Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

Only today, have I held an ADR meeting with HMRC officers, my client and mediator in order to settle a lengthy tax investigation that has been going on pre-Covid. At this stage things need sorting. 

On the day of the ADR meeting HMRC may well be able to meet you somewhere between what has been assessed and what you believe is the right amount of tax or to handle a dispute into a particular technical matter. This is the ultimate olive branch. 

It takes a lot of planning but it is far easier to go down this route than attend a tribunal, which is costly and time-consuming.

HMRC’s policy is not to do ‘deals’ where you may feel you want to just offer a sum of tax with no basis to it. 

Mediation is the word and bringing in a new eye like Lindsay’s and an impartial adviser at HMRC’s end can usually mean that new evidence can be brought forward and everyone has the chance to have their say and be heard . 

Provided you use a specialist experienced advisor like Lindsay, she will be able to put forward, proper explanations, empirical evidence, computations and 

documentation to enable HMRC to understand the other side’s Case, and at the end of the day, they may be able to offer you a reduced settlement but only if there is some basis in fact or law.

HMRC does not always get it right and estimated assessments are raised and can sit on the system for many months or even years, accumulating interest, while a client flounders on how to appeal these and have them adjusted. This may be one process you wish to enter and if you do so carefully, it could reap rewards for you and save a good deal of stress in your life.

If you have matters under appeal or have reached a stalemate or an impasse in your Enquiry the proverbial; ‘brick wall’  — contact Lindsay and she will take the heat out of it and may well be able to use this system to achieve the desired outcome for you