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VAT ripoff by U.K Company selling on Web

  • 08-11-2002 12:52am
    #1
    captainpat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 244 ✭✭


    I'm not sure if this is the right place, but I'll start here. I have had a few (4) transactions with a U.K. based company which sells electronics stuff. They have a .co.uk URL, and all their Web Shop prices are in Sterling. A couple of weeks ago, I placed another order and received the goods in good shape. They are excellent for prices and quality etc., but I noticed something strange on their enclosed Invoice.

    The pricing was as expected, but the VAT rate charged was 21%, not 17.5% as would be normal for U.K. I phoned their (U.K.) Customer Services, who told me that their policy was to charge the VAT rate of the country of delivery. I asked what justification or legal basis they had for this, and was told "I don't know". I gave up on that one.

    I phoned the Rev Comms and was passed among all their respective enemies, until I ended up with a branch which dealt with validating VAT numbers. After a few hours delay, I got the information that the company also had an Irish VAT number, presumably because the company has a branch near Jervis Street in Dublin. In no Rev Comms office I visited could anyone give me a definitive statement on a U.K. company charging Irish VAT rates.

    I have a total of 4 invoices from this crowd. Two are from a year ago, when I bought some Christmas presents. The VAT rate for those invoices was 17.5%. Two more invoices since August show 21% VAT rate. The current invoices are clearly on U.K. stationery, in Sterling, with the "GB" U.K. VAT number. The goods were shipped from the U.K. (I kept the envelope), and there has been no attempt to show this as an Irish transaction.

    I wrote an email to the Customer Services dept of this company, setting out the facts, asking for a justification or refund, and have heard nothing in two weeks. I am about to take this further with them, but would appreciate any help from Boards clients.

    I suspect they are charging us "Paddies" 21% because we are used to it, and only passing on 17.5% to the U.K. VAT. But I am confused by the Paper evidence. Surely these Irish-bound invoices are still normal U.K. transactions?

    I paid by Credit Card. Can I get the CC company involved? I will also try the Consumers Association, and maybe the media. But before all that, has anybody else got a similar story or some advice? (Sorry this is so long, I'll keep further contributions mor digested in form, now that I've told the main story).

    (Moderator: Feel free to move this anywhere you think fit. This forum was the nearest to my topic that I could find).


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