I thought that advisers might like to know about the following success in resolving administrative failure by the Inland Revenue.

Among other things, I do some second tier advice for a tenants' support service in north London. A service user's landlord had obtained a warrant to repossess her home because of her rent arrears. Tenant had sought a suspension of the warrant which was successful but on the terms that she pay current rent + £2.80 pw towards arrears. However the tenant was unable to do because her WTC and CTC had been suspended because of a query about entitlement (suspected identity fraud by a third party). IR referred the matter to their Compliance Team which had said it would be several weeks before they could resolve matters. The judge had set a date for a rehearing of the possession warrant suspension at the original hearing.

I got a letter sent to the IR's solicitors giving them 5 days to reinstate her TCs or we would obtain a witness summons for David Verney Executive Chairman of the Board of IR which would require him to attend and explain the problem to the Court at the forthcoming rehearing.

The IR solicitors phone the next day and arranged for an IR officer to visit the following day to resolve matters. The day after this, the IR sent a cheque for the arrears and current TCs which were due (they even sent it by courier). IR's solicitors also phoned to check that all was well.

The IR has also now awarded a significant compensatory payment to the woman.

This is a useful tactic in cases where claimants face court action for debts and where there are administrative problems with Tax Credits. I've also heard of it being used in cases where HB delays are contributing towards rent arrears.