Shell broadband scam

Neil_Jones

AFAIK VAT is not something that can be avoided at the point of sale so the price quoted has to include VAT (unless its except and then its moot anyway) for domestic purposes, unless its a business only supplier and then they will quote <whatever> ex VAT.

Indeed https://www.shellenergy.co.uk/info/broadband/pricing says right at the bottom - "All prices set out in the Price List are inclusive of VAT".

Businesses can claim VAT back on goods and services used exclusively for the business.  But that doesn't apply here.

The only thing I can see in the links from the current Shell office is that call charges have VAT added on top of them, but you'd have to practically hang on the line for a long time to get £4.78 added to your bill, which is what £23.94 + VAT works out to.

TonyM100

Thanks to original question poster and all subsequent replies. Shell has acknowledged that there is a problem with my bill. The VAT is apparently (I got a call-back from someone who'd checked out my bill after the help-line responder referred the issue after agreeing that something did look wrong) "a result of the billing cycle" and no they won't refund it directly as it "will work itself out over that cycle" (which it sounds like will be as long as the 12-month contract, i.e. I will get it back in some form or other when I leave at the end of the contract). I will definitely not be charged VAT in any further bills in the contract unless I do things which are explicitly VAT-chargeable in the contract, such as make landline calls (not included in my contract). Note that all this has nothing to do with any first-billing-higher-than-normal reasons that Shell warns new clients about.  In my case none of the explanations for such a higher billing applied. I can only assume it's all something to do with Shell being able to reclaim VAT as mentioned by Neil_Jones, though in my case it's not VAT on landline calls. 

[Deleted User]

So there was a post ages ago where somebody thought they were being double charged for VAT but I broke down the costs for the OP and it was just a greater than one month billing cycle:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78084329/#Comment_78084329