DMBM512215 - Customer contact and data security: Contact with third parties: getting authority: speaking to third party for the second time when customer has already completed verification checks earlier on in same day
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If you have a need to speak to a third party again in the same day, or 24 hour period, then it is good customer service to allow a second third party conversation without a need to obtain verbal consent from the customer or do full verification checks again (DMBM512205).
Situations such as this may arise where the third party needs to supply us with further information to:
- reconcile an underpayment,
- set up a TTP
- make a payment
- determine the true debt
or for any other reason.
In these situations it is permissible to treat this second contact as part of the original verbal consent as you were unable to complete the call the first time.
As you will have completed verification checks earlier on in the day with the customer it is not necessary to do full verification checks again, unless you have a reason to doubt who you are speaking to. Instead you should take the reference number from the third party and complete one other verification check.
If the third party needs to call back for a third time or fails to call back within 24 hours then the next time you have contact with the third party the customer will have to be present and give verbal consent.
If the customer wants the third party to act on their behalf on a regular basis without providing advance verbal consent, advise them that they must send a signed written letter to HMRC (see DMBM512210).