My client has been advised that an authority to act is no valid as it was photocopied ( it was sent by fax) - is this correct ?

If it is correct does it rather not make a mockery of faxing documents to Tax Credits as every authority for an intermediary to act must be invalid.

Thanks in advance,

T.J.Lintern

How very odd. I have never heard this before, but I would be surprised if it was correct as they have a dedicated fax number for authorities which one would presume means that it is perfectly acceptable.

Who told the client?

Victoria

If it was TCO that told the client, how did they know it was photocopied, as they presumably only received the fax?

We've had similar experiences.They'll accept an initial fax to External Relations without problem (which could in itself be photocopied - how would they ever know ?)

However if we write to them and send in a photocopied TC689 it's not accepted. Perverse or what!

I haven't got the heart to challenge it as I'm sick to death of complaining about poor cutomer service (the news item today about the Ombudsman's report is quite pertinent as I had to make yet another formal complaint yesterday).

I've had same problem with TCO - they wont accept faxed TC689. TCO write to the client with another form and state that they must have the original form and not a copy, otherwise they just deal direct with client.

darlocab - what they are telling you is nonsense! The whole system for TC689 is set up with a fax number for the form to be sent to. We have never had a problem with this, & it is almost invariably the case that we get a phone call back within a day to tell us the authority has been put on the system.

Sometimes it seems as if it's the only bit of TCO that works so efficiently, but I think that's perhaps a rather jaundiced & unreasonable view. In my experience most TCO staff do their best to help, but are hamstrung by arcane & over-complex rules and an inflexible (I could use a much ruder word!) computer system.

This is how it works for us as well Derek. Good old Frank from there usually rings us to confirm it's on the system (there were loads of plaudits from the Frank fan club on here some time ago !)

Darlocab are you using the External Relations fax nbr ?

yes it was back in july I think last time had cause to deal with TCO - (dont have much TC or C/ben stuff ) they said fax was a copy and wanted original hard copy - maybe its just me

Victoria,

The client was informed in writing by Tax Credits - we did not know until that letter was brought to Derby Advice by a relative of the client. This creates further delay for a client in an already stressful situation,

Toby

Also reading throught he replies as some TC officers seem prepared to acknolwedge authority to act it would help if this was adopted as standard procedure - otherwise we will end up in the situation we are in now,

Toby