VAT receipts - why the hassle

[john_p]

Why do I have to ask explicitly for a VAT receipt at petrol stations, PC World, Dixons etc, while other retailers just print it on?

Similarly if I refuse to give an address for a VAT receipt (they'll probably just add it to their marketing database) can they refuse to give me the receipt ?

[chr15b]

you'd think there would be some rule that where you charge vat you had to include these details on any receipt

[mrmr96]

At the petrol station, all you're normally given is a card receipt. (Tells you the value and your card details and auth code etc.) Whereas a VAT receipt lays out what you bought and breaks down the vatable vs non vatable, or just gives you the value of the VAT.

I think supermarkets and other petrol stations etc do this to save on paper, as a normal domestic customer can't reclaim the VAT, so it saves on till roll if they don't require the VAT receipt. I get one for claiming mileage, and also so I know how many litres I filled with to work out my MPG.

[Webber3]

I bought some stationary in Sainsburys once, had to wait 20 mins for them to find someone that knew how to do a VAT receipt. The first person I asked didn't even know what a VAT receipt was. I go to Staples now.

[jamoor]

mrmr96 said:

At the petrol station, all you're normally given is a card receipt. (Tells you the value and your card details and auth code etc.) Whereas a VAT receipt lays out what you bought and breaks down the vatable vs non vatable, or just gives you the value of the VAT.

I think supermarkets and other petrol stations etc do this to save on paper, as a normal domestic customer can't reclaim the VAT, so it saves on till roll if they don't require the VAT receipt. I get one for claiming mileage, and also so I know how many litres I filled with to work out my MPG.

When I shop in the supermarket, I only ever get one reciept, in their petrol stations i get THREE!

[anonymous-user]

mrmr96 said:

At the petrol station, all you're normally given is a card receipt. (Tells you the value and your card details and auth code etc.) Whereas a VAT receipt lays out what you bought and breaks down the vatable vs non vatable, or just gives you the value of the VAT.

I think supermarkets and other petrol stations etc do this to save on paper, as a normal domestic customer can't reclaim the VAT, so it saves on till roll if they don't require the VAT receipt. I get one for claiming mileage, and also so I know how many litres I filled with to work out my MPG.

Or maybe Government tell them to do it that way eh? All those people who can't be arsed to ask for one & as such not reclaiming the VAT...........

[Eric Mc]

I find most garages tend to ask "Do you need a VAT receipt?". If you say no, they just give you a standard till receipt.

[thegreengoblet]

If it's going to be benificial, why don't you move to the flat rate scheme? (You don't need to have VAT receipts just general receipts for your records)

[Eric Mc]

As long as you are fully aware of some of the problems associated with the Flat Rate Scheme. It isn't suitable for many businesses.

[skwdenyer]

Argos' VAT receipt system is a shambles IMHO! You pay for your goods, queue up to receive them, then need to queue up again at the customer service desk. Some "senior" person then has to get out a paper VAT receipt pad, move to a special computer, and pull up all of the VAT information relating to your purchases to enter onto the paper form.

In my experience this can take as much as 20 minutes, since there will invariably be only one person on duty who knows how this works and that person will invariably be on lunch / otherwise busy!