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• # 105878
• Mon 09 Mar 2015 09:06 PM

I must have been a bad girl in a previous life.....

In the space of a week I have been contacted by HMRC twice regarding two different routine client VAT inspections this month, one of which they had no idea that I was the bookkeeper so it can't be linked to me personally.  As things always come in threes I am just waiting for the third one!

Am I the only one experiencing this, or is HMRC having a purge across the board?

This will be my first experience of a VAT inspection - do any of you out there have any wise words from your own recent experiences?  I know that I haven't knowingly done anything incorrectly but deep down I know that they will have to try and find something wrong......!

Many thanks, 

• Debbie
  www.beckcottage.com
  
  

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• # 105880
• Mon 09 Mar 2015 11:12 PM

Hi Debbie

I went through one last month. It was dealt with remotely - they didn't need to come to the office as I was able to send the VAT return paperwork they needed via email and then scanned the invoices they picked for review. The worst bit was that he said he wanted to ask me questions about the business and check my undersanding of some of the VAT rules that applied to the business. You know what it's like, you know all the stuff that applies but being put on the spot by a VAT inspector with the business owners with you and brain goes to mush! Felt like an ICB exam!

They are daunting, but as long as you're honest (which I know you most certainly are) then the inspectors are fine and you'll come out the other end feeling like you've passed the test! lol. Obviously VAT inspectors know the common errors and look in to those and if they do find any mistakes they explain why it's wrong, give you details of the relevant guidance for future reference and adjust the mistake and that's as far as it goes.

You'll be fine.

Vik

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• # 106017
• Thu 19 Mar 2015 01:38 PM

Hi Vik

Thanks for your words of comfort.  I've just got home from the first inspection and it went very well, nothing of concern arose from it and there won't be any follow up .  I don't know who was more nervous - me, or the inspector who admitted at the end that it was his first inspection too!  He had been handpicked an easy one he told me afterwards, so they hadn't expected to find anything untoward.

So one down and one still to go, but at least I have an idea what to expect in the second one now.

Thanks again,

• Debbie
  www.beckcottage.com
  
  

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