Late filing of VAT returns

[Mustang]

What are the consequences of filing your VAT returns late? Is it only an issue if you have VAT to pay?

[MrsGoof]

They will come and get you

I've been late by a day or two a couple of times and had no problem. Just post date it, trample and on the envelope before you post.

Unless you do it online then They will come and get you

[boredsenseless]

They will come and get you

I've been late by a day or two a couple of times and had no problem. Just post date it, trample and on the envelope before you post.

Unless you do it online then They will come and get you

Not quite so bad, the first time you do it in a twelve month period (so long as they get it within the month) they just issue you with a strongly worded warning, however if you are even a second late with another return in the next 12 months they just descend like a ton of bricks.

If you have files late just phone up, apologise, grovel and generally kiss @rse, and promise never ever to do it again

[malvolio]

Agreed - first rule of business, "Do not upset the Excise men". They have too many sharp sticks to prod you with!

[n3il123]

Have to agree with all the above.. I went through a bad cashflow period and was late getting returns in a couple of times... trust me.. just get them in.. and if you're having trouble paying them... phone them and explain... they much prefer that the the sticking the head in the sand approach...

[Bradley]

Pay Electronically ...

and you get a further 7 days to file

[mcquiggd]

Learn Polish and just pretend you dont have to pay taxes... seems to work so far....

[Mustang]

End result

Thanks for the feedback guys and gals! I agree you need to keep on the right side of them and, I have no real excuses, so I picked up the phone and called the VAT helpline.

They were very reasonable!!

For the newbies on here (and anyone else that has an aversion to contacting authorities), this is the information I received.

1. If you file late you are put on the late filing scheme.
2. They will send out a "slap wrist" late filing letter each time you file late.
3. Once on the scheme you are liable for a penalty for each late filing.
4. The penalty starts at 2% and increases each time you are late according to a published scale.
5. There is no penalty payable if they owe you money, only if you owe HMRC.
6. After filing late, if you then file ontime for 4 consecutive filings then you are removed off the late filing scheme and the process starts again.

Hope that helps - will be interesting to see if anyone has been told otherwise!!

Of course, as Malvolio said - it pays never to p1ss them off in the first place. I just decided to limit the risk by coming clean!!