Saying No. Does It Work?

I'll tell you what I have done so far, and you can decide.

Corporation Tax

I had to create a limited company when I took on a 3 year contract with a Dutch company. The salary was around £50K per year. Throughout the time I ran the company I paid income tax (PAYE), employers National Insurance Contributions, employees National Insurance Contributions, and I spent a small fortune on accountants fees. At the end of the contract I wound up the company but was asked to provide audited accounts to HMRC. My accountant calculated that I owed HMRC over £5K in corporation tax. I disagreed. £50K may sound like a lot, but there was very little left after all the outgoings. My "disagreement" with the audited accounts led to three fines of £500 each from Companies House for late filing. I told them I wasn't paying the fines. They wrote back and cancelled them. One first class stamp, a sheet of A4, and an envelope saved me £1,500. Then HMRC started on me. By this time I had learnt a few things so I wrote asking them to prove that I owed them anything. They wrote back threatening me with court action and I said "Sure, let's do it", but they never did. I documented the various exchanges here. They have not bothered me since I wrote telling them that I intend to counter-claim if they pursue the matter. They did not respond to that Notice, which I sent over 18 months ago. Four first class stamps, eight sheets of A4 and four envelopes saved me over £5,000.

Working Tax Credits

Back in the early nineties I foolishly applied for WTC. I easily qualified because my pay was pretty low at that time. As time went by, I got promotions and pay increases. Each time this happened, I notified the tax office. I sent letters, and because they were still paying me incorrectly, I also phoned them and asked them (a total of 11 times) to stop sending me money. They said that they would take action and they never did. I have filled in every annual return as they demanded but last year, my youngest turned 16 and they wrote to me demanding the balance, (around £7K), which they described as over-payments. After some finessing, they decided to "cut me a deal" and said that if I paid £5K the problem would go away. I said no. They asked why not and sent me a form to fill in to appeal the decision. I filled it in and said what I said here, with a few more details, dates, times, number of letters written, number of phone calls made, etc, and that is the last I heard. So, another two first class stamps, another two sheets of A4 and two envelopes later, another £5K saved.

Speeding Fine

This is more recent. On 23rd September last year I was allegedly photographed travelling at 70mph in a 60mph zone. I decided to test a few Freeman/Lawful Rebellion theories. The Chief Inspector wrote to me demanding that I fill in his form. If I did not, he said, I would be fined £1,000. I did not fill in the form. In response, he sent two bobbies to my home. I blogged on that event here. The PF wrote back and offered me a deal in which the £1,000 was cancelled. I declined his offer and made him one of my own. Two weeks into January, another bobby turned up with a Citation (also blogged on here) and I responded to the Procurator Fiscal (known as the CPS in England) that if I were to turn up in court it would cost him £15,000. I also demanded that he prove his claim against me and that he prove he had authority over me. He has not yet managed to do this. He was given 20 days to respond and he is out of time and therefore in dishonour. I have remained honourable throughout. By pure chance I discovered that I was listed as a "criminal" to appear in the Justice of the Peace Court on 13th February 2012. I did not appear. I now await another missive from the PF. I will let you know what happens.

Energy Company

You will recall that I have asked my energy supplier to explain to me why I am paying an additional 9-12% on my energy bills. This percentage is called an  "environmental/climate change" charge. The energy company, when asked, said that "The government mandated us to collect this fee" suggesting that the money went to the government. On questioning further, it goes nowhere near the government. It goes directly onto their bottom line. Pure profit. I asked more questions about the specific statute that demanded this payment be taken from me. They waffled at first but I kept repeating the question. One Saturday morning (a couple of weeks ago) they called me. I asked about progress, and the lady said "No-one has asked us this before. Certainly not in the way YOU asked the question, and definitely not with the same level of persistence. I have had to pass it on to senior managers. They are working on a reply". So we will wait and see. My feeling is that this charge is at least unethical, and may even be fraudulent or criminal. I will keep at it and let you know.

Debt Collection Agency

Along the way I have minor spats with debt collection agencies. One is trying to collect money from me despite the fact that the company they are working for agreed with me over two years ago that I had correctly cancelled my satellite subscription. If we describe the dealings with HMRC as the main meal, DCA's are merely an appetiser. All I did there was to ask them to prove that I owed them anything. Their response is to say that the "debt" (£31.00) was "assigned to them by their client". So what? If I had assigned the debt, or signed a contract with the DCA then we can talk. Until then, they do not exist in my world.

That's it. They say that possession is 9/10ths of the law. Did my methods work? I don't know. I do know that I have managed to keep at least £12,500 in my bank account where it belongs.

I should remind newer readers that when I began this, I said that I would pick my fights one at a time. I am well-versed on Freeman principles and Lawful Rebellion, but that does not mean I am going to take on all agencies at the same time. I have several plates spinning and it is enough to keep me going. If I did everything at the same time it would be chaotic. So far I have picked fights only after months of research and in the full knowledge that I am right. Only an idiot picks a fight he knows he will lose. If you are going to do this, do it right. Study, research, double-check, then launch. Launching first without the know-how only leads to misery and very possibly arrest and detention.

This game they play is an old one. They have had us fooled for centuries and the odds are stacked in their favour.

But they can be beaten.

CR.