No VAT receipt from Tesco Direct

pivotal_ts

32 days ago I purchased a product from Tesco via its direct website, on collection I was told they had stopped issuing receipts & now they only email order confirmations.

I explained I needed a vat receipt to claim back the cost of the goods for my employer, after phoning Cardiff my branch advised me to request one on-line.

I did this & the website says it will take upto 30 days to arrive, that was on the 10th Oct. I complained by email, they phoned & apologised but said its a backlog since changing their process.

I contacted them again by email & no reply, phoned & hung on for 30 mins before being cut off then again for 15 mins.

So I twittered & now they are saying 90 days. HMRC says it should be with the goods if paid in advance or a max of 30 day, unless they have applied for an extension (for new companies etc).

I need to claim my money its close to £100.

Tesco are just not playing ball. Anyone know how to force the issue?

shaun_from_Africa

You could always send Tesco another e-mail and tell them that as they are not willing or able to supply a VAT receipt despite being told that this would be given, you would like to return the purchased goods for a full refund so you can repurchase them from a company who will supply the correct paperwork.

This may well prompt them to get their finger out and issue the receipt, or at the very least, it will probably get them to make contact with you.

halibut2209

As this is a business to business transaction, I doubt that Tesco would refund due to change of mind.

greyteam1959

Why not just ask Tesco for their VAT number & write out the VAT receipt yourself ???

ILW

I would suspect that HMRC would accept the order confirmation and proof of payment for a VAT return or expense deduction.

pivotal_ts

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

You could always send Tesco another e-mail and tell them that as they are not willing or able to supply a VAT receipt despite being told that this would be given, you would like to return the purchased goods for a full refund so you can repurchase them from a company who will supply the correct paperwork.

This may well prompt them to get their finger out and issue the receipt, or at the very least, it will probably get them to make contact with you.

They said no problem, other than its over their std returns time, but the problem is I dont have it any more & it was just what was needed at the right price. (of course spend 5+ hours chasing for a vat receipt is making the value look very poor)

pivotal_ts

ILW wrote: »

I would suspect that HMRC would accept the order confirmation and proof of payment for a VAT return or expense deduction.

No, it has to be an invoice (printed or hand written), spoke with HMRC, fine unless the company is audited (unlikely but an issue) plus its not company policy without invoice

terra_ferma

pivotal_ts wrote: »

I explained I needed a vat receipt to claim back the cost of the goods for my employer,

halibut2209 wrote: »

As this is a business to business transaction, I doubt that Tesco would refund due to change of mind.

Sounds like the OP is an individual, regardless of being reimbursed by their employer. My understanding is that this would not be a B2B transaction.
Maybe someone who knows more can point to the appropriate information?

Fosterdog

pivotal_ts wrote: »

No, it has to be an invoice, spoke with HMRC, fine unless the company is audited (unlikely but an issue) plus its not company policy without invoice

That is absolute rubbish, I work in B2B sales and if our systems go down we have to write it out manually and I've never had a customer complain about it or need us to reissue a full VAT receipt later on.

Also I often pick up items for the office and pay myself and submit a receipt to claim it back from the company and I have to work out the VAT myself and just have the VAT number for the shop purchased from. Not all shops give a VAT receipt and they have no legal requirement to do so, all they have to do is issue a receipt with the VAT number on if requested.

Maybe you should phone HMRC back and speak to someone else

pivotal_ts

Fosterdog wrote: »

That is absolute rubbish, I work in B2B sales and if our systems go down we have to write it out manually and I've never had a customer complain about it or need us to reissue a full VAT receipt later on.

Also I often pick up items for the office and pay myself and submit a receipt to claim it back from the company and I have to work out the VAT myself and just have the VAT number for the shop purchased from. Not all shops give a VAT receipt and they have no legal requirement to do so, all they have to do is issue a receipt with the VAT number on if requested.

Maybe you should phone HMRC back and speak to someone else

I havent moaned about a written one - they wont even do a written one & yet their is a legal requirement if your registered & asked for one you have to provide it.


hmrc. gov. uk/vat/managing/charging/vat-invoices.htm#3
When a VAT invoice must be issued
If you are registered for VAT you must give any VAT-registered customers a VAT invoice for any standard-rated or reduced-rated goods or services you sell them.

If you are a retailer, you do not need to issue a VAT invoice or receipt unless your customer asks for one.

As a VAT-registered supplier, you may be liable to a fine if you do not issue a VAT invoice for a supply you have made when asked to do so by a VAT-registered customer.

There is a time limit within which VAT invoices must be issued – see the section in this guide on time limits for issuing VAT invoices

hmrc. gov. uk/vat/managing/charging/vat-invoices.htm#9
Time limits for issuing VAT invoices
There is a strict time limit on issuing VAT invoices. You must normally issue a VAT invoice (to a VAT-registered customer) within 30 days of the date you supply the goods or services - or if you were paid in advance, the date you received payment. This is so your customer can claim back the VAT on the supply, if they're entitled to. You can't issue invoices any later without permission from HMRC except in a few limited circumstances.

For goods, the time when the goods are considered to be supplied is the date when one of these happens:

you send the goods to the customer
the customer collects the goods from you
the goods (which are not either sent or collected) are made available for the customer to use - for example, if you are assembling something on the customer's premises
For services, the date when the services are considered to be supplied is the date when the service is carried out and all the work - except invoicing - is finished.

davec1960

pivotal_ts wrote: »

I havent moaned about a written one - they wont even do a written one & yet their is a legal requirement if your registered & asked for one you have to provide it.

If you bought as an individual, as you probably did, then they don't have to give you a vat receipt as you aren't vat registered