MRS Pennock is lucky! I had to resort to complaining against the HMRC for the second time recently after receiving replies from no less than seven tax offices!  One issue concerned sending out automatic letters before resolving tax problems.

 Below is an extract from me to the HMRC's response to my formal complaint.  Mrs Pennock is right, "Mark Harper, please do something to employ people with common sense in the HMRC."  Unfortunately, as my late father often said, Common sense isn't common!"

– Paul?Stevenson, Longhope.

"However, having read your statements about the new system introduced in 2009, it is clear HMRC has gone from a fairly efficient single tax office/customer managed system where the customer was important to one that is controlled by a computer whereby HMRC officers are not able to manage the output from HMRC.  To admit that an officer cannot stop automated letters going out to me is incredulous and the process should be changed."