Self-Build VAT Refund (DIY Team)

Can you tell me what is the current response time on Self-Build VAT refund requests? Submitted a claim approx 10 weeks ago and not had any acknowledgement/reference number or anything - only proof I've got is Royal Mail tracking proof (sent by Special Delivery)

Hello

Unfortunately we do not have the up to date timescales for this team please call them on 0300 322 7073 and they should be able to assist.

Thankyou.

Regards.

Hello My agent has claimed VAT refund since October 2021, I have called them millions of time and was told that HMRC put hold of this process. I have also tried to call HMRC many times and it is almost inaccessible to the phone call. Is it legal that HMRC ignores our VAT refund for such a long time? If individual owns the HMRC anything, HMRC has the power to send penalties, added interest rates etc. Where is the justice? I just need my VAT refund back, can you provide us an accessible phone number or a channel to communicate with HMRC. Thanks

I submitted my claim in June 2021 and still waiting! Have called several times and each time have been told it should be paid in the next couple of weeks but still waiting. Can we claim interest on the delayed payments? Obviously if you are late paying hmrc taxes this is subject to penalties and interest.

Hi,

Please contact the DIY and House Building VAT Enquiries Team for advice.

Building a new home and VAT

Thank you.

We put our claim in way back in July 2021 and only got part payment in January this year. They rejected two invoices as they said there was no VAT numbers, but they were over the page. They just hadn’t looked properly. We had a form to resubmit and still waiting for them to look at two basic invoices. Tried calling and they said someone would call back, but they didn’t. Called again and this time they gave a time and date for someone to call back -they called much earlier and told me they hadn’t even looked at it yet. They said they have lots of trainees?? You know we never even got a written response for our first form nor the second one. The money just appeared in our account and then many weeks later we got a text to say money would be paid in our account, yet it was already there . Absolutely shocking service and I want to make a formal complaint, but not sure how to do this.

 

Hi, I am sorry to hear about the poor service you have received. There is a procedure for passing over complaints regarding the DIY department. If you speak to our Helpline on 03002003700 an advisor can take all the necessary details from you and forward this on to be dealt with by the Complaints Team. Thanks

Not so sure about this as all the Helpline say is they are only there to make a date for a call back and nothing else, so hesitant to call them again

Following completion of a new house for my sole residence, by the end of April 2022, a house which was 100% self-built, I duly submitted my Vat Return , under the VAT431 provision, on 3rd May 2022, by Special Delivery to the Newcastle collecting office. The Special Delivery was tracked by Royal Mail, and therefore required a signature. All this went to plan and the parcel was delivered for onward transmission to the DIY Team office, based in Cardiff. Like many other self-builders, I received no acknowledgement or communication whatsoever, and at the date of writing this contribution the the Community Forum, 8th August 2022, I have not communicated or pressurised the DIY Team into a response. Judging by events, I accepted that this would be a fruitless exercise, and in the current times, one regrettably has to accept the status. I have no wish to raise my blood pressure by increasing my anxiety levels! The purpose of this blogg or contribution is to share timelines and experiences with others. This morning, on 8th August 2022, and for the first time I telephoned the DIY Team number on 0300 3227073, and under option 2, because I had no reference claim no. I had a very proactive and helpful conversation with another VAT officer, who deals with general VAT matters, and who is assisting the DIY Team. I say helpful, because for the first time I was advised of my reference claim number. I was also advised that claims are being dealt with by date order, which seems fair. I was also advised that my claim status is one of waiting for the claim to be assessed, and this is after some 3 months following submission. When seeking advice as to a likely time frame to successfully dealing with my claim, the officer would not be drawn on this subject, and was quite candid with me, in stating that he has no knowledge. My conclusion is that it will be at least another 3 months. In conclusion claims are taking some 6 months at least to process, and could be longer. I will refer this case to my Member of Parliament. After all that is what my Government Representative is for. Ministers should have knowledge of what is happening under the auspices and control I hope that he will discuss the subject with the Treasury, or possible the Chancellor of the Exchequer at some social event! Signed: Paul Garrett in Herefordshire

[Personal information removed - Admin] 

An update on my claim. I have today received the full amount from HMRC. My claim was submitted in mid January. I received my acknowledgment at the beginning of May, the letter stated that it would be around 6 weeks to be checked and then 4 weeks to be paid out, so 10 weeks in total. It’s actually taken 13 weeks from acknowledgement, and 29 weeks from submission. I chased it up approx 5 weeks after acknowledgement and was told they were working on cases acknowledged in March. I chased again in mid-July to see how far they had moved forward and was advised that they were working on those submitted in mid-April, so they had moved forward by approx same length of time from my previous call. I did mention that we were being charged interest on credit cards that the claim monies were due to pay off, and the assistant said, in that case he’d try and get it prioritised. Not sure if he did, but just over a week later, I got the invoices back with a letter confirming the claim had been completed and the monies would be sent out within the next 4 weeks. That was 29th July and monies received today.

Hi can you provide an update on our refund? We received an acknowledgement text on 1st April stating that our claim was successful and we would receive our refund in 20 working days. Those days passed therefore we called DIY and were advised that the text was sent in error and the application hadnt even been processed. We then received another acknowledgment text on 5th may stating that they had received our application. We then waited another month and chased this up to be told it hadnt been processed yet. Waited another month and were advised that due to Covid, the offices were just getting back to there normal hours. Today we still have not received any info and that has been 22 weeks since application received and 17weeks since acknowledgment. Today i have have tried calling several times totalling 3 hours and no answer from the DIY team. This is a ridiculous service. This is our money they are witholding!! We have bills to pay and are relying on this money. I agree that there should be interest occurred as we are waiting many months longer than the processing time states!! The DIY team have not been helpful at all and i am disgusted that i cant even get through to the team today!!

Hi,

We are sorry you are experiencing issues with your VAT refund and not being able to contact the DIY Team.

Please keep trying to contact the DIY Team or alternatively speak to our VAT team and we can arrange a callback for you.

VAT: general enquiries

Thank you.

It appears your DIY team still wont answer the phone. Was on the phone for 10 mins and then was cut off. Tried calling again and no answer. This is beyond a joke. Why cant someone tell us when we will be getting our money??

Others may find useful what I was told today, my 4th call to helpline over the last 3 months; All DIY claims made on or after 1st March 22 are on hold as they have no staff. Best estimate is now 6-8 months delay from submission to dealing with applications. There is a two stage process - “eligibility” first, then scrutiny of invoices etc. is second. In theory stage two is presently up to date because no one is being allowed to pass stage one. I suggested replacing the promise of a 6 week turnaround on the website with this reality so a) I don’t waste an hour every month b) the ‘helpline” staff could use their time more productively processing claims not telling people this. So I asked won’t delaying this make it more difficult for me to answer queries (eg get a replacement invoice if one fails their test?) No comment. Will I get compensated in interest for the delay? No comment. Why not put the info (including the fact that text messages were wrongly sent to people in May saying their application had been processed) onto the website? No comment. What can I do? Complain? I was advised to complain via the HMRC complaints process. I have duly started this process today only to find there is no VAT complaint box to tick, and if no tick box, no complaint. How to complain about a complaints process?? Perhaps the moderator/HMRC person can advise? In particular is 6-8 months from submission a genuine HMRC target or just a made-up guess? And how do I complain on complaints process if I cant get past the “type of complaint” screen where VAT isn’t mentioned? And would I have a better chance of passing stage one if I contact my MP (though not in my nature as why should I use my sharp elbows, or am I a mug because those are the only ones being processed?) Many thanks, in frustration and worrying about paying bills if the refund is going to take realistically a year.

You may be pleasantly surprised by action taken following representations made to your local M.P. He or she may be able to follow up a case number through contacts with Treasury and/or HMRC

Hi,

We ae sorry for the delays that you are experiencing.

If you would like to complain about HMRC, you can also phone the VAT helpline who will be able to take your details and forward this on your behalf.

Complain about HMRC

You can also give feedback on pages on GOV.UK using the 'Is this page useful?' banner at the bottom of each page.

Thank you.

Sorry - can’t see where to post my question, this form is all over the place. My question is my building merchant’s invoices have printed out with some having ‘Copies’ on them, some do not. Therefore will the invoices with ‘Copy’ on them be accepted for my VAT reclaim. Thank you.

Hello
The address is on page 19 of your claim form :
National DIY Team
S1751
NEWCASTLE
NE98 1ZZ .
Regarding the invoices that state copy just enclose a brief note as to why they are not the originals.
Thankyou.
Regards.

I posted our claim form and it was received by the DIY team 15.08.2022. I have not had an acknowledgment and I also cannot get through on the helpline number. I wrote a letter of enquiry asking if our claim could at least be a knowled. No reply. Should I approach our MP?

Hello, Please can you contact the helpline to discuss unfortunately we can not check individual cases on this forum 0300 200 3700.

Thank you.