Hi

I'm looking for info if possible. Does anyone have the contact details for the solicitors at the inland revenue who would cover tax credit administration?

Ta

The Inland Revenue's website says the Inland Revenue Solicitor's Office is based at Somerset House, Strand, London WC2 1LB.

It lists the work of the office as falling into 5 main categories -

1. provision of legal advice
2. drafting of statutory instruments and other documents
3. conduct of civil litigation
4. prosecution of offences
5. provision of accountancy advice

so i'm not certain if they necessarily would cover tax credit administration.

However, would contacting them may be a good 'starting off point'?

(see the following hyperlink -

http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/solicitors/index.htm )

I wrote to:

Solicitor's Office
1st Floor
22 Kingsway
London
WC2B 6NR

020 7438 7402.

As per guidance in COP 1.

Had a reply from:

Solicitor to the Inland Revenue
East Wing,
Somerset House,
London,
WC2R 1LB.

DX - 146765 London (Somerset House).

After writing to Kingsway I phoned them, and had a response from the person who dealt with the matter (based at Somerset House) quite quickly.

You might like to clarify it, bit probably best to follow guidance issued in Cop 1. In my case it was referred on properly. Had to stress the deadline for action after which I was prepared to issue proceedings though. Response was recieved within time scale I had given.

If you want to complain about administration rather than attempting litigation, you should follow their complaints proceedure, also in Cop 1 - complain to office delaing with it, then regional office (this is a waste of time as they refer it back to local office again. If liaison exists, this matter needs raising) - then to adjudicator and finally ombudsman.

Has anyone actually managed to complain to the TCO? The helpline told me I had to speak to customer services, who never answer the phone (and the queue cuts you off after 6 minutes), don't reply to faxes, and don't seem to have an email address. They sounded blank when I asked about advisor numbers, so if anyone has a secret number I would love to know about it. Even faxing them the regs didn't seem to make them realise they shouldn't be caculating my income-support-claiming-client's income on an annual basis. You know how it goes 'Well, you see, we don't use the regulations here, we use guidance ...'

Lesley

If by "complain" you mean get a meaningful answer in a reasonable time scale, then NO. You have to go through the steps of the formal complaints procedure - waiting for a reply at each stage and moving on a stage when you don't get it. I send all such letters by fax and Recorded Delivery post. Eventually you get to the Adjudicator's Office and they wait for TCO to do a report. It takes forever! But the Adjudicator's Office are very quick and efficient when they get the report.
Fully agree with your comments on the so-called "Customer Relations" Dept. How on earth they think they can relate to anyone when they never answer the phone and don't reply to letters I don't know. (I feel a rant coming on, so I'll stop now.)