The Student Room Group

HMRC contacting my Managing Director...

So I started a new job just over a month ago, and like many people I'm sure, forgot to update HMRC on my new job. They sent a letter asking me to inform them when I started working, which I'm happy to do - I simply forgot. New job and resultant probation period, not much is on your mind apart from building a good working reputation. I had no intention of dodging HMRC of course - I'm fully aware they keep up to date records of your employment status.

This morning I was horrified to receive an email from my managing director - i.e. the guy sitting at the top of my company! - informing me that student loans had just gotten in touch with him in order to arrange student loan payment! As I began to read the email I could feel my blood boiling. They have tarnished my reputation here at work; no one can tell me it is not a poor representation of yourself to have your very busy MD having to deal with your paltry £16 a month loan repayment, as if you are incapable of sorting it yourself. My wife tells me they took hers automatically when she started at her new job.

The thing with these governmental bodies is that any form of complaint falls on dead ears - any advice on how I can deal with this??! I'm pretty sure if I did, their only answer would be "tough s***."

Thanks in advance,

Jason
Original post by Jason A
So I started a new job just over a month ago, and like many people I'm sure, forgot to update HMRC on my new job. They sent a letter asking me to inform them when I started working, which I'm happy to do - I simply forgot. New job and resultant probation period, not much is on your mind apart from building a good working reputation. I had no intention of dodging HMRC of course - I'm fully aware they keep up to date records of your employment status.

This morning I was horrified to receive an email from my managing director - i.e. the guy sitting at the top of my company! - informing me that student loans had just gotten in touch with him in order to arrange student loan payment! As I began to read the email I could feel my blood boiling. They have tarnished my reputation here at work; no one can tell me it is not a poor representation of yourself to have your very busy MD having to deal with your paltry £16 a month loan repayment, as if you are incapable of sorting it yourself. My wife tells me they took hers automatically when she started at her new job.

The thing with these governmental bodies is that any form of complaint falls on dead ears - any advice on how I can deal with this??! I'm pretty sure if I did, their only answer would be "tough s***."

Thanks in advance,

Jason


Hi Jason,
It's something they can do as a standard thing, I don't earn enough to make repayments and my manager still got a letter when they should have recognised that monthly i couldn't have been earning enough anyway. HR stuff is part of running a business so i wouldn't be overly embarrassed by it, if you're really concerned send them a nice email explaining you'll call HMRC and student finance to rectify the issue as soon as possible.
Reply 2
Original post by claireestelle
Hi Jason,
It's something they can do as a standard thing, I don't earn enough to make repayments and my manager still got a letter when they should have recognised that monthly i couldn't have been earning enough anyway. HR stuff is part of running a business so i wouldn't be overly embarrassed by it, if you're really concerned send them a nice email explaining you'll call HMRC and student finance to rectify the issue as soon as possible.


Thanks for your response Claire.
I'd be more understanding if they did contact my manager. But instead they recklessly went straight to the most senior individual they could have possibly spoken to. If I were working for Facebook, you think it would be totally chill if they went straight to Mark Zuckerberg to discuss my student loan? Heck no!
I'd love to call them up and rectify the issue, but I'm not sure any sort of phone call can turn back time or undo any tarnishing of reputation I might have endured as a result of this. My MD likely thinks I can't even tie my own shoelaces after this! As I suspected - the answer to my question is "tough s***".

It's a bit like when something negative happens, and you're told it won't be held against you - then lo and behold something else happens a year later and guess what! "Remember that time last year when.."
Reply 3
Original post by Jason A
So I started a new job just over a month ago, and like many people I'm sure, forgot to update HMRC on my new job. They sent a letter asking me to inform them when I started working, which I'm happy to do - I simply forgot. New job and resultant probation period, not much is on your mind apart from building a good working reputation. I had no intention of dodging HMRC of course - I'm fully aware they keep up to date records of your employment status.

This morning I was horrified to receive an email from my managing director - i.e. the guy sitting at the top of my company! - informing me that student loans had just gotten in touch with him in order to arrange student loan payment! As I began to read the email I could feel my blood boiling. They have tarnished my reputation here at work; no one can tell me it is not a poor representation of yourself to have your very busy MD having to deal with your paltry £16 a month loan repayment, as if you are incapable of sorting it yourself. My wife tells me they took hers automatically when she started at her new job.

The thing with these governmental bodies is that any form of complaint falls on dead ears - any advice on how I can deal with this??! I'm pretty sure if I did, their only answer would be "tough s***."

Thanks in advance,

Jason
This is all completely normal - it doesn't damage your reputaion or credibility. Just send a response to your MD apologizing, explaining it had simply slipped your mind. At the end of the day if it had been a big problem your MD would have sent you an email railing at you for making more work for him.

Seems odd that they would do that though. Your place of work is supposed to deal with DWP and HMRC (iirc) and HMRC inform SFE that you're earning, it's all automatic.
Reply 4
Original post by Jason A
Thanks for your response Claire.
I'd be more understanding if they did contact my manager. But instead they recklessly went straight to the most senior individual they could have possibly spoken to. If I were working for Facebook, you think it would be totally chill if they went straight to Mark Zuckerberg to discuss my student loan? Heck no!
I'd love to call them up and rectify the issue, but I'm not sure any sort of phone call can turn back time or undo any tarnishing of reputation I might have endured as a result of this. My MD likely thinks I can't even tie my own shoelaces after this! As I suspected - the answer to my question is "tough s***".

It's a bit like when something negative happens, and you're told it won't be held against you - then lo and behold something else happens a year later and guess what! "Remember that time last year when.."


They won't know who your line manager is though. They will have written a boilerplate letter to the Managing Director (probably unnamed). It's standard, and your MD probably receives them nearly every time they hire a new person who fails to notify HMRC correctly.

Simply send a short email to the MD apologising for the inconvenience. No big deal.
Reply 5
Original post by Tootles
This is all completely normal - it doesn't damage your reputaion or credibility. Just send a response to your MD apologizing, explaining it had simply slipped your mind. At the end of the day if it had been a big problem your MD would have sent you an email railing at you for making more work for him.

Seems odd that they would do that though. Your place of work is supposed to deal with DWP and HMRC (iirc) and HMRC inform SFE that you're earning, it's all automatic.


Exactly!!! It is odd! It was automatic for my wife. The email from the MD was perfectly calm and matter-of-fact, as is customary of him, and I immediately apologized. I'm just really annoyed that they didn't go to the HR department, or my superior, or even his superior, or reach me via the usual contact route found on our website. They went straight to the top.

Thanks HMRC! You'd better pray you don't take a single penny over or under the specified amount or I'm going straight to the Queen.
Reply 6
Original post by Jason A
Exactly!!! It is odd! It was automatic for my wife. The email from the MD was perfectly calm and matter-of-fact, as is customary of him, and I immediately apologized. I'm just really annoyed that they didn't go to the HR department, or my superior, or even his superior, or reach me via the usual contact route found on our website. They went straight to the top.

Thanks HMRC! You'd better pray you don't take a single penny over or under the specified amount or I'm going straight to the Queen.
They aren't customers and don't have time to mess around researching who person X's boss is. They go to the top because it's the easiest and simplest way of getting things sorted. Remember it's the government, it operates top-down not bottom-up.
Reply 7
Original post by Tootles
They aren't customers and don't have time to mess around researching who person X's boss is. They go to the top because it's the easiest and simplest way of getting things sorted. Remember it's the government, it operates top-down not bottom-up.


I don't expect them to research who my boss is - I expect them to direct their correspondence to me and not the friggin MD. Seriously, where does it go when people work for Facebook? Does Mark Zuckerberg have 35 hours in a day?
Reply 8
Original post by Jason A
I don't expect them to research who my boss is - I expect them to direct their correspondence to me and not the friggin MD. Seriously, where does it go when people work for Facebook? Does Mark Zuckerberg have 35 hours in a day?


Zuckerberg, as per most CEOs of large organisations, has a team that would deal with administrative letters/issues such as this.

Original post by Jason A
They sent a letter asking me to inform them when I started working, which I'm happy to do - I simply forgot.


They already did contact you. You ignored it.

However, seriously it's not worth the stress - move on, your MD has...
(edited 6 years ago)
Reply 9
Original post by Doonesbury
Zuckerberg, as per most CEOs of large organisations, has a team that would deal with administrative letters/issues such as this.



They already did contact you. You ignored it.

However, seriously it's not worth the stress - move on, your MD has...


Like I said, the answer to my original question is indeed "Tough ****". You can't quantify the effect it may have had. I just hope I don't screw up in any way now, or it will start to paint the picture that I'm incompetent.

And I didn't ignore it, I forgot about it - I didn't have a job when I received the letter. And like someone else said, it's usually automatic. That's why I'm pissed that it went to the MD, of all people.

I know Mark Zuckerberg himself doesn't receive the correspondence; I was being facetious, probably to keep myself sane.
Original post by Jason A
I don't expect them to research who my boss is - I expect them to direct their correspondence to me and not the friggin MD. Seriously, where does it go when people work for Facebook? Does Mark Zuckerberg have 35 hours in a day?


But in their eyes you haven't sorted it and you're not the one who needs to pay it. It comes out of your pay automatically so sending it to the guy at the top makes sense so then he can direct it to payroll rather than directing it to you..

Regarding facebook they're an American company. The American finance system works completely differently to ours and it's probably pretty easy to find the head of payroll for Facebook.
Reply 11
Original post by Jason A
I know Mark Zuckerberg himself doesn't receive the correspondence; I was being facetious, probably to keep myself sane.


How's that working out for you?

:wink:

Honestly, your MD won't care one iota.

What he will care about is you being sidetracked by the incident. Focus on your job, not moaning on TSR...
Reply 12
Original post by Doonesbury
How's that working out for you?

:wink:

Honestly, your MD won't care one iota.

What he will care about is you being sidetracked by the incident. Focus on your job, not moaning on TSR...


It's working great. Thanks to all for feedback. (Although, no thanks for accusing me of 'moaning' and being ignorant - would expect a mod to be a bit more impartial rather than being rude to people who are clearly distressed)
Reply 13
Original post by Jason A
It's working great. Thanks to all for feedback. (Although, no thanks for accusing me of 'moaning' and being ignorant - would expect a mod to be a bit more impartial rather than being rude to people who are clearly distressed)


I haven't accused you of being ignorant, I said you ignored a letter, which you did.

And you *are* having a moan, which you are certainly entitled to do. And now's the time to move on.

You are making it into a big thing. It really and truly isn't.
(edited 6 years ago)
Reply 14
Hi
When your new company submitted its monthly payroll under RTI to HMRC you will have appeared on their payroll for the first time as a new starter and as you have student loan repayments HMRC will have automatically sent notification to your employer telling them when to commence deductions. These come off your gross salary just as national insurance and income tax do and are paid by your employer to HMRC. It is routine for HMRC to be informed of new employment this way (ie by the employer). If you are self employed, then you need to tell HMRC

HMRC didn't send the letter to the MD - they sent it to the company representative name they have on file - he/she will receive all routine notifications and they will be dealt with by the payroll department. It does not reflect on you in any way - your company did you the courtesy of notifying you that student loan deductions are going to be taken - many don't, they just let it show on the next payslip.

There is nothing unusual about this and you have nothing to apologise for or be angry about. HMRC will write to your employer in the same way about a whole range of routine matters and exactly the same thing will happen to the next new recruit with a student loan, employee who gets an updated tax code etc.
(edited 5 years ago)
It's amazing how worked up people get over a payroll non issue, I'm so glad I don't work in it any more.

It's likely your MD is down as point of contact with SLC, nothing more nothing less and his email seems like him just being polite and letting you know.

As for not letting HMRC know you're working, that's fine, people forget these things when starting a job, but it's in your interest as otherwise you'll get hammered for tax until they know you're working and put you on the correct coding.
Reply 16
Original post by Doonesbury
I haven't accused you of being ignorant, I said you ignored a letter, which you did.

And you *are* having a moan, which you are certainly entitled to do. And now's the time to move on.

You are making it into a big thing. It really and truly isn't.


It's turning into a big thing, with you solely, because you insist on debating with me, which is not how a Mod should behave. I said I forgot, because I wasn't employed at the time - if I were employed at the time, then I would have indeed ignored it. You are arguing the toss over my verbiage - read my previous posts - it's you who accused me of ignoring it, which is why I corrected you. Furthermore, a Mod should not be accusing people of moaning - I was distressed in my original post and if you consider that moaning then you are hugely undeserving of your reputation. Take some notes from Marple below, that's what I'd expect from the likes of you.
Reply 17
Original post by moonkatt
It's amazing how worked up people get over a payroll non issue, I'm so glad I don't work in it any more.

It's likely your MD is down as point of contact with SLC, nothing more nothing less and his email seems like him just being polite and letting you know.

As for not letting HMRC know you're working, that's fine, people forget these things when starting a job, but it's in your interest as otherwise you'll get hammered for tax until they know you're working and put you on the correct coding.


Thanks for your feedback. New job jitters are a fairly normal phenomenon I think; being hypersensitive about one's reputation. I feel better for most of the feedback I've received here, so the forum has served its purpose well :smile: thanks again
Reply 18
Original post by marple
Hi
When your new company submitted its monthly payroll under RTI to HMRC you will have appeared on their payroll for the first time as a new starter and as you have student loan repayments HMRC will have automatically sent notification to your employer telling them when to commence deductions. These come off your gross salary just as national insurance and income tax does and is paid by your employer to HMRC. It is routine for HMRC to be informed of new employment this way (ie by the employer). If you are self employed, then you need to tell HMRC

HMRC didn't send the letter to the MD - they sent it to the company representative name they have on file - he/she will receive all routine notifications and they will be dealt with by the payroll department. It does not reflect on you in any way - your company did you the courtesy of notifying you that student loan deductions are going to be taken - many don't, they just let it show on the next payslip.

There is nothing unusual about this and you have nothing to apologise for or be angry about. HMRC will write to your employer in the same way about a whole range of routine matters and exactly the same thing will happen to the next new recruit with a student loan, employee who gets an updated tax code etc.


Great response, thanks.

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