HMRC targets Etsy, eBay, Amazon, Facebook & Gumtree sellers

Widelats

RFW wrote: »

They likely wouldn't be paying tax on it, they just have to declare that they are a business. At that level it's a relatively straightforward system, buy or make to sell then you are a business. It doesn't necessarily mean you'll be paying tax.

But if its not a business, just a hobby? Paypal honestly stopped any money from being withdrawn from my paypal account and sent me emails about upgrading to a business account, they kept 2 thousand pounds and i could not get it off them. I made a sword which i sold for 2 thousand, to an American collector, it is not a business though it was a one off, but they still limited the account.

No matter what i told paypal, they were not listening, first email i sent them telling them to give me my cash i got a reply off them about "Thanks for contacting paypal, if you have forgotten your password then blah blah blah" i thought WHAT THE HELL!! This went on and on, with no communications at all, so they kept the money on the assumption i was a business in disguise.

I ended up closing paypal down, and ebay, and going elsewhere, the level of service to customers was horrific they were all like robots, they would not answer questions, would not listen, kept going on about policies and more policies and telling me they understand i am frustrated etc etc, but doing nothing about it.

Thats the problem, a hobby is a hobby its not a business and now HMRC are sticking their fat nose in again and deciding whats what, when they are wrong. I should be criminalised according to the law, locked up for fraud, whatever, so now if i make something it goes on free sites if i want to sell it. I made a Gimli axe and again Americans bought it and asked if i can make 4 more at 1.5 thousand each, i said no i don't have time as its a hobby but HMRC won't see it that way if i did say yes.

Am i not allowed to have a car, or a house of my own, or any savings at all, or be able to sell anything without the Gov wanting it? I paid enough into the system and when i went unemployed i got nothing back, i had to appeal and re appeal for a right to benefits that was automatically mine to begin with, i paid for it with tax money, but got denied it.

They do not spend tax money on helping the unfortunate or elderly, whoever thinks this has never heard of tax payer funded ATOS.

RainbowDrops

If you're making money from a hobby then surely it's a business?

RFW

RainbowDrops wrote: »

If you're making money from a hobby then surely it's a business?

Yes. You could actually be losing money but it would still be a business.
As soon as you make something for the purpose of selling it, it's a business.
You can make something for yourself, hang it on a wall for a year or two, and then decide to get rid of it, that's a hobby.
The law is, and always has been (as far as I know) quite clear on the definition.

soolin

Ah, I was waiting for the 'I do it so it must be OK' response. The people I used to assist had many compelling reasons why they weren't really a bsuiness, I think perhaps they believed it themselves sometimes. Unfortunately neither HMRC nor DWP agreed with them.

A one off item does not exclude it from being a business either- something that an oldish TV programme about buying and doing up houses had to start mentioning part way through their series. Buying a single house as a weekend project, doing it up purely to resell still makes it a business.

As for the 'can I own a car or house' argument then yes, but with a house you have to choose one property as your main residence, everything else would involve CGT .

campdave

Widelats wrote: »

But if its not a business, just a hobby? Paypal honestly stopped any money from being withdrawn from my paypal account and sent me emails about upgrading to a business account, they kept 2 thousand pounds and i could not get it off them. I made a sword which i sold for 2 thousand, to an American collector, it is not a business though it was a one off, but they still limited the account.

No matter what i told paypal, they were not listening, first email i sent them telling them to give me my cash i got a reply off them about "Thanks for contacting paypal, if you have forgotten your password then blah blah blah" i thought WHAT THE HELL!! This went on and on, with no communications at all, so they kept the money on the assumption i was a business in disguise.

I ended up closing paypal down, and ebay, and going elsewhere, the level of service to customers was horrific they were all like robots, they would not answer questions, would not listen, kept going on about policies and more policies and telling me they understand i am frustrated etc etc, but doing nothing about it.

Thats the problem, a hobby is a hobby its not a business and now HMRC are sticking their fat nose in again and deciding whats what, when they are wrong. I should be criminalised according to the law, locked up for fraud, whatever, so now if i make something it goes on free sites if i want to sell it. I made a Gimli axe and again Americans bought it and asked if i can make 4 more at 1.5 thousand each, i said no i don't have time as its a hobby but HMRC won't see it that way if i did say yes.

Am i not allowed to have a car, or a house of my own, or any savings at all, or be able to sell anything without the Gov wanting it? I paid enough into the system and when i went unemployed i got nothing back, i had to appeal and re appeal for a right to benefits that was automatically mine to begin with, i paid for it with tax money, but got denied it.

They do not spend tax money on helping the unfortunate or elderly, whoever thinks this has never heard of tax payer funded ATOS.

You're a wally.

Haffiana

Widelats wrote: »

But if its not a business, just a hobby? Paypal honestly stopped any money from being withdrawn from my paypal account and sent me emails about upgrading to a business account, they kept 2 thousand pounds and i could not get it off them. I made a sword which i sold for 2 thousand, to an American collector, it is not a business though it was a one off, but they still limited the account.

No matter what i told paypal, they were not listening, first email i sent them telling them to give me my cash i got a reply off them about "Thanks for contacting paypal, if you have forgotten your password then blah blah blah" i thought WHAT THE HELL!! This went on and on, with no communications at all, so they kept the money on the assumption i was a business in disguise.

I ended up closing paypal down, and ebay, and going elsewhere, the level of service to customers was horrific they were all like robots, they would not answer questions, would not listen, kept going on about policies and more policies and telling me they understand i am frustrated etc etc, but doing nothing about it.

Thats the problem, a hobby is a hobby its not a business and now HMRC are sticking their fat nose in again and deciding whats what, when they are wrong. I should be criminalised according to the law, locked up for fraud, whatever, so now if i make something it goes on free sites if i want to sell it. I made a Gimli axe and again Americans bought it and asked if i can make 4 more at 1.5 thousand each, i said no i don't have time as its a hobby but HMRC won't see it that way if i did say yes.

Am i not allowed to have a car, or a house of my own, or any savings at all, or be able to sell anything without the Gov wanting it? I paid enough into the system and when i went unemployed i got nothing back, i had to appeal and re appeal for a right to benefits that was automatically mine to begin with, i paid for it with tax money, but got denied it.

They do not spend tax money on helping the unfortunate or elderly, whoever thinks this has never heard of tax payer funded ATOS.

My hobby is making money. Do you think I should pay tax?

Your hobby is making swords/axes. Why don't you give them away to collectors?

motorguy

Widelats wrote: »

But if its not a business, just a hobby? Paypal honestly stopped any money from being withdrawn from my paypal account and sent me emails about upgrading to a business account, they kept 2 thousand pounds and i could not get it off them. I made a sword which i sold for 2 thousand, to an American collector, it is not a business though it was a one off, but they still limited the account.

No matter what i told paypal, they were not listening, first email i sent them telling them to give me my cash i got a reply off them about "Thanks for contacting paypal, if you have forgotten your password then blah blah blah" i thought WHAT THE HELL!! This went on and on, with no communications at all, so they kept the money on the assumption i was a business in disguise.

I ended up closing paypal down, and ebay, and going elsewhere, the level of service to customers was horrific they were all like robots, they would not answer questions, would not listen, kept going on about policies and more policies and telling me they understand i am frustrated etc etc, but doing nothing about it.

Thats the problem, a hobby is a hobby its not a business and now HMRC are sticking their fat nose in again and deciding whats what, when they are wrong. I should be criminalised according to the law, locked up for fraud, whatever, so now if i make something it goes on free sites if i want to sell it. I made a Gimli axe and again Americans bought it and asked if i can make 4 more at 1.5 thousand each, i said no i don't have time as its a hobby but HMRC won't see it that way if i did say yes.

Am i not allowed to have a car, or a house of my own, or any savings at all, or be able to sell anything without the Gov wanting it? I paid enough into the system and when i went unemployed i got nothing back, i had to appeal and re appeal for a right to benefits that was automatically mine to begin with, i paid for it with tax money, but got denied it.

They do not spend tax money on helping the unfortunate or elderly, whoever thinks this has never heard of tax payer funded ATOS.

Classic - "I make £2,000 profit on item i make but i shouldnt pay tax because its only a hobby" :rotfl:

ballisticbrian

I think it's posted as a spoof isn't it?

soolin

ballisticbrian wrote: »

I think it's posted as a spoof isn't it?

Having seen other posts by the user, I suspect he is for real.

A.Jones

Haffiana wrote: »

My hobby is making money.

Now that is illegal, isn't it.