HMRC VAT helplines - different approach needed

I am a big fan of train delays. And let’s be honest there have been plenty of them during the last two years! My logic is simple: firstly I allow myself plenty of time to arrive at my chosen destination – allowing for an average train delay of 30 to 45 minutes; and secondly I always give a big cheer when the 15-minute delay point is reached and I can make a compensation claim to the train company – 30-minute delays are even more lucrative and an hour or more is utopia … a full refund! The online claims process takes about five minutes and the money is paid into my bank account within a week. Easy money. Happy days. And I still get to my final destination albeit a bit later than expected. My ‘Plan B’ strategy has worked.

What has the above tale...