Josh Harbias is a financial services contractor and joined FSB in 2008.
When Josh received a request for information from HMRC, he found it reassuring that the tax experts at FSB Tax Investigation Protection were in his corner.
Read on to hear his story.
Tell us about yourself, your business and your background with FSB.
I’m a financial services contractor. I joined FSB in 2008 because of the range of benefits. I knew about the legal services and thought being able to talk to someone was worth it alone.
How did you deal with your HMRC enquiry at first?
It came out of the blue. I was dealing with other things in my life, like all business owners, and so when initial letters came from HMRC, I didn’t pay attention. When I received another letter requesting information, I didn’t know what to do.
I reached out to an accountant but they had no idea how to handle the issue properly. I thought FSB might be able to offer guidance, but I was so pleased to learn about the cover from FSB Tax Investigation Protection as part of my membership.
What was your experience like with FSB Tax Investigation Protection?
FSB’s tax experts took it off my hands and dealt with all the heavy lifting. It was reassuring to know someone was in my corner. They had the time, knowledge, skills and understanding of HMRC, which was great, especially when business owners like me aren’t used to the process.
They contacted HMRC for me, and because they’re trained specialists, they knew how it worked, what information was being requested and the responses that were needed. They met HMRC in person with me, spoke to the tax inspector and helped me to deal with the pressure from HMRC.
I’m a director, I’m not an accountant, so I assumed everything was right. James Cordiner, an ex-HMRC inspector himself, who was dealing with my case, was able to catch a few errors from HMRC straight away that I wouldn’t have noticed. He challenged HMRC on any inconsistent information and asked for clarification.
My liability was nowhere near what they said it was, and James spotted this. He refused to accept the result from HMRC until he was satisfied.
The enquiry lasted five years and without FSB’s help it would have cost thousands of pounds to deal with – I think in excess of £10,000.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the incredible perseverance, attention to detail and resolve James has shown throughout this longstanding enquiry. It would have been impossible for me to resolve things fairly and accurately without his assistance. The stress and toll of this enquiry has been immeasurably reduced.
What advice do you have for small business owners during this time?
Make sure you have a clear plan for the crisis, know your target market and watch what you’re spending. I learnt the hard way paying an accountant at the start of my HMRC enquiry when I was actually covered by FSB.
