It is sometimes wise not to accept what you first see or what you are first told.

Following a little digging around,  The VAT Consultancy has helped a client reduce a default surcharge liability of more then £30k to below £5k – all from having a received a request for assistance with a time to pay application!

Rather than simply respond to the initial request we explored how the debt had accrued and reviewed the background to a series of default surcharge liabilities.  There were a series of errors, oversights and anomalies and a number of the surcharges were appealed to the Tribunal.  One of the Surcharge Liability Notices had not been received and another period was considered to have a reasonable excuse, following the demise of a major customer, requiring the client to arrange temporary re-financing terms.  A further surcharge was appealed on the basis of it being disproportionate.

With the surcharges removed from some periods and the applicable rates reduced in others, the remaining liability was slashed.

Needless to say the client was delighted and it just goes to show that sometimes it’s worth looking at things from a different perspective!