Need advice quick style

[BlueSam]

OK, so.. all my mails been lost for the past 2 weeks and i have no way to get into my old house to collect any new ones (old house was my dads and it was repossessed, were not exactly friendly with the estate agents or the mortgage company who now own it) the say gotta ask for permission to gain entry and it takes 2 weeks for me to get entry into house...

anyway, ive woken up this morning with a direct payment of £500 from HMR SA into my bank account....

theyve been chasing me for months asking me to fill in a tax return for a period when i was self employed for like 2 weeks about 2 years ago ( i never ended my registration as self employed i just thought when i became employed it would do, then i got letters a year later)

anyway long story short, i sent them a letter saying please leave me alone ive obviously fucked up my tax and im no accountant and have no records of some part time work 2 years ago..

anyway ive gone to my bank this morning and found 500quid sitting there... i cant go to my old house to check whether they mailed me about this installment, well not for the next 2 weeks anyways and i dont wana ring them and they go OH OUR MISTAKE and just take it all back...

i wana know, if i did spend it and then they claim it was a mistake am i liable or is it their fault for putting it in my account?

coz i could really do with spending it while im waiting to get into my old gaff

 

[bluevillain]

THEFT is.
Dishonestly,
Appropriate,
Property,
Belonging to another,
With the intention of,
Permanently depriving them of it.

 

[BlueSam]

THEFT is.
Dishonestly,
Appropriate,
Property,
Belonging to another,
With the intention of,
Permanently depriving them of it.

doesnt it become my property though when its in my bank account?

 

[Bilboblue]

you should spend it, then if they want it back, offer them £25 a week back, pretty sure they can't force you to pay it all in one go especially as it is their mistake (if indeed it IS a mistake)

 

[bluevillain]

Not sure, I think because you know its not yours that may fall into the dishonest bit. Picture yourself on a jury and think what way you would vote.

 

[Bill]

i'd just torch the fucking house.

 

[Joycee Banercheck]

I'd spend it. If you have no access to your post, then how can they prove you knew it was yours or not? Besides, when people draw money out of ATMs they don't have to check their accounts first or see what money has been paid in, they just draw it out.

 

[shadygiz]

what have your tax codes been whilst employed for the last 2 years....if you dont have a company car then you should have had a full allowance tax code for the last 2 years of your work.....however, if you have not had a full tax code it MAY have been the tax man still taking self employed allowances out of your tax for the last 2 years....hence the refund....i would double check with them before spending; if you do owe them money and you spend the "refund" too, then they will more than likely look less favourable on you should it go to court

 

[paphos-mcfc]

Not sure, I think because you know its not yours that may fall into the dishonest bit. Picture yourself on a jury and think what way you would vote.

True but the offence isn't complete if he takes the money with the intention of paying a small sum back each week as the previous poster said. Hence permanently depriving the tax man of the money would be very difficult to prove.

 

[scall11]

My advice would be don't fuck about with Revenue and Customs. If you get on the bad side of them, they will rip you a new @rsehole!