VAT Reclaim journey

[Benpointer]

18 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

The wife has just finished our vat claim

 

i will see your 161 invoices @Benpointer and raise you 1057 invoices 

anybody had a larger amount than this. 

 Jeepers, that's a lot of invoices!

 

We finally got an initial response from HMRC just over a month after the initial submission:

 

"You are not named on the planning permission. Please provide evidence such as your Building Agreement, Purchase Contract, handover documents, land transfer documentation etc; to show when you acquired the Property/Land."

 

This is because our planning consultant was sent the planning approval.  Anyway, we've now uploaded several further docs to show we own the plot, we're the actual planning applicant etc.  

 

So we wait another month, I guess...

 

 

[-rick-]

1 minute ago, Benpointer said:

"You are not named on the planning permission. Please provide evidence such as your Building Agreement, Purchase Contract, handover documents, land transfer documentation etc; to show when you acquired the Property/Land."

 

Ah joined up government! You'd have thought they would be plugged in to the land registry and could see if you are the registered owner there before writing that email. Costs everyone more time to deal with the email and response.

[Alan Ambrose]

Yeah, they didn’t bother to check Companies House when making Covid loans.

[Nickfromwales]

5 hours ago, -rick- said:

 

Ah joined up government! You'd have thought they would be plugged in to the land registry and could see if you are the registered owner there before writing that email. Costs everyone more time to deal with the email and response.

That would be sensible, ergo “not going to happen any time soon”…..  🤦‍♂️

[Nickfromwales]

2 hours ago, Alan Ambrose said:

Yeah, they didn’t bother to check Companies House when making Covid loans.

£10k “grants” handed out like sweets. Ffs. 

[miike]

On 24/07/2026 at 16:47, Benpointer said:

 Jeepers, that's a lot of invoices!

 

We finally got an initial response from HMRC just over a month after the initial submission:

 

"You are not named on the planning permission. Please provide evidence such as your Building Agreement, Purchase Contract, handover documents, land transfer documentation etc; to show when you acquired the Property/Land."

 

This is because our planning consultant was sent the planning approval.  Anyway, we've now uploaded several further docs to show we own the plot, we're the actual planning applicant etc.  

 

So we wait another month, I guess...

 

 

 

I re-read the email and noticed that it only gives two options for sending documents - online via their website portal, or by post. And if they haven't got the docs in a month they'll reject the claim. 

 

I'd replied to the email with the documents attached to it, but realised they could technically ignore it and reject the claim after a month as I hadn't provided the documents via their listed methods. Just gone to the portal and uploaded the additional docs that way to be safe. 

[Benpointer]

On 28/07/2026 at 12:22, miike said:

 

I re-read the email and noticed that it only gives two options for sending documents - online via their website portal, or by post. And if they haven't got the docs in a month they'll reject the claim. 

 

I'd replied to the email with the documents attached to it, but realised they could technically ignore it and reject the claim after a month as I hadn't provided the documents via their listed methods. Just gone to the portal and uploaded the additional docs that way to be safe. 

 Checks... Yes I uploaded the documents via the portal. 

 

Given HMRC exists to serve* us all, why do they make it so bloody difficult to claim what is legally due with regard to self-build VAT?

 

(On other matters, income tax, IHT, I have always found HMRC staff very helpful.)