O2 shop will not issue a VAT receipt for a Pay & Go handset

[Anonymous]

I popped into the London Westfield O2 shop to buy a Samsung Galaxy Note for data access on a Pay &  Go basis for business use. I asked before hand if I will be getting a VAT receipt for the purchase of the phone. They said yes. After the purchase was completed, I look at the receipt and it is NOT a VAT receipt. It just has the companies VAT number on it. It doesn't break down the VAT or say if the total paid is inclusive or exclusive of VAT. I spoke to my accountant and legally they have to give me a VAT receipt. The O2 shop is adamant that this is all that they can do. In 10 years of running my business I have never had a retailer or supplier refuse to give me a VAT receipt? Are these guys upto something dodgy? Its not exacltly ebay that I bought the phone off. The advice I have been given is to report this O2 store to the HMRC via a letter and I am told they will action it.

Anyone else had this issue of not being given a VAT receipt?

[perksie Level 69: Guiding Light]

I ran my own business for many years and occasionally picked up the odd receipt without Vat listed separately, HMRC aren't going to make an issue out of the odd one here and there.

Your accountant should accept it as normal as it's just not worth the fuss.

Unless the receipt says "This is not a Vat invoice" it should be ok.

[sheepdog Level 25: Hard Hitter]

I believe there is no requirement for a retail shop to show the breakdown of VAT. If they show the pre-VAT price then it has to be marked clearly that the tax is excluded otherwise it is presumed it includes VAT. The VAT number should be sufficient and the account can do a simple calculation to work out the VAT paid. Fortunately HRMC has the steps: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vat/forms-rates/rates/calculating.htm

[MI5 Level 94: Supreme]

As others have said, the only requirement is a VAT number, a breakdown is not compulsory on the receipt. It just means more work for you or your accountant though.....

[Anonymous]

We were stopped in our store from supplying vat receipts invade it was done wrongly and incur a penalty

Instead customers could obtain such a receipt from head office.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for their comments. So I guess this practice is common (giving VAT receipts without breakdown).

Cheers.

[KJD]

I have also been asking for VAT invoices without much luck. I am getting tired of talking to people in Customer Services who "promise" that the problem will be rectified and that I will receive VAT invoices each month. (They never arrive).

My accountant says it is a legal requirement that O2 should provide a VAT invoice.

They always used to, before the started splitting the Airtime Bill and Device Plan.

This problem is causing a lot of grief to self employed people everywhere and it needs sorting out NOW!

It can't be that difficult to change the Website to provide a VAT invoice.

Nor should it be difficult to request a regular VAT invoice online for the Device Plan.

I have told them that I don't mind paying for paper billing, but even that doesn't seem to work!

You can request a VAT invoice from just about ANY OTHER website that provides a service in this country.

[Cleoriff Level 90: Eminent]

@KJD 

From O2

We don’t issue a VAT invoice on the device plans every month, the Refresh agreement is a credit agreement and unless it’s a business account we are not obliged to produce monthly VAT invoices. Customer services can complete a form to send out a device plan VAT invoice for a specific month but this needs to be requested by the customer each time they need it and will be sent via post.

A regular VAT invoice can be turned on by calling customer services for the airtime only, once the service is on the account the customer should then get the VAT invoice sent to them via post monthly.

[KJD]

That's rubbish. If you charge VAT you have a legal requirement to provide a proper VAT invoice for both the Airtime Bill and Device Plan – whether a customer has a business account or not!

Get this sorted out please.

[gmarkj]

You would need to contact customer services (as already advised).
See details on link below:
https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Welcome-News/How-to-find-help-amp-contact-O2-A-Guide/m-p/1201413#M2924...