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Does anyone know how long it is taking the TAX office to come back regarding DIY VAT reclaims at the moment? In order to ensure I don't get clobbered for CIL I need to submit CIL form 7 which requires "An approved claim for HM Revenue and Customs for VAT refund". CIL form 7 has to be submitted within 6 months of completion certificate and hence I'm starting to worry. Any info gratefully received.

Hey everyone - pleased to be involved in this fantastic forum. We are building a house in Somerset and are tantalisingly close to being able to lay carpets but still need to finish bits like the kitchen and bathrooms off etc. My question is regarding VAT (the VAT office phone line as others have reported is not working). [Moderator: The VAT question has been moved here] On a side note - can anyone recommend an insurance company who will insure the property with us living in it before it is building control completed but has gas and electric signed off? I really appreciate any replies that can help us. As ever, the government don’t make it easy!

We have one of those maddening, tightrope-like conundrums where there is no easy answer, so this thread I guess would ideally be a poll of sorts. basically we have PP to demolish 2 outbuildings and build a large home office in their place. We also have full PD rights. our planning strategy (over time) HAD been as follows: Home Gym > Change of Use to Granny Annexe (under PD, with Cert of Lawfulness) > Change of Use to Separate Dwelling (PP app) however, we are now staring down the barrel of the c. £25k VAT bill on assembling the "home office" structure, which of course could be avoided if this were constructed as a full separate dwelling from the outset As I see it we have 3 options: stick to the "softly softly or lily pad" planning strategy and simply suck up the £25k VAT bill in the spirit of strengthening our planning position over time blow our cover with the council and steam ahead with a full "separate dwelling" app, putting all building works on hold (of course this app may be approved, rejected, approved at appeal or rejected at appeal) persuade our builders to post-date the invoices, start both building and the separate dwelling planning app simultaneously, and then (hopefully) the timing works out whereby we're granted approval and the structure is well on its way to being finished If anybody else has other ideas for a way round this I would love to hear them. And also would love to hear which option you would take. Clearly the problem here is that this isn't £5k, or even £10k....it's £25k. And also we will lose our slot with some very good builders if we delay.

Hi My partner and I found a plot we are interested in building on. We think that there is room for two semi detached dwellings. It is my understanding that the VAT refund applies when you are building a property for you or your family to live or holiday in. Strictly speaking this is what we intend on doing. We intend on building a home for us to live in and a home for friends and family to use when they visit us. Essentially my question is, are there legitimate circumstances by which we could achieve a VAT refund on both properties. Things we are open to: * splitting the title and doing two refunds? * building a single dwelling that could later be converted into 2 semis. * ... My partner and I are not yet married, if that has any impact?

Hi Can the VAT refund be emailed in? I've spent ages making a huge pdf of all the invoices in one document but I saw they want original invoices. As pretty much all of these are electronic, they'll all look like I just printed them off my computer —which I have— and so, sorry if this is a stupid question, but what would make them originals? Thanks

Hi I’m converting my garage into a bungalow. It’s detached from my house & is about 10 m away. I will be extending it by 50% in size. Having trawled through here & the HMRC website I can’t work out whether I can reclaim the VAT. I’ve owned my house for 4 years and have never used it to store a car. The lady before me owned the property for 50 years, in her 80s & didn’t own a car. Any clues on if I can prove it hasn’t been used to store a car for 10 years whether I’d get the VAT back, & If so, any ideas how I can prove it? Many thanks. Nige.