More threats

I refer to Robert Ames’ letter Threatening demand.

A client of mine received a similar (unsigned) letter which commenced ‘We wrote to you recently requesting that you either make full and immediate payment of the new debt that you have incurred or that you call us on the above number. As you have done neither we have assumed that you are unwilling to comply with our request.’

The letter then went on to threaten legal action seizing of assets and damage to the taxpayer’s credit rating: the sort of stuff you might expect from a backstreet debt collector as opposed to a government department responsible for collecting tax.

My client had a time-to-pay arrangement and although he hadn’t stuck to the agreed £150 per week (sometimes he paid more) he was only £400 short of...