HER Majesty’s Revenue & Custom has been accused of “turning a blind eye” to a company claiming tax returns on customer’s behalf.

The revelations came to light after a woman said she had "no idea" how a 'mystery company' was sent a cheque from HRMC.

The woman, named Jessica, said she was contacted on March 10 by post, receiving an official HMRC letter stating she would be paid back £60.

When she later contacted HMRC to find out when she would be paid, she was told a cheque had been sent to a company called Tax Credits Limited.

This was a company Jessica had never signed up with or even heard of.

Companies House lists an address for Tax Credits Limited at an office building in Cardiff which has not been used “for over a year”.

The offices there told the Lancashire Telegraph they were receiving 20 calls a day from angry HMRC customers who had been left out of pocket.

When the Lancashire Telegraph contacted other addresses associated with the director of the company, this also proved fruitless.

When contacted, HMRC would not answer requests regarding Tax Credits Limited, nor an associated company Tax Rebate Processing Limited. They also refused to comment on whether they had a contact number for the company.

This came despite growing anger and frustration among customers who were told their money had been paid to a company nobody could get hold of. 

Taxpayers have resorted to airing their grievances online at Trust Pilot detailing their “horrible” experiences.

Jessica said: “I received a letter on March 10 regarding my tax return and I was owed some money and a cheque would follow.

“I never thought much of it at the time. It was not a huge amount but later in May I decided to contact HMRC.

“When I called the tax office having not received it, they explained they had sent my cheque to a company on March 13 who I had no knowledge of.

“They gave me the address to contact the company who had filed this but no telephone number.

“I had certainly not signed anything, nor had I told any company to act on my behalf.”

She said she called the offices listed on Companies House and was told they could not get hold of the company either, and was told the company had moved on.

“The HRMC had no number for the company. Which I found strange,” she added.

“I called HMRC back to tell them; they just replied that they've done nothing wrong and there's nothing they can do to help. 

“I do not know how they got hold of my details.

“I find it baffling HMRC are not taking this more seriously and why this has not been raised at a higher level.”

Tax Credits Limited is based at Brunel House, Cardiff according to its latest Companies House records.

The Lancashire Telegraph called Brunel House, and a spokesperson for the offices said they had received up to 20 calls a day from irate people trying to track down their money.

The spokesperson said: “We have not heard of this company for a year.

“It seems they were using us as a virtual office here and their post had not been collected.

“It is really frustrating for us as we are getting 20 calls a day from people. This has nothing to do with our offices.”

Companies House list Tax Credits Ltd with a director by the name of Nicola Jane Walmsley.

The company had two previous addresses at International House, Churchill Way, Cardiff and Moody Hall Annexe, Moody Street, Congleton, which were changed to the recent address in May and June respectively.

The company itself was incorporated in February 2020. Tax Rebates Expert Limited changed its name to Tax Credits Limited on May 26, 2020.

Nicola Jane Walmsley is also listed as director for Tax Rebate Processing Limited, based at St James House, 14 Moody Street, Congleton, Cheshire, a company which was incorporated with the name David James Brennan with controlling shares.

Calls to St James’s House are not possible with its telephone number listed as ‘suspended’.

A website www.taxrebate.uk lists one e-mail, an address at Brunel House, Cardiff and is believed to be linked to Tax Credits Limited. The website states it does not ‘offer telephone support’.

There was no response to our questions.

The HMRC does not approve agents or use them to make people aware of claims they can make. 

The Lancashire Telegraph asked HMRC to clarify whether they were aware of the companies Tax Credits Limited and Tax Rebate Processing Limited.

We also asked for contact details for the company and whether customer’s concerns were being dealt with. The HMRC did not respond to the requests for further details nor could they confirm if any investigation had been launched.

Instead a HMRC spokesperson said: “Customers should be careful when responding to online adverts. 

“You should check who you are dealing with before handing over personal information, and carefully read the repayment agent’s terms and conditions to understand what you’re signing up for, the fees you’ll pay, and the legal agreement you are signing.

“If you do not think you signed a contract, known as an assignment, or are unhappy with the service you received or the fees you were charged, you should take that up with the company in the first instance.  

 “We strongly encourage customers to make their own claims online at GOV.UK which will ensure they get to keep all of what they are due.”

If you have had any dealings with the companies listed or wish to share your experiences you can e-mail skhan@nqnw.co.uk