Late filing charges - tax

[KAgantua]

recieved a letter from taxman today saying i owe 1500 for not filing a tax return year ending 5 april 2015

£900 3 months late
£300 6 months late
£300 12 monhts late

I do rent out a room out but earn under the 'renta room scheme'' threshold. my only other income is paye salary.

I am pretty sure i was not even renting out a room at this time.

Why are they sending me this?

[James_B]

Were you asked to file a return?

[KAgantua]

No.

[James_B]

Then call them, and ask why they are dining you when they never requested a return.

I understand that if you call when they open that you will likely get straight through.

[Eric Mc]

I bet they will tell you that they did send you a notice to complete a return. If they do, ask them to give you copies of the notices the sent to you and the dates they were issued - and the address or addresses to which they were sent.

Once HMRC has issued a Notice to Complete a Tax Return, the basic assumption is that you MUST submit that return. If you feel that there is no need for you to complete a tax return, you can contact HMRC and explain to them why you think you don't need to complete a return. If they agree with your argument, they will cancel the Notice. HOWEVER, this is all best done before any filing deadline dates rather than after.

For you to be receiving such high penalty notices, I have to ask, did they not send you penalty notices at earlier stages in the proceedings?

Did you change your home address at any time over the past few years and, if you did, did you notify HMRC of your change of address?

It would be very strange and unusual for a taxpayer's to discover that they should have been submitting a 2014/15 tax return three years later.

[KAgantua]

Just rang them - they have explained pretty much what you said above.

I never realised you had to inform them that you no longer need to file a tax return.

I have moved addresses before 2015.

They have siad they will send me the forms for that year, and I can then submit my return, after that i can appeal the penalty.

think its bks they fire off penalties like this - and no i most certainly do not earn over 100k

[James_B]

If you to,d them that you moved then you should speak to them again.

[Eric Mc]

The most important word in the expression "Self Assessment" is the word "Self".

The legislation basically puts the onus on managing one's tax affairs completely on the tax payer.

It's amazing that after 23 years of the system, not many people understand the implications of this.