# Getting to talk to someone in Revenue?



## putsch (29 May 2013)

Phew! worn out after pressing buttons on revenue phone line.  This isn't anything to do with LPT.

I sent in a tax return by post (ROS won't work for me) on 3rd March and have heard nothing since. I sent an email inquiring for confirmation that it was received and received nothing in reply. Today I phoned and after long minutes waiting for options and pushing buttons I was told that the matter (well not even sure about that since it didn't refer to the date I sent the latter but the date they received it which of course I have no idea about) had been dealt with but may have been selected for quality assurance. There was no option to get any more details and no options to speak to someone and no indication of when I might hear more. 

I'd really like to find out what's going on and when I might have a response? Any advice on by-passing the options and getting to talk to a human being?


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## Brendan Burgess (29 May 2013)

I made a complaint some years ago to Customer Service or Customer Complaints and they handled it promptly for me.

Check that out maybe?


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## Bronte (29 May 2013)

I sent an email query to revenue about a year ago and it took them a couple of months to reply.  If the options above don't work, how about calling into to them.  And next time it might be an idea to send in your return using the post office's proof of service, to give you peace of mind. 

If you register post it, it goes in the 'file to be worked on' versus the 'files to be ignored for ages' pile.


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## T McGibney (29 May 2013)

Online filing is the way to go. There is a very good reason why it has become almost universal, especially among tax professionals.


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## suzie (29 May 2013)

Can a PAYE taxpayer file online these days? Always thought not....

Thanks
S


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## ashambles (29 May 2013)

Regardless of filing on line there are times you do need to talk to someone to correct problems.

As for ways to shortcut the system, how's your Irish? You by-pass all the automated stuff and instead you get a startled gaelgoir on the line - any half-hearted go at the Irish tends to work if you get a decent sort on the line. 

Apart from that their phone system is appalling, designed to frustrate callers into giving up. A voice recognition system that makes you feel like you're shouting at someone with mental health and hearing issues. Give it a try if you want to pass 15 mins - there's no danger of a real person picking up. You're only wasting the time of a recorded message. It was even worse a few years ago, the only phone system I'd ever encountered with many dead ends where the automated service just hangs up on you.

When you get through to an individual their single aim is to get you off the phone line, e.g. youneedtocontactthecollectorgeneralgoodbye-click. Another sucessful call by their metrics, naturally you didn't get time to tell them it was the collector general who sent you on to them.

You get the clear feeling you're dealing with amateurs.

I'd hoped the LPT would have exposed to the general public what Revenue are really like to contact, but they were wise to this and sub-contracted the LPT work out to Abtran. 

It's faintly amusing to hear revenue officials on the radio talking about LPT and how the revenue phone lines are open from 7-10pm. Yeah sure they are, just try phoning the real revenue phone line after 4pm any day.


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## putsch (29 May 2013)

ashambles said:


> As for ways to shortcut the system, how's your Irish? You by-pass all the automated stuff and instead you get a startled gaelgoir on the line - any half-hearted go at the Irish tends to work if you get a decent sort on the line.



Great idea not sure I'd have the neck - maybe if they had a French option I could stumble through. Will try all suggestions. Online not an option for me because of some mysterious glitch that I could perhaps sort out if I could talk to someone but................................did you ever read Catch 22?


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## Luternau (29 May 2013)

I had reason to ring them today-options after options, referring you to one number for this and that.  Eventually got through to a person. Said my query had been received (sent by reg post), then forwarded my call to the person that handled it, they said they did x and then passed on to another dept for y component (the important part) and 4 months later, despite the correct dept being aware of what I need, I still dont have it!!!

Everybody was really helpful and nice to me on the phone though!!


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## Bronte (30 May 2013)

Luternau said:


> Everybody was really helpful and nice to me on the phone though!!


 
So easy to be helpful when you don't actually have to do anything to sort out the issue !


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## cremeegg (4 Jun 2013)

Sorry to swim against the tide here but I have always found Revenue staff helpful and in particular the ROS help line for technical issues is excellent


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## Luternau (4 Jun 2013)

The ROS staff are great-some of the various departments have no idea what a timely response to an enquiry looks like. 

My guess is that most time is spent working on revenue led matters-they contact you and it moves fast, whereas, if you contact them, it goes to the pending tray.


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## MeathCommute (5 Jun 2013)

I reckon they're deliberately on a go slow since the Property Tax responsibility was foisted on them by the government


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## mandelbrot (5 Jun 2013)

MeathCommute said:


> I reckon they're deliberately on a go slow since the Property Tax responsibility was foisted on them by the government



I reckon they're not.

Your move.


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