Many complaints have been made to the Tax Ombud about SARS. These are the top 10 complaints.

* SARS placing unwarranted stoppers on taxpayers’ accounts for refunds not to be paid, significantly impacting the taxpayer’s cash flow.

* Delays in finalising verifications result in delays in releasing refunds due; even when taxpayers have submitted all the requested information.

* Non-adherence by SARS in finalising dispute resolution within the dispute resolution timelines – already an identified systemic issue.

Incorrect allocation of payments, often first covering administrative penalties before principal debt and ignoring taxpayers’ letters to SARS about how to allocate the payments.

* Taxpayers do not receive outcomes of their objections, and in some instances, SARS could not prove that they had sent the outcomes to the taxpayer.

* Recalled refunds where SARS pays refunds into taxpayers’ bank accounts and then recalls these refunds, in some instances taking more than six months to resolve the issues.

* E-filing profile problems for tax practitioners, resulting in them not being able to add or remove clients from their profiles.

* SARS deducting more money from taxpayers’ bank accounts than it should, prejudicing the taxpayer financially.

* Banking details of taxpayers have been updated, but the refunds are still not released.

* SARS Complaints Management Office (CMO) incorrectly rejects taxpayers’ complaints lodged with it.

Source: OTO Fair Play Issue 22