22 replies to this topic

[feybrand]

arent you missing the point a little
its not minispares fault and if they up it that 2.5% they arent gaining anything as its going to the government so they wouldnt do it unless they had to as they wont gain anything from it
so if you have been charged it then its cause its not being invoiced till today and as a result they have to charge it you and you have to pay it by law

[Flat-out]

I don't believe I'm missing the point. I bought and paid for items when the vat rate was 17.5, and charged 20% vat. Thanks for your pm Simon, but as said previously, the money don't bother me, it's the fact of what was done. I actually hoped it may have been a mistake, but obviously not.

[bunch1980]

From buying lots and lots online the intial first email invoice is pretty much always automated and generated from your order which ever site it is. Cant be minispares fault if they showed they were to be closed over new year period. So means no invoices were looked at by people until today.
Unfortunately you missed the notice about them not invoicing until today.

[[email protected]]

I don't believe I'm missing the point. I bought and paid for items when the vat rate was 17.5, and charged 20% vat. Thanks for your pm Simon, but as said previously, the money don't bother me, it's the fact of what was done. I actually hoped it may have been a mistake, but obviously not.

If the order was placed from the 31st, the earliest you would have paid was today, at the New VAT rate, the details of the VAT raise have been widely publicised, and how the site would deal with it was also put on our front page, and would have been there the day you ordered
The VAT going up is beyond our control, its something we would rather not have to do, but so be it.

[stevede]

Companies have to charge vat at the rate in force at the point of invoice

It will probably be written in most companies T&C's

As with many companies, I understand minispares do not charge a card until the order is ready for dispatch and therefore invoice at that point.

In my company we took thousands of pounds worth of orders between Christmas & New year. Those not despatched (and invoiced) before close of business on the 31st will see the new vat rate on their invoices as of today.

To alter the rate of vat charged would be against the law and picked up by minispares auditors leaving them liable for any discrepency, (not to mention possible fine)

The only people actually benefiting from this raise is the government, not the seller of the goods.

[feybrand]

the above post was what i was getting at if you have been caught out by it then complain to the government not the companys who are just abiding the law
thinking about it the government probably knew that people would order lots just before the vat went up and therefore probably knew that some would get caught unawares and that the result would be more money in their pockets

[MiniLuke]

Actually there are anti forestalling measures in place.

www.hmrc.gov.uk/vat/forms-rates/rates/anti-forestall-guidance.pdf

They are there to stop people manipulating the tax point.

Basically, if the invoice is raised before the rise OR payment is made before the rise for the goods, then VAT can be charged at the previous, lower rate. In the case of Minispares, they accept an order only and only take payment when shipment is despatched, and to be fair seem to have included this on their site.

Enjoy the link by the way, a riveting read.........

Stevede, "The only people actually benefiting from this raise is the government, not the seller of the goods". I hope we all benefit from the rate rise!! It is to help reduce the astonishing national debt that the previous Government gifted us all. Perhaps direct taxation will not rise so much if they can get it under control somehow.....

Good times

[stevede]

Quite right Luke there are potential variences but not in the way minispares operate their site. (correct in my view), in that they invoice & charge a card only at the point of despatch.

Pro forma invoicing is a possibility for certain customers, I see it every March as my customers in the public sector use up available budget.

Stevede, "The only people actually benefiting from this raise is the government, not the seller of the goods". I hope we all benefit from the rate rise!! It is to help reduce the astonishing national debt that the previous Government gifted us all. Perhaps direct taxation will not rise so much if they can get it under control somehow.....

Good times

I love your optimism on this one, I do hope you are right!!