We're now in the final week before the submission deadline for the 2017/2018 tax return so as is tradition here are the most odd excuses used for late tax returns from the last 12 months.
We have seen really odd excuses for late tax returns in the past, but this year we are pushing the envelope:
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Witchcraft!
Topping the pile is someone who could not get their finances in order before the deadline because they were under a spell! They blamed their mother-in-law for the sorcery.
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Post Boxes are too... tall?
This taxpayer blamed the inability to post their paper return on being too short to reach a post box.
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Made up tale?
Maids were to be blamed according to one taxpayer. One after the other. First maid left, second one stole and the third was not smart enough to complete a tax return.
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Specsavers?
This taxpayer's client should never have been registered for self assessment but, thanks to a short-sighted junior staff member, they were registered in error.
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Mr Freeze
A boiler breakdown made it too cold to type into a keyboard.
If those excuses were not odd enough, we have this year's list of odd expense claims too, some of which are, we think, slightly out of the bounds of wholly and exclusively related to work or business activity.
- £900 55-inch TV and Sound System - reason: help with pricing jobs.
- £40 on woolly underwear - this claim was made for 5 years.
- £756 on insuring a pet dog.
- Online Music Subscription - reason: something to listen to while working.
- Holiday to Nigeria.... for the family.