Online Retailer Refusing to Provide VAT Receipt

Cameron1983

Hi All

I hope someone will be able to advise me of my rights...

I ordered a product from Nonin (a healthcare equipment provider), as I am self employed in the healthcare field. The order was placed on Amazon.co.uk, but when it arrived there was no VAT receipt (or any receipt/proof of purchase infact from either Nonin or Amazon).

I emailed Amazon, who said they are only a "fulfillment centre", and the order was with Nonin, and effectively was nothing to do with them, despite payment being made to Amazon.

I then emailed Nonin, twice, with no response to either email. Their "seller description" on Amazon says they do not provide VAT receipts "at this time".

I need a VAT receipt for tax purposes, and the equipment was quite expensive. Can anyone advise me of my rights? I would have thought that either Amazon or Nonin would be legally required to provide a receipt for sale of goods, if requested??

Thanks for any replies

arcon5

Could it be they are not VAT registered?

Cameron1983

arcon5 wrote: »

Could it be they are not VAT registered?

Didn't think of that!:embarasse

Should they still not provide a receipt of some description? I'm not sure it actually has to be a VAT receipt I need, just proof of purchase for tax purposes.

arcon5

Cameron1983 wrote: »

Didn't think of that!:embarasse

Should they still not provide a receipt of some description? I'm not sure it actually has to be a VAT receipt I need, just proof of purchase for tax purposes.

Any proof of purchase will do.. amazon sales record, a bank statement -- it doesn't necessarily have to be an official receipt, as long as you can satisfy the tax man that it is a legitimate expense.

Buzzman_2

Agree with arcon5 - but re: the VAT receipt my understanding is that if they are VAT registered they are legally obliged to raise an invoice with the VAT element on it. Whether they are then legally obliged to send it to you as a customer I am not sure!

Cameron1983

arcon5 wrote: »

Any proof of purchase will do.. amazon sales record, a bank statement -- it doesn't necessarily have to be an official receipt, as long as you can satisfy the tax man that it is a legitimate expense.

An amazon order confirmation email will do? It lists the item and the price.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

NB. I think they are an American based company, presumably with distributors in UK. Presumably this is why they may not be VAT registered?

arcon5

Cameron1983 wrote: »

An amazon order confirmation email will do? It lists the item and the price.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Yes thats fine.

Problem solved

NB. I think they are an American based company, presumably with distributors in UK. Presumably this is why they may not be VAT registered?

Assuming the distributors are simply reselling the products it's likely they will be registered in the UK, have their own system and subject to usual rules. So it's probably more likely they are a new or small business.

Cameron1983

Good stuff. Cheers guys and/or girls!

:beer:

[Deleted User]

A bit of a late response but...if the business in not vat registered you cannot reclaim the VAT from HMRC.

You need to find out if they are registered. If they are not, you are committing fraud by claiming back VAT that was not paid.

neilmcl

OP, quick question, have you actually paid VAT on the item?

neilmcl

subsoniccoyote wrote: »

A bit of a late response but...if the business in not vat registered you cannot reclaim the VAT from HMRC.

You need to find out if they are registered. If they are not, you are committing fraud by claiming back VAT that was not paid.

I don't think the OP was suggesting that he was going to reclaim the VAT if they're not VAT registered, in fact it's not clear whether the OP is VAT registered himself, I believe he was under the impression that he'd require a VAT receipt for tax purposes, ie, for claiming tax relief against the purchase.

OP, you don't specifically need a VAT receipt for tax purposes any invoice/proof of purchase will suffice. You would need a VAT receipt however to reclaim the VAT but it seems the retailer isn't VAT registered in any case.