Is the accountant being awkard?

[kesm]

Hi all,

I completed my VAT application form. In the form there is a field "principal place of business". I put that as my registered company's address, which is my accountant's office.

The accountant came back saying 'You will not be able to register for VAT with this address as the VAT office are aware that many of our clients use this as a registered office. I will print another front page and complete it with your home address. This means that when you are sent your VAT certificate and subsequent VAT returns they will be sent directly to you so minimising the risk of anything going missing in the post."

Now I am not very happy with this, because my landlord does not allow for a company to be registered to his address.
I should be able to use the accountant's address to register for VAT, shouldn't I?

Many thanks all.

[Crossroads]

Hi all,

I completed my VAT application form. In the form there is a field "principal place of business". I put that as my registered company's address, which is my accountant's office.

The accountant came back saying 'You will not be able to register for VAT with this address as the VAT office are aware that many of our clients use this as a registered office. I will print another front page and complete it with your home address. This means that when you are sent your VAT certificate and subsequent VAT returns they will be sent directly to you so minimising the risk of anything going missing in the post."

Now I am not very happy with this, because my landlord does not allow for a company to be registered to his address.
I should be able to use the accountant's address to register for VAT, shouldn't I?

Many thanks all.

It has nothing to do with your Registered Office. That is, as you state, your Accountant's address, and you need this to be the case to comply with your personal Tenancy Agreement.

However, your principle place of business is likely to be your home address. When claiming traveling expenses, what do you claim? I'd wager you claim mileage from your principle place of business to your temporary workplace.

[kesm]

I claim travel expenses from my home address to my work place.

I am just concerned if it will affect my tenancy agreement..

If I put my registered address down, how will that affect me?

[SueEllen]

I claim travel expenses from my home address to my work place.

If your main place of business is where you live then the fact that you are claiming travel expenses from that address means that you would be in breach of your tenancy agreement.

I am just concerned if it will affect my tenancy agreement.

It doesn't otherwise anyone doing paperwork or answering calls from their employer or agents would be in trouble.

If I put my registered address down, how will that affect me?

You need to send the VAT man the cheques/payments for VAT not your accountant as only you have access to your business bank account, so what will happen is the accountant will forward the VAT slips to you.

If the accountant felt like being nasty they would charge you for this service as it's additional work they don't need to do. In other words you are being awarkard not the accountant.

[kesm]

If your main place of business is where you live then the fact that you are claiming travel expenses from that address means that you would be in breach of your tenancy agreement.

My place of business is my client's office and not my home address.


Well then the only impact I see is that the VAT office will send all communication to my accountant and he will forward to me.

[SueEllen]

My place of business is my client's office and not my home address.

Then you can't claim travel expenses.

BTW The reason you can claim travel expenses is that your normal place of business is your address and your temporary place of business is your client's office.

[Crossroads]

My place of business is my client's office and not my home address.


Well then the only impact I see is that the VAT office will send all communication to my accountant and he will forward to me.

All sorts of issues here:

1. What does your Tenancy Agreement actually say? Is it: i) you cannot run a business from the property or ii) you cannot have a Limited Company registered at the address.

2. If your place of business is your client's office then you shouldn't be claiming any expenses as this would be a BiK.

3. If you place of business is your client's office, it makes me think you are a disguised employee.

The solution:

1. If your tenancy agreement states that you cannot have a Ltd Company registered at the address then no problem, as it is registered using your accountants address.

2. Your "home" is also your PERMANENT place of business. Do not forget that. Your client(s) site(s) are your TEMPORARY work places. Do not forget that either!

[Crossroads]

If I put my registered address down, how will that affect me?

Based on the information provided, it will:
1. Piss off your accountant (not clever).
2. Possibly piss off the VAT man, as it clearly is not your primary place of business. (very not clever).

[Ardesco]

Hi all,

I completed my VAT application form. In the form there is a field "principal place of business". I put that as my registered company's address, which is my accountant's office.

The accountant came back saying 'You will not be able to register for VAT with this address as the VAT office are aware that many of our clients use this as a registered office. I will print another front page and complete it with your home address. This means that when you are sent your VAT certificate and subsequent VAT returns they will be sent directly to you so minimising the risk of anything going missing in the post."

Now I am not very happy with this, because my landlord does not allow for a company to be registered to his address.
I should be able to use the accountant's address to register for VAT, shouldn't I?

Many thanks all.

No, he's not.

HTH

[kesm]

All sorts of issues here:

1. What does your Tenancy Agreement actually say? Is it: i) you cannot run a business from the property or ii) you cannot have a Limited Company registered at the address.

Well, the tenancy agreement is between my flatmate and the landlord, not me, but my flatmate did say to me that the landlord is not allowing us to register a company at our home address.

Is there a way that the landlord can find out if I put the home address as the address I register for VAT?

Is common practice for contractors to register their home address in the VAT form and not their company's registered address?

thank you