Autoglass Threatening Court over the VAT on a Year Old Bill!

[Ice White Socks]

Hi,

Just after a bit of advice. I had a screen fitted September 2015- paid and booked through the insurance- standard £75 charge.

Now I dig the bill out I can see the total bill is for £115.84 and they have added VAT onto the £75 (maybe in the mistaken belief that I am VAT registered).

They have sent me a letter through the post today (nine months after the event!!) threatening court action if I don't pay within 7 days. Whilst its easy enough to just call them up and explain I have no idea what the bill is for- the way they have gone about it has annoyed me enough to think about ignoring it and letting them jog on.

Whats going to happen next? Am I at any risk at all of getting taken to court and losing on the basis of an Autoglass invoicing mistake?

Cheers

Edited by Ice White Socks on Thursday 16th June 14:50

[anothernameitist]

Do you own the car through a company or lease it as a business?

[Ice White Socks]

Its my own Personal/Private Car. It did happpen to be done on the work car park that day as its the only location they could fit the work in.

[anothernameitist]

Might be £75 plus VAT, its a service they have supplied and they have to charge VAT.

Look at the T&Cs and it may well say £75 plus VAT.

That's a bit hnaughtyu because B2B it would be OK, buisness to person then they should quote the price all.

[ging84]

doesn't add up £75+20%vat is £90

[LordHaveMurci]

So they're going to take you to court over £15.00?

Tell them to FRO.

[xjay1337]

Check your insurance policy, but previously I've only had to pay the £75.

Also, 75 with 20% vat is £90? Where has the extra come from?

[TooLateForAName]

I'd ring your insurer - see what they say.

Maybe some sort of dispute between the insurer and autoglass over agreed rates?

[Ice White Socks]

ging84 said:

doesn't add up £75+20%vat is £90

No It doesn't actually add up- how wierd is that- the invoice has a £75 charge- then VAT@20 with a value of 40.84- its not even the right VAT!! Madness

[BlueHave]

ging84 said:

doesn't add up £75+20%vat is £90

"Oh but Sir, don't forget the admin fee"

[Steve57]

If B2B dont you have to pay the FULL vat amount + you excess?

[akirk]

exactly - could be the VAT element on the full bill - would a c. £200 charge for the windscreen be correct?
If so - speak to your insurer - ultimately the decision that you only pay £75 is the insurer's choice - the reason you pay autoglass directly is as a convenient way of getting the money - I assume that the contract for the work is actually between autoglass and the insurer with a side contract (your policy) between you and the insurer - there is presumably no direct contract between you and Autoglass...

[fatboy b]

I had two letters a week apart from them a few years back explaining that the insurance excess hadn't been paid on two screens I had fitted 1 & 2 years previous, both threatening court action if not paid in a week. Phoned them up to get an explanantion of why they hadn't charged me when screens fitted, but they were unable. I said that I was sure I paid, but I no longer have any paperwork, so their word against mine. Phone went down after they started blabbing on and on.

I ignored lettters. Last I heard.

[Glassman]

Ice White Socks said:

ging84 said:

doesn't add up £75+20%vat is £90

No It doesn't actually add up- how wierd is that- the invoice has a £75 charge- then VAT@20 with a value of 40.84- its not even the right VAT!! Madness

£75.00 is the policyholder contribution or the 'excess'. This is not subject to VAT however, the total invoice is. Whatever that content is, it is then added to the excess (provided the policyholder is VAT registered).

[davepoth]

The contract here (unless I'm very much mistaken) is between the insurance company and autoglass, not with you. Your insurers arranged for Autoglass to do the work, and your insurers paid Autoglass. If that's all true then they need to talk to your insurers, and you need to explain that to them, preferably in writing by recorded delivery, just in case.

[V8LM]

You could try and recover the difference (the VAT + whatever admin fee) from your insurers.

Autoglass have, IMHO, done nothing wrong.

[KevinCamaroSS]

Ice White Socks said:

No It doesn't actually add up- how wierd is that- the invoice has a £75 charge- then VAT@20 with a value of 40.84- its not even the right VAT!! Madness

That looks like the VAT on the whole invoice to the insurance company. I would be tempted to let it go to court and then get it thrown out through the incompetence of the company. You should only be paying the £75. The rest should be covered by your insurer.

[Foliage]

V8LM said:

You could try and recover the difference (the VAT + whatever admin fee) from your insurers.

Autoglass have, IMHO

, done nothing wrong.

Except that the OP isn't the customer, its like buying a pint of milk in asda and then mr farmer turns up on your door asking for more money... id refer it back to my insurance company.

[anniesdad]

That's the VAT on the full cost. Your insurers will have paid the nett amount of the repairers invoice perhaps in the mistaken belief that you are/were Vat registered. Just point auto glass back to your insurers explaining your insurers have made a mistake and you're not ReGistered. I'd also write to your insurers confirming the same. That should take care of it.