VAT Advice
Practical VAT advice for property, ecommerce, hospitality and growing groups.
Tax
VAT that is neither overpaid nor overlooked
Practical VAT advice for property, ecommerce, hospitality and growing groups.
VAT rules differ across property, hospitality, ecommerce and professional services. We advise on registration timing, scheme selection, partial exemption and group structures, then prepare accurate returns when they fall due.
- VAT registration, scheme selection, and threshold monitoring.
- Partial exemption calculations and property VAT treatment.
- VAT return preparation, MTD submission, and HMRC liaison.
Our approach
How we deliver vat advice
VAT position and risk review
We review your current VAT position registration status, scheme selection, treatment of income streams and input tax recovery to identify any areas of risk or inefficiency and confirm the return preparation is on a sound footing.
Structuring and scheme advice
Where a different scheme, registration approach or group structure would produce a better outcome, we model the alternative and advise on the steps needed to move to it, coordinating the change with HMRC where required.
Returns, MTD submission and ongoing advisory
We prepare and submit VAT returns accurately, manage MTD compliance, monitor the threshold and flag any upcoming changes in your business that will affect the VAT position.
Who this is for
Businesses and individuals that need
01
Property businesses and developers
Where the option to tax, partial exemption, capital goods scheme and the VAT treatment of mixed use buildings creates complexity that needs specialist advice before transactions are agreed.
02
Ecommerce and digital services businesses
Where the place of supply rules, OSS registration, distance selling thresholds and the VAT treatment of digital products require ongoing attention as the business sells across borders.
03
Growing businesses approaching the VAT threshold
Where turnover is approaching £90,000 and the registration timing, scheme selection and pricing implications need to be considered before the obligation triggers automatically.
Client feedback
“The VAT review identified £23,000 of input tax that had not been recovered over three years. The review paid for itself in the first month.”
Client review Property business, West Sussex
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the current VAT registration threshold?
The VAT registration threshold is £90,000 of taxable turnover in any rolling twelve month period from April 2024. Registration is mandatory once the threshold is reached. Voluntary registration below the threshold can be advantageous in some circumstances for example, where you have significant input tax to recover.
What is the Flat Rate Scheme?
The Flat Rate Scheme allows eligible businesses to pay VAT as a fixed percentage of gross turnover rather than calculating the difference between output and input tax. It reduces administration but is not always financially beneficial. We compare the flat rate against standard VAT accounting for each client before recommending it.
What is the option to tax on property?
An option to tax makes a previously VAT exempt property supply taxable, allowing the business to recover input tax on related costs. Once made, it lasts for twenty years and cannot normally be revoked within the first ten. The decision has significant implications for purchasers and tenants of the property and should be taken with advice.
What is partial exemption?
Partial exemption applies where a business makes both taxable and exempt supplies and needs to restrict its input tax recovery to the proportion attributable to taxable supplies. The standard method pro rates by value of supplies, but special methods can produce a more accurate and favourable result. We review the method and calculate the restriction correctly each period.
Ready to take the next step?
Book an introductory meeting to discuss your tax needs with a specialist.