ECH7070 - Commencing the Compliance Check: Initial Meeting - Preparation and Approach

Thorough preparation is the key to a smooth initial meeting. You should remember to

• ensure the person responsible for maintaining the records is available at the meeting
• ensure the employer/contractor understands that the initial meeting is an important and integral part of the compliance check, not just a preamble
• use the interview brief ( ECH7020) as a guide to the questions to ask
• adopt a flexible approach
• tailor enquiries to the nature of the business and inherent risks
• keep questions informal and use conversational style
• not be officious or interrogate the employer/contractor
• avoid jargon as this could create barriers for example use 'claim for allowable expenses' rather than 'a S336 claim'.

If the employer/contractor becomes angry or abusive it is important to remain calm and polite. In this way you should retain control of the meeting. A verbal attack on HM Revenue & Customs is not a personal attack on you. EC staff should remain neutral and not become defensive.

If at any time you feel personally threatened you should leave the employer/contractor’s premises and report the incident to your manager.

See also the

• Data Security Booklet (Physical Security), and
• the Personal Safety Policy site.