Car Crash VAT refund : praise where due.

[ToughButterCup]

Some readers will have read the background to this thread, if you haven't here's a Speed Read;

 

My VAT refund application has been questioned because HMRC appears to think I applied late. I applied citing our house'  Entry in the Valuation List instead of a BCO issued Completion Certificate. The Entry in the Valuation list is dated December 20202, the letter telling me that is dated April 2021. So it took 5 months for the Valuation Office to tell me that our house had been entered on that listing. Applicants for the VAT refund have three months to apply. The date of the letter telling me I applied late was dated April 2021. I applied in July 2021.  HMRC are questioning why  I delayed 4 months (March  to  July)  before applying. 

 

To answer that question, all  HMRC had to do was read the letter from the Valuation Office - submitted with all the other evidence requested.  

 

The full discussion is here  Its worth reading because it might help you understand  the meanings that HMRC apply to the words 'usually' and the significance of the Date of Habitation  rather than the Date of Completion.

 

Yesterday I rang both HMRC Helpline and the LA Valuation Office to ask for clarification.

 

HMRC

The call was taken by a call handler: he noted the issues and said he would relay my questions to  the relvant team. He also  scheduled a discussion with the relevant team  for 27th October , pm.

 

Valuation Office Wyre Borough

I got straight through to the Valuation Office, and the Officer there was quite clear: she had the timeline of events infront of her and agreed that the date of notification was April 2021 , the Date Of Entry into the List was 1st December 2021.

 

I thought that getting on to the relevant people straight away was - these days - worthy of note. COVID notwithstanding. 

 

There are several other issues bubbling away beneath the surface: i'll post separately about those later.

 

Lesson

Take @newhome's advice seriously.  Ring the HMRC and talk to them if you move in BEFORE your house is completed. The key things to ascertain are;

• The date of habitation and
• The Completion date

HMRC are tending to take the date of habitation as the key date. Not the date of Completion

 

AND THEY DO NOT TELL YOU THAT IN THE ADVICE NOTES ON THE FORM

 

Read @newhome's pinned thread here  

 

By now, I've learned to Take-A-Joke.       'S Friday innit:     8 hours till International Party Night . Patten Arms 6pm. Buy me a pint please.

 

To be continued ......

 

Edited October 22, 2021 by ToughButterCup

[Triassic]

@ToughButterCupThanks for the various links to the threads regarding habitation and completion date triggers for the HMRC Vat reclaim process. It looks like we’ll have to delay moving in until I've talked to the local Valuation Office and the HMRC.
 

I like most self builders we’ve have been  delayed by COVID, the difficulty in getting work done in a timely manner and the need to juggle the money. I’m quite a way from completion but need to move into the house to help reduce our outgoings. It’s such a shame that the Vat people don’t allow two claims to be submitted, as this would help with cash flow.  
 

Looks like I’ll be burning the  midnight oil preparing my Vat reclaim. Is there a thread describing the paperwork layout requirements and the documents required by the Vat people?

[joe90]

At the risk of repeating myself, I gave all mine to a VAT specialist who deals with self builds and his fee was more than covered by the extra money he got for us. I cannot praise him enough https://www.vat431.co.uk

[Temp]

18 minutes ago, Triassic said:

Is there a thread describing the paperwork layout requirements and the documents required by the Vat people?

 

You can use a spreadsheet if you use the same headings as their paper forms and attach to the first few pages of questions.

 

Receipts should be in date order. 

 

Many of us numbered receIpts and added a receipt number column to the spreadsheet. 

 

I also used plastic ring binder sleeves to hold them. Some small receipts were stapled to a sheet of paper with any explanatory notes. Eg where the receipt wasmt clear or it included chocolate or other items not allowed.

 

[ProDave]

12 minutes ago, Temp said:

Receipts should be in date order. 

Being pedantic, no they don't.  They just have to be listed in the same order as they are physically presented.

 

I had a few out of date order and had no complaints.

[jack]

1 hour ago, Temp said:

Receipts should be in date order. 

 

I gave no consideration to date order at all.

 

Mine were very roughly grouped by supplier, but even that was pretty haphazard.  

[Temp]

5 hours ago, ProDave said:

Being pedantic, no they don't.  They just have to be listed in the same order as they are physically presented.

 

I had a few out of date order and had no complaints.

 

Good catch. Form just says the spreadsheet should be in the same order as the receipts are filed.