Requesting VAT after registration

**Sally@InTouch** · 25 September 2012, 10:20

Originally posted by brightbits View Post

Hi everyone,

My accountant has recently registered me for VAT from the date my business started, which was several months ago.

He asked me to send VAT only invoices to anyone I've invoiced previously which I've done but are they required to pay that? I don't want to get in to a situation where I'm liable for VAT I've not received...

Many thanks

Hi Brightbits

This is the normal procedure where the registration has been made retrospectively. You may need to send a copy of the certificate with each one as proof of the registration.

**Greg@CapitalCity** · 25 September 2012, 11:04

Originally posted by brightbits View Post

I don't want to get in to a situation where I'm liable for VAT I've not received...Many thanks

....and just to follow on from what Sally has mentioned, if you cannot get the VAT off your clients for the previous work you have done, your company will be liable for this itself (which is not a great situation to be in!).

**Pondlife** · 25 September 2012, 11:19

It may have been advisable to tell the entities you're dealing with that this is what would be happening.

I only say this because if you are invoicing a company then chances are* they can just claim it back with zero cost to themselves. If you've been, for example, building small websites for people who are not VAT registered then they might not be so understanding about these new invoices.

*caveat for non VAT registered companies.

**captainham** · 25 September 2012, 11:19

Not that this helps the OP now, but if you were always intending to register for VAT then I thought your invoices pre-registration should have included this in the invoice (but not as a separate VAT item; i.e. £500 + VAT should have been invoiced as one charge of £600, with a note on the invoice to explain why). Then when you are VAT registered, you have already invoiced for the VAT (effectively) so all you need to do is re-issue a new invoice to the client so that they can reclaim the VAT, and you've already got the money put aside to pay the first VAT bill.

Of course you'd need an understanding client in order to do this, but then you'd need an understanding client to claim VAT back retrospectively anyway.

**ThomserveBAS** · 25 September 2012, 11:32

I am in a similar position but my agency have advised me to raise a VAT-only invoice once my certificate comes through (which should have been weeks ago but it went wrong between me sending it to my accountant and them sending it on to HMRC...)

I guess in my case, the agency are billing the client for the VAT and retaining it until such time I am VAT registered then they will release funds equivalent to the amount of VAT accrued so far.

**tractor** · 25 September 2012, 11:39

...

Originally posted by captainham View Post

Not that this helps the OP now, but if you were always intending to register for VAT then I thought your invoices pre-registration should have included this in the invoice (but not as a separate VAT item; i.e. £500 + VAT should have been invoiced as one charge of £600, with a note on the invoice to explain why). Then when you are VAT registered, you have already invoiced for the VAT (effectively) so all you need to do is re-issue a new invoice to the client so that they can reclaim the VAT, and you've already got the money put aside to pay the first VAT bill.

Of course you'd need an understanding client in order to do this, but then you'd need an understanding client to claim VAT back retrospectively anyway.

^^This.

If you have not yet recieved your registration document and there is an agent involved, they will usually withold the vat element and when you do provide the VAT registration document, they will release the funds shortly thereafter.

**brightbits** · 25 September 2012, 15:08

Thanks for all the useful responses.

Basically I never added VAT or said VAT registration was pending when I issued the invoices as I didn't know I was going to be VAT registered, didn't know this situation would arise (I didn't understand VAT as I do now) and I didn't know my accountant would register me from the date my company started, or the implications this would have.

So, basically all I can do is request it from the company I issued an invoice to - if they refuse, I'm liable and there isn't much I can do? I don't even know if they are VAT registered.

Can I change my VAT registration date to after these invoices to make me not liable to pay it, should they company refuse to pay?

Many thanks!

**JamJarST** · 25 September 2012, 15:15

Originally posted by brightbits View Post

Thanks for all the useful responses.

Basically I never added VAT or said VAT registration was pending when I issued the invoices as I didn't know I was going to be VAT registered, didn't know this situation would arise (I didn't understand VAT as I do now) and I didn't know my accountant would register me from the date my company started, or the implications this would have.

So, basically all I can do is request it from the company I issued an invoice to - if they refuse, I'm liable and there isn't much I can do? I don't even know if they are VAT registered.

Can I change my VAT registration date to after these invoices to make me not liable to pay it, should they company refuse to pay?

Many thanks!

Rubbish!!! Your accountant told you he was registering you for VAT and you didn't pay attention!

**captainham** · 25 September 2012, 15:20

You need to have a word with your accountant if they are doing things without telling you, especially important stuff like VAT registration.

At the end of the day it's your company, your money and your problem, so you are ultimately held responsible if anything goes belly up.

Accountants are there to advise you, not take matters into their own hands without your explicit consent.

Requesting VAT after registration