Untangling Payroll Knots for a Local Business
When a local business came to us earlier this year, they weren’t looking for anything flashy. They just wanted someone local, approachable, and up to date who could manage their tax affairs with a bit of care and consistency.
Simple enough, right? Well, not quite.
When they first approached us, it seemed like a straightforward engagement. But as we began preparing their accounts, an issue surfaced.
A History of Handovers & The Challenge
Our new client had already changed accountants twice within a short period before coming to us. The previous changeover created confusion around payroll submissions. Unfortunately, the outgoing accountant didn’t stop filing Real Time Information (RTI) returns, while the new accountants continued submitting payroll as well.
The result? Duplicated payroll RTI submissions for the 2024–25 year, with both income and tax records showing up twice at HMRC, leaving the records a tangled mess.
How We Helped
Rather than leaving the client to juggle conversations with past accountants, we took ownership of the problem and worked directly with HMRC.
With HMRC’s support, we raised a formal charge dispute, providing corrected year-to-date payroll figures as their authorised agent. By liaising closely with HMRC advisers, we ensured the payroll records were corrected in full, and duplication was removed from the system.
The Impact
With the payroll figures corrected, our client could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Instead of inflated liabilities, they now had:
- Accurate payroll records with HMRC
- Clean, reliable figures for year-end reporting
- Confidence that their affairs were being handled consistently
For the client, this meant peace of mind and the freedom to focus on running their business. For us, it was a reminder that behind every engagement lies a story — and that sometimes it takes persistence and clear communication to set things right.
