VAT Blog
Latest news, thoughts and articles from the world of VAT.
Renovations: the difference between the 2 year and the 10 year unoccupied rules….
Spring must be in the air because I'm receiving lots of queries about renovations and conversions. Or maybe it's the effect of Brexit? Either way things seem busier in the property world at the moment. 2 year and the 10 year unoccupied rules One of the issues that...
Brexit, MOSS and the end of an era
So it's happening. The UK is formally due to leave the EU at 11pm this Friday, January 31, 2020. This is a key event for the UK, particularly business owners who have to deal with the practical implications of Brexit. HMRC guidance HMRC has issued a LOT of guidance...
You can ONLY claim VAT that has been correctly charged
I have tried to come up with an interesting and snappy title for this blog. But I just can't think of one. So I decided to go straight for the jugular and state the obvious: you can ONLY claim VAT that has been correctly charged. This means that VAT registered...
Why being self-employed isn’t always the right thing…..
Interesting blog that discusses the downsides of self-employment by a well-known business coach, the stuff they don't tell you about and why it's not always the right thing for everybody: http://tinyurl.com/yxwqvydu
And the difference between VAT exempt and VAT zero-rated is….
The difference between VAT exempt sales and zero-rated sales can make a difference to your profit. If you're a bit confused, check out my (short!) video blog, in our "Back to basics" series, where I explain how it all works: http://tinyurl.com/y2y6sw8o
Renovations and proving the 2 year “empty house” condition
Over the past few months, I've received a number of queries about property renovations and proving the 2 year "empty house" condition. This is the rule that says a dwelling must have been unoccupied for at least 2 years, before contractors can charge the 5% reduced...
Reverse charge for construction services delayed until 2020
See HMRC R&C Brief 2020 which explains why http://tinyurl.com/y4t2gq3l
Yes please, say thank you!
This is a very quick post to make a very simple point. Every week, I answer queries, free of charge, from all sorts of people, both businesses and private individuals. So even if the query is quite complicated, if I can deal with it in an initial telephone call or...
The TOMS and serviced accommodation
VAT is a major issue for the SA sector, with many small operators trading in a very tight market. But could SA operators who operate from leased properties save VAT if their business falls within the TOMS? The VAT issues involved are complex and you need to know how...
Property developers, VAT and residential conversions
In the past few months, I've had queries from a couple of developers about claiming VAT on costs. In both cases, the developers have converted old residential homes into apartments, selling or intending to sell long leases in the newly converted apartments. They...
What’s the real VAT cost of a property development?
If you want to avoid mistakes and unexpected VAT bills, you need to do the VAT planning for your development as part of the initial financial planning for the project. It might seem obvious that the VAT cost of a development is the difference between the VAT you pay...
Renovations and the confusion about the 5% VAT rate
The most common misunderstanding about VAT and renovations is when you can get the 5% reduced rate. So I thought that I'd try to clear up the confusion. The basic rule is: If you are purchasing goods only, the retailer has to charge 20% VAT. That's it. And no, you...
When is it VAT planning and when is it fraud?
I'm often asked if it's okay to "do it this way" to avoid a VAT liability. More recently, a potential client with a potential £80k liability said "I'll pay you if you can find a way out of this VAT cost". This was not a grey area - the company had simply not...
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Renovations: the difference between the 2 year and the 10 year unoccupied rules….
Spring must be in the air because I'm receiving lots of queries about renovations and conversions. Or maybe it's the effect of Brexit? Either way things seem busier in the property world at the moment. 2 year and the 10 year unoccupied rules One of the issues that...
Brexit, MOSS and the end of an era
So it's happening. The UK is formally due to leave the EU at 11pm this Friday, January 31, 2020. This is a key event for the UK, particularly business owners who have to deal with the practical implications of Brexit. HMRC guidance HMRC has issued a LOT of guidance...
You can ONLY claim VAT that has been correctly charged
I have tried to come up with an interesting and snappy title for this blog. But I just can't think of one. So I decided to go straight for the jugular and state the obvious: you can ONLY claim VAT that has been correctly charged. This means that VAT registered...