It just gets better

Not only have Albany, the management company who I used when contracting in Germany, gone bust it seems they haven't been paying the German accountants even though they took 130 Euros a month for just that purpose. So now the accountants are offering me a "special price" of 700 Euros to complete my German tax return.

The Curse of Alf Strikes Again

I've spent the past few days putting all my expenses together to complete my German tax return for the time I worked in Nuremberg last year. As I didn't have a limited company at the time, UK or German, I used a management company who, for the privilege of paying me my consultancy fees in Euros to a German personal account, skimmed 5% of my earnings.

Whilst completing my spreadsheet of income and expenditure I noticed that the final month's take by Albany was a little more than 5%. It's only a matter of 40 Euros but better in my pocket than theirs. So I emailed them last night requesting clarification and a refund.

I received the following email today.

"Please be advised that on 10 February 2010 John Alexander and Melvyn Carter of the firm Carter Backer Winter were appointed Joint Administrators or Joint Liquidators of the above companies."

Not only has the company ceased trading but it did this on the day I contacted them. I've not lost my touch.