them and then claim it back from HMRC.
So far there have been 3 pay days (1st August, 1st September and 1st October)
I have received the refund from HMRC via direct bank credit for the 1st September and 1st October refunds so 2/3 are OK.

No for the incompentance;
The first payment was sent sent by cheque to an old company premises that were vacated 4 years ago and even the PAYE person said they couldn't see on their system!
This mistake was spotted 4 days after it was issued and HMRC agreed to cancel the cheque and pay the sum by bank credit.
This has never been recieved.
We have this week spoken to HMRC who now claim that it is all too confusing and they can't do anything about it until the end of this financial year.
We started our financial year on the 1st September so we'll have to wait over 12 months for them now to do what they;d already agreed to do

It's 3 transactions for 1 employee, surely it's simple!!

1st payment
Payment to company by HMRC
Payment to employee by Company - done

2nd Payment
Payment to company by HMRC - done
Payment to employee by Company - done

3rd Payment
Payment to company by HMRC - done
Payment to employee by Company - done

ooo look there's one missing and you're system says you sent it to an address that has been demolished!!!

ARE THEY REALLY THAT THICK THAT THEY'RE CONFUSED??

(sorry for the minor rant, I'll get on with my day now, I'm just pissed off that their cock up has to be covered by my cashflow)

[LeighW]

I deal with HMRC day in, day out and it really depends on who you get on the other end of the line. The problem is that most staff are just trained to operate the system on the screen in front of them, so if the 'computer says no', you're struggling! That said, I would stick at it if I were you, and call again until you get somewhere. By the way, the financial year for your PAYE will end on 5th April, it has nothing to do with your company's accounting year.

[Du1point8]

It just took me 6 months to shut my old company down... the reason why... HMRC dragging their heels about paying me a rebate, strange that when they want money off me, its 7 days for the demand, when I want it back its 6 months of them umming and aching about it before sending the money to the wrong address.

[zedstar]

Yes they are - I submitted a CT600 Corporation Tax return for a client and then he got fined for not submitting it
I phoned them up and told them I had the submission number so could they find it, CT said talk to the online helpdesk
Online helpdesk confirmed it had bene received and should be at the appropriate CT section
Call CT back and tell them this, lady on the phone tells me no it has not and thats that. When I point out about the submission number and online dept the lady asks me to stop 'very rude and patronising'. I ask to speak to anyone else instead and then she suddenly becomes helpful and says she will escalate it.
Escalation people call in a week and ask me to resubmit it as although it's been received they have no idea where it is.
I ring the software provider who tells me how to do it.
It works! Client then gets another fine for late submission.
I write in and explain the situation.
HMRC write back and say something like 'on this occasion we are willing to cancel the penalty, please submit all returns on time in future as no more allowances will be given'
Its a nightmare dealing with them.