Is it possible to get tax refund for DELL laptop?

sysboy

I want to buy a laptop from dell online for my girlfriend who will leave UK recently.
Will DELL provide a tax refund slip if buying from DELL online? Any advice on how to get tax refund ? Thanks a lot.

isofa

She'll leave the UK recently?! Or imminently?!

They always provide a UK tax/VAT invoice, but if you've purchased it in the UK, then you pay UK VAT on it, I'm not sure you can get a refund, unless I've mis-understood the post.

(If you are a UK VAT registered company, then you claim the VAT back on your next return against your input VAT.)

sysboy

Thanks for the quick reply.

She will leave UK in two months. I have not purchased the laptop in the UK now. Can she get a tax refund in the airport using the tax/VAT provided by DELL? or need other materials? thanks

isofa

No, only if she buys it in a duty free zone, and unless Dell have an outlet shop in a duty free / airside zone.

If she runs a business, and is paying VAT or sales tax in the UK or EU, (depending on the VAT rules in the country) then she possibly can, but not if an individual. (The UK VAT returns have space for EU taxed purchases, so I imagine vice-versa in other EU countries.)

If you buy in the UK as an individual, whether a resident or not, you pay the UK VAT on the item.

It's the same if you travel to the USA and buy a laptop, you pay the sales tax of the state you buy it in, but cannot reclaim it here when you return.

Stubert

isofa wrote: »

If you buy in the UK as an individual, whether a resident or not, you pay the UK VAT on the item.

It's the same if you travel to the USA and buy a laptop, you pay the sales tax of the state you buy it in, but cannot reclaim it here when you return.

I used to work in a shop and occasionally people would come back in and ask for a Tax refund slip if they lived outside of the EU.

We had to fill out details of unit cost, net cost etc etc and then they could claim the tax back on their departure from the county. Although the only place you could get the refund if you were flying from the UK was Heathrow I seem to remember.

This was within the past 2 years anyway so I don't know if its changed since then.

Bongedone

There is a South African in our office. He will be claiming the VAT back when he leaves for home.

isofa

Stubert wrote: »

I used to work in a shop and occasionally people would come back in and ask for a Tax refund slip if they lived outside of the EU.
We had to fill out details of unit cost, net cost etc etc and then they could claim the tax back on their departure from the county. Although the only place you could get the refund if you were flying from the UK was Heathrow I seem to remember.
This was within the past 2 years anyway so I don't know if its changed since then.

I had no idea you could do that, well, good news for the OP

abhikiwi

Hi,

When we purchase from shop we get the 'VAT reclaim slip' or 'form' with stamp and sign from the shop owner. It states the price of the item and VAT amount. So when you leave country, you go to the reclaim desk on airport with that form, the toy you bought, and the bills; and they give you the money back. This is valid only within 90 days on purchase.

I claimed VAT for my new digicam when I went home last year..

However, last week I ordered a DELL laptop online to gift my bro when I go home (next month)... Today I talked with DELL to attach VAT reclaim form with it; but they said they don't give any VAT reclaim form. They asked me to contact local tax office !!!

Could someone guide me please?

baby_frogmella

You have to remember that not all retailers participate in the VAT reclaim scheme for tourists/non UK residents, they are not forced to. Companies which trade over the web are not allowed by law to send out the VAT reclaim form through the post and assuming a web retailer participates in the scheme, they will always insist you come to their showroom and sign and obtain the form from them in person. AFAIK Dell do NOT participate in the scheme.

rainbow_carnage

Where is she going? The same laptop may be cheaper in her home country. There's an almost £200 difference in price for the one I want, depending on whether I buy it in the UK or in the US.

savemoney

LOL this thread is a little old now. I am sure she has gone. The thread started almost 4 months ago