How the disabled are ripped off

[Fredxxx]

There are exemptions but I suggest more caution, or at least from the supplier.

Para 4.9: "VAT relief doesn?t apply to the separate supply of general use items such as standard batteries, even if these were purchased to be used within an item which is eligible for VAT relief such as a mobility scooter."

and Para 5.5: "............. a general purpose battery may be zero rated when supplied as part of a wider service of repair and maintenance of a zero-rated mobility scooter."

That suggests the supply of a standard battery should not be zero rate, but where the battery is fitted as part of a overall maintenance or service, then that maintenance or service can be zero rated.

In that respect David is correct. The supplier of your batteries could easily be on the wrong end of a VAT bill from HMRC for non payment of VAT and a further penalty of 100% of the unpaid VAT.

If you're in doubt, leave the name of your zero rated battery supplier here and see if a few months down the line they still provide zero rated batteries.

[Bill Wright]

All my exes live in Texas . . .

Bill

[Bill Wright]

And a lot of plant.

Years ago I was helping out on a farm and I was driving an antiquated tractor back and forth with loads of disgusting stuff on a trailer. I was given a 6" nail to shove in a hole somewhere, and that started the tractor. In the end I got into bother because I somehow broke the trailer tipping mechanism.

Even longer ago when I worked as a labourer in an asphalting gang there were two US jeeps in use. They had a switch marked on-off as I recall.

Bill

[Bill Wright]

It would be a poor do if HMRC chased a disability specialist for this. Who's to say who fitted the battery? I've been using the same two firms for years without any problem. I think even HMRC has a modicum of common sense.

Bill

[Fredxxx]

Common sense and HMRC are mutually exclusive entities.

The purpose of HMRC rules is to prevent buying zero VAT batteries for other uses.

I would imagine that most people with mobility scooters would be unable to fit batteries themselves, so perhaps not unreasonable to specify they must be fitted by the same supplier?

[Bill Wright]

Most people have sons-in-law.

Bill

[Fredxxx]

Who are more likely to abuse the Zero VAT rate on batteries.

This is a case where it's difficult to draw the line for an item which can be used for a range of applications.

Given that most mobility users get various disability benefits, one starts the question why there needs to be a separate benefit in supplying zero VAT to a disabled person, but hey!

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Could be a problem where the battery is shared with other products, though, and sold mail order. Who's to say it will only be used in a zero rated application?

[Fredxxx]

There are some online retailers willing to sell multi-use batteries on the receipt of a completed form.

They are running a considerable risk to HMRC whose guidelines are quite clear.

[dennis]

Most of whom are old and/or useless. Don't think the population in general knows anything about DIY as IME they know nothing.

[dennis]

You don't need to be disabled to get zero VAT you can get some things if you have a chronic illness.

[tim.....]

cost of manufacture is not the only cost that they have to recover

If a product only sells in low numbers (and a "flight safe" device aimed at a disability product sounds like a very low potential market) the costs of development can be a significant part of the individual sale price

tim

[Nightjar]

It is simply a matter of shopping around. Last week I bought a three wheel walker, with bag, basket and tray, for £29.99 from Amazon. Around £90.00 from a disability shop. A few weeks earlier I bought a lightweight transfer wheelchair for £50 from Amazon, as opposed to £12.50 a week to hire locally; worthwhile as I knew it would take my partner more than four weeks to fully recover from her TIA.

I suspect the difference is in the level of turnover and the overheads involved in having a shop on the high street.

[tim.....]

"Nightjar " > internally, as a key. These are sold for £5 to £12 in disability shops.

and having to deal with returns and warranties

3 out of 4 of the items that I have purchased on Amazon type sites have broken in less than the warranty period, but, of course, silly me forgot to keep the seller's details - but the aggro of sending it back by post probably means that I wouldn't bother anyway

Now reluctant to buy stuff this way in future, whatever the saving

tim

[Nightjar]

On 26/09/2015 19:14, tim..... wrote: ..

I've not had any problems with things I've bought from Amazon. Even the Aspidistra is flourishing.

[tim.....]

"Nightjar "

[Bill Wright]

It's unlikely that the son-in-law would bother to f*ck around filling forms in just to save the VAT?

Bill

[Tough Guy no. 1265]

On Thu, 24 Sep 2015 19:40:52 +0100, Bill Wright wrote= :

Supply and demand.

-- =

Advice for office managers: If you keep the sexual harassment complaint forms in the bottom drawer, = then when a woman gets one out you'll get a great view of her arse.

[Tough Guy no. 1265]

Johnny Cash didn't have access to Ebay.

-- =

Advice for office managers: If you keep the sexual harassment complaint forms in the bottom drawer, = then when a woman gets one out you'll get a great view of her arse.

[Tough Guy no. 1265]

Why are you buying the parts from a disability shop if you can get them cheaper elsewhere?