VAT Blog

Latest news, thoughts and articles from the world of VAT.

What do you do when HMRC gets it wrong?

I'm sure that most of us have received a decision from HMRC about tax that we feel is wrong. You may think that a similar business is paying less VAT, or you may disagree with HMRC’s interpretation of the rules; or in some cases you feel that they have just given you...

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VAT and the reduced rate for residential renovations

The most common query I receive about VAT and residential renovations is if/how you, as the property owner, get the 5% reduction for goods and materials. Unfortunately, you can't.  This is because the 5% ONLY applies to goods and materials that are supplied and...

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Who really benefits if the government reduces the VAT rate?

It's good that the shops are beginning to open and we're getting some sense of "normality" back into our lives.  To say that it will be a long road back is an understatement.  And, of course, every commentator seems to have their own ideas about how the government can...

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Property developers, VAT and COVID 19: READ THIS 

Property developers, VAT and COVID 19 As if there’s not enough to think about at the moment, property developers need to be extra careful with short term lets of new or newly converted domestic properties.  Or they could end up with unexpected VAT bills.  The property...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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Additional REsources

A Few Other Resources We’ve Created for Our Customers

September 2024 update

Hi there, just a quick update for anyone who has recently tried to contact me. I had a rather nasty accident back in July and it's taken me a while to get back to normal.  I am hoping to respond to any outstanding queries within the next few days.  My apologies to...

Recent changes for option to tax notification and valuation rules.

Option to tax notifications  Revenue and Customs Brief 01/23 confirms that HMRC will now only issue an acknowledgement online to nofifications that are submitted online,  Nofifications that are submitted any other way - such as postal delivery - will no longer receive...

Serviced accommodation, AirBnB and all that VAT

VAT and serviced accommodation The subject of this post is whether serviced accommodation and AirBnB fall within the Tour Operators Margin Scheme. This can significantly affect how much VAT the SA provider has to pay HMRC.  The difference can be significant. I first...

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