Norway - 13 Years On?

[Jimbo747]

Hi All,

I left Norway in August 1998 after living there for just under a year (11 months). I submitted the correct paperwork notifying them that I had left.

Yesterday, I received a bill from them for around £6,500 which includs £3,500 in interest and another £200 in late payment charges.

I do not believe that I owe any tax but after so long I cannot prove it - I threw my payslips out following a divorce last year. My earnings that year were about £32,000 and so the idea that I could have underpaid by £3000 seems ridiculous - in Norway, either you have a tax card, in which case your employer has no choice but to follow the amount defines, or you do not, in which case 50% is withheld.

There is littl information with the letter but from what I can a tax demand was issued in 1999, a late payment charge was issued in 2000 and then ......nothing until Sept 2010 when another late payment charge and interest of £3,500 were applied.

I have rung their tax office but have got nowhere - they claim not to have any records and claim to have written to me before, although when pressed the lady could not provide frequency or actual dates.

This seems grossly unfair and I am left with the choice of either fighting it and running up legal bills or paying it without argument. Can anybody advise?

James.

[pawncob]

If they can't prove that it's due, they stand little chance of collecting it. Thirteen years is too long, even by UK standards.
I'm sure Norway has a statute of limitation similar to ours. Write to them (don't phone) and ask them to provide details of exactly why this has arisen and when, and why it hasn't been pursued.

[thehiker99]

Jimbo747.

I'd politely tell them, in very diplomatic language of course, to take a hike.
As Pawncob said, do any communications with them in writing, and then ignore them.

I would be flabbergasted if they could seriously chase you for this money 13 years later.....

The Hiker.

[Generix]

Unless you plan to return to Norway for business or pleasure; then I can't see that they can really enforce it anyway, what are they going to do, at worst send you another letter asking for the money.

As other posters suggest go back briefly in writing, and then just ignore it.