SAYNOTO0870.COM - Inland Revenue

bwg

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Inland Revenue
Jul 3^rd, 2008 at 3:42pm

Hi,

I have just recently found your site and as my phone package includes free UK calls (excluding 0845/0875) I am saving money, thanks.

I phoned my tax office today using the geographical number listed on the main database and after taking me through my security, the tax rep said I had used a number intended for people phoning from outside the UK, that I was lucky to get through to the right tax office and I should have used the 0845 number. I explained that I pay for 0845 numbers and could she give me another geographical number, but she said that the 0845 number was the only one to use when phoning from the UK. She was very polite and did not have a ‘jobs worth’ attitude and she did answer my tax query.

Is this a normal response that I should just ignore? I also don’t know how I could have got through to the wrong office as the area code was the right one for the tax office location.

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sherbert Supreme Member Offline Posts: 2,011 Gender:	Re: Inland Revenue Reply #1 - Jul 3^rd, 2008 at 3:47pm Others have suggested putting 141 in front of the number and pretend you are on holiday! However you have to be prepared if they want to call you back and you will have to come up with an excuse!!!!
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derrick

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Re: Inland Revenue
Reply #2 - Jul 3^rd, 2008 at 4:39pm

sherbert wrote on Jul 3^rd, 2008 at 3:47pm:

Others have suggested putting 141 in front of the number and pretend you are on holiday! However you have to be prepared if they want to call you back and you will have to come up with an excuse!!!!

That would be were having an 0845/0870 number yourself for these people would come in handy, you could say it is transfer number, well they lie about their NGNs!

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greg

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Re: Inland Revenue
Reply #3 - Jul 9^th, 2008 at 2:39pm

sherbert wrote on Jul 3^rd, 2008 at 3:47pm:

Others have suggested putting 141 in front of the number and pretend you are on holiday! However you have to be prepared if they want to call you back and you will have to come up with an excuse!!!!

generally speaking,you wont get rung back by many of these institutions.
anyway,why should you pay to ring them twice.
i just got my phone bill today and like you and a lot more people here,i have inclusive uk calls in my package.
there was £18.50 extra for phone calls on the bill.
being from ireland and living in the uk,i do ring ireland,but this was only approx£8.
i dont mind this,but the £10 charge annoyed me greatly.
i discovered some of the others living here are ringing these 0870 numbers.i have now shown them where i have this site bookmarked and warned them against ringing 0870s in future.
this is the only country in europe where this extortion goes on.
i cant understand why the government,who are big offenders themselves allow this rip off to continue.

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sherbert Supreme Member Offline Posts: 2,011 Gender:	Re: Inland Revenue Reply #4 - Jul 9^th, 2008 at 3:06pm Whilst I hate any use from our dear government in using these expensive numbers, I fear if they stopped using them they would find another way to make up the shortfall in revenue. A bit like telling the Great British Public to stop smoking and drinking, if they did they would be billions short in the exchequer
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Dave Global Moderator Offline Posts: 9,902 Yorkshire Gender:	Re: Inland Revenue Reply #5 - Jul 9^th, 2008 at 5:10pm greg wrote on Jul 9^th, 2008 at 2:39pm: this is the only country in europe where this extortion goes on. No it is not. Ireland has a website called SayNoTo1890 against 0818, 1850 and 1890 prefixes. Website against Spanish 902s, Belguin site and Germany all have similar sites.
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dorf Supreme Member Offline I hate Qs on Premium NGNs Posts: 575 UK Gender:	Re: Inland Revenue Reply #6 - Jul 10^th, 2008 at 12:34am This issue has already been covered way back, and there is a fool-proof solution to this without phoning the numbers intended for use when abroad. You can actually get HMRC to telephone you back (thus at no cost to you) See http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1175528146
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SilentCallsVictim

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Re: Inland Revenue
Reply #7 - Jul 10^th, 2008 at 8:54pm

dorf wrote on Jul 10^th, 2008 at 12:34am:

there is a fool-proof solution to this

Unless those who are unaware of this technique or unwilling to use it are to be classified as "fools", it would be fairer to say that there is a workaround available, rather than a solution.

Even alternative direct geo numbers, which are very valuable and worthy of publication, are not a "solution" to the improper funding of public services by service users.

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glennal Newbie Offline Posts: 4 Gender:	Re: Inland Revenue Reply #8 - Feb 23^rd, 2009 at 11:27am Yes have been trying to get an alternative to HMRC's 0845 306 1204 'Time to pay Helpline' number - no matter where you phone on the alternative Geographical nos - nobody can put you through. I's a joke! Would therefore be grateful if someone has managed to obtain the real number behind the above 0845 one.
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sherbert Supreme Member Offline Posts: 2,011 Gender:	Re: Inland Revenue Reply #9 - Feb 23^rd, 2009 at 12:29pm Bear in mind that if you have a BT landline there is no charge for an 0845 number depending on which option you are on See here http://bt.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/bt.cfg/php/enduser/cci/bt_adp.php?p_sid=GmSUH3rj&...
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Heinz

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Re: Inland Revenue
Reply #10 - Feb 23^rd, 2009 at 2:33pm

sherbert wrote on Feb 23^rd, 2009 at 12:29pm:

Bear in mind that if you have a BT landline there is no charge for an 0845 number depending on which option you are on

Yes, people are being caught by that.

The exact T&Cs BT use are (the highlighted part in parenthesis is my addition):
Quote:

If you're on the Unlimited Weekend Plan (MOST PEOPLE), these calls will be free at the weekends, if you're on the Unlimited Evening and Weekend Plan, they're free evenings and weekends and if you're on the Unlimited Anytime Plan, they're free 24/7.

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« Last Edit: Feb 23^rd, 2009 at 2:34pm by Heinz »

After years of ignoring govt. guidelines & RIPPING OFF Council Tax payers using 0845 numbers, Essex County Council changed to 0345 numbers on 2 November 2015

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SilentCallsVictim

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Re: Inland Revenue
Reply #11 - Feb 23^rd, 2009 at 2:44pm

Is the free calls thing being misunderstood?

If you are on a BT residential line outside the "free" calls period, calls to 0845 numbers are cheaper than to geographic alternatives. For these callers we should perhaps be promoting 0845 numbers as alternatives to geographic numbers.

It is now only non-BT callers who now need geographic alternatives to 0845.

It was those calling within their BT packages who needed them until recently.

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« Last Edit: Feb 23^rd, 2009 at 2:50pm by SilentCallsVictim »

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sherbert

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Re: Inland Revenue
Reply #12 - Feb 23^rd, 2009 at 3:58pm

Heinz wrote on Feb 23^rd, 2009 at 2:33pm:

sherbert wrote on Feb 23^rd, 2009 at 12:29pm:

Bear in mind that if you have a BT landline there is no charge for an 0845 number depending on which option you are on

Yes, people are being caught by that.

The exact T&Cs BT use are (the highlighted part in parenthesis is my addition):
Quote:

If you're on the Unlimited Weekend Plan (MOST PEOPLE), these calls will be free at the weekends, if you're on the Unlimited Evening and Weekend Plan, they're free evenings and weekends and if you're on the Unlimited Anytime Plan, they're free 24/7.

There is this to take into account...

Fair Usage Policy

You can make 1000 minutes of calls a month, or 150 calls a month. This is considerably more than most customers are likely to ever make. If you exceed either of these limits you'll just be charged the standard BT rates until further notice.

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SilentCallsVictim

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Re: Inland Revenue
Reply #13 - Feb 23^rd, 2009 at 7:23pm

sherbert wrote on Feb 23^rd, 2009 at 3:58pm:

There is this to take into account...

Inland Revenue may keep you on hold for a while and may not resolve your query at the first attempt, but are we seriously suggesting that a monthly limit of 1000 minutes and 150 calls is likely to be exceeded by someone sorting out their personal tax affairs on a residential line. That is up to £31.60 worth of daytime 0845 calls at standard rates for less than £5 extra.

It is unacceptable for HMRC to use revenue sharing numbers and BT is guilty of all manner of tricks, but less us remain proportionate and focussed on the real issues.

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sherbert

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Re: Inland Revenue
Reply #14 - Feb 23^rd, 2009 at 7:41pm

SilentCallsVictim wrote on Feb 23^rd, 2009 at 7:23pm:

sherbert wrote on Feb 23^rd, 2009 at 3:58pm:

are we seriously suggesting that a monthly limit of 1000 minutes and 150 calls is likely to be exceeded by someone sorting out their personal tax affairs on a residential line. That is up to £31.60 worth of daytime 0845 calls at standard rates for less than £5 extra.

Not at all. I was pointing out BT's Fair User's Policy, this is for ALL 0870 & 0845 numbers, not just the ones to the Inland revenue

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« Last Edit: Feb 23^rd, 2009 at 7:42pm by sherbert »

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