Reporting a private seller on ebay who should be a business. How!

nametaken

Holy Moly!!!!!!!!

Am truly astonished the majority of you seem to think it's OK to buy things specifically to sell them on Ebay and then not pay tax on it:mad: - what about people on means tested benefits? Shouldn't they all be declaring any extra income?

I wouldn't hesitate to report some free-loader on ebay for not paying tax.

It's interested that on MSE everyone has a go at benefits cheats for not declaring income but seem to think that tax evasion is perfectly acceptable.

Maddie57

Firstly in regard to the present situation - don't buy your friend a gift if it upsets you that she sells it. I can understand that this could be hurtful and cause resentment if you have taken the time to buy her a thoughtful gift and she throws away the gesture as if it was meaningless every time. Has anyone spoke to her about this? Maybe you should buy her vouchers or take her out for a meal/treat instead. Or if you need to buy something go to a second hand shop or car boot sale - I would resent spending money on a gift that was sold at a quater of the value - I'd rather give her the cash!


I can see why you would want to report your friend - I work full time and run a small party plan business which is registered so I pay tax on both and it is really annoying to hear about people playing the system. However this is supposed to be your friend. I would tell her that her boasting about not paying tax isn't endearing her to her friends and she could get herself in hot water if someone does report her. However I would also admire her business sense and encourage her to further develop it as she has the makings of a really good small business.

Mr_Oink

nametaken wrote: »

Holy Moly!!!!!!!!

Am truly astonished the majority of you seem to think it's OK to buy things specifically to sell them on Ebay and then not pay tax on it:mad: - what about people on means tested benefits? Shouldn't they all be declaring any extra income?

I wouldn't hesitate to report some free-loader on ebay for not paying tax.

It's interested that on MSE everyone has a go at benefits cheats for not declaring income but seem to think that tax evasion is perfectly acceptable.

I did say *if not on benefits* myself if they were I'd probably hope *someone* would report them - but I'm not sure I would do that myself. Councils and the Revenue waste quite enough public money without the need to chase after someone making a few quid on eBay to help them attend opulent dinners at the Manor House ;-)

singingsister

moneymabel wrote: »

Never mind about the present selling side of things-if she is buying specifically to sell on Ebay then she is a business and should be registered as such.

That's my point!

Yes I'm p*ed off she sells stuff she has been bought on E-Bay but it's her specifically buying to sell on E-Bay that we're annoyed about!

singingsister

nametaken wrote: »

Holy Moly!!!!!!!!

Am truly astonished the majority of you seem to think it's OK to buy things specifically to sell them on Ebay and then not pay tax on it:mad: - what about people on means tested benefits? Shouldn't they all be declaring any extra income?

I wouldn't hesitate to report some free-loader on ebay for not paying tax.

It's interested that on MSE everyone has a go at benefits cheats for not declaring income but seem to think that tax evasion is perfectly acceptable.

Thank you! Someone who can see where I'm coming from!

Harry_Flashman

singingsister wrote: »

That's my point!

Yes I'm p*ed off she sells stuff she has been bought on E-Bay but it's her specifically buying to sell on E-Bay that we're annoyed about!

And this is your business why?

ed89

singingsister wrote: »

Well apart from the fact that it's against E-Bay rules to buy items specifically to resell.

I sell clothes that dont' fit, DVD's that we don't watch anymore etc....but she goes to boot sales EVERY saturday and sunday to buy stuff to sell on E-Bay. I sell maybe 2 or 3 unused items every 2 months....that IS a private seller. What she's doing isn't "private" selling"

She should therefore also be paying income tax on it etc.

It annoys friends because it's taking the pi*s out of us as "friends". She's been doing it for a couple of years. I wouldn't mind if her E-Bay account was a business account and she was registered as a business accordingly but she actually flaunts to us all how much she's making and that she gets away without paying anything but the E-Bay fee you pay when an item sells.

Where do you draw the line? If it's ok for her to do it, why should ANY business be registered as a business? They'd all save money.

And whether intentional or not, I was not after a lecture that it's ok (which legally it isn't!), just information about how to pursue it thanks!

Come on now - be honest. From reading this I am not convinced that your main gripe is the fact she is making money on Ebay, not paying income tax or going against Ebay rules.

She is trading, making money, and you don't like it for some reason?

I am pretty sure if you were aware of someone else doing this and you weren't as involved with then, you would not be bothered.

By the way, I am pretty sure ebay takes a %age of your sales and they deal with any tax etc - else HMRC would be chasing after millions of ebay users for tax returns - which if implemented, ebay would fail.

xbrenx

I would really like to know just how much she is actually making on ebay. I know all earnings are taxable but it could be she's not even earning enough to actually pay any tax and as the previous poster said - it could benefit her anyway and wouldn't that annoy the OP even more.

I doubt anyone would have any physical proof that she buys to sell on.

monkeymo

ed89 wrote: »

By the way, I am pretty sure ebay takes a %age of your sales and they deal with any tax etc - else HMRC would be chasing after millions of ebay users for tax returns - which if implemented, ebay would fail.

No they don't. How would eBay know whether you were a UK taxpayer or not, what your personal allowance is or what rate you pay income tax at?

It's not up to eBay to pay users taxes for them, it's the user's responsibility to pay the taxes they owe.

Harry_Flashman

monkeymo wrote: »

it's the user's responsibility to pay the taxes they owe.

Or to dodge 'em as much as they possibly can?