Help with VAT Visits & Assessments

Assistance before & during visits

An inspection by an Officer of HM Revenue & Customs can be a nervous, daunting experience. VATease is here to hold your hand and guide you through it. We can help by carrying out a VAT Healthcheck, possibly in the form of a mock VAT visit, before the real thing or by being onsite during the visit itself. Don't forget if you receive an assessment following a visit, we'll review for free.

VAT Investigations

VATease can help with VAT investigations. Where VAT officers suspect that some sales are being undeclared they may use surveillance techniques to estimate the true level of income. This can come in the form of discreet observations over a long period of time or using other information available from records, suppliers or customers.

If the amounts of VAT are significant then owners and/or managers of businesses may be interviewed by Officers in a formal, even recorded, setting.

VATease can help by advising you through the process, attending interviews with you or your staff and reviewing any calculations carried out to make sure they don't over-state the sales made.

We will also carry out a free review of any assessment issued by HM Revenue & Customs.

VAT Assessment Reviews

VATease will review any assessment received from HM Revenue & Customs free of charge to determine whether we can assist you in challenging it. So you have nothing to lose by asking us to take a look.

We are experts at reviewing and challenging VAT assessments issued by HM Revenue & Customs, whether as part of an ordinary visit or following an investigation. We will provide full support from the initial over-view up to and including liaison with the Assessing Officer and/or the VAT office's Local Reconsideration team until the matter is resolved.

VAT & Duties Tribunal Representation

VATease can assist at all stages of an appeal to the VAT & Duties Tribunal.

We have extensive experience of submitting VAT appeal notices, preparing cases for Tribunal, negotiating with HM Revenue & Customs prior to the hearing and representing Clients at Tribunal. For more complex cases we can instruct and liaise with Counsel to present the best case.

Of course, it is beneficial to all parties if disagreements can be resolved before a full hearing is necessary. VATease is proficient at undertaking continued negotiations with HM Revenue & Customs during the appeal process.

Mitigation of Penalties

Many VAT assessments attract additional penalties, some of up to 100% of the VAT assessed. These penalites can be mitigated or reduced by up to 75% or, under certain circumstances, shouldn't have been assessed at all. VATease experts can help in this process.