Tag: TOMS

How are HMRC attacking the use of TOMS for serviced accommodation?

The Tour Operators Margin Scheme (TOMS) was created for holiday companies.

Accommodation that is bought in and sold without material alteration, falls within TOMS. However, where there is material alteration the accommodation becomes an in-house supply and TOMS can not be used.

Further details are in Notice 709/5

7.6 How an in-house supply of accommodation is made

If you own a hotel and supply accommodation within it, you are making an in-house supply of accommodation.

If you hire, lease or rent accommodation under an agreement whereby you take responsibility for the upkeep of the property and you are required to undertake any maintenance to the fabric of the building (that is, not just cleaning and changing towels or bed linen and so on), you are making an in-house supply of accommodation.

Also, if you buy in accommodation and provide catering staff from separate sources, for example a ski chalet with a chalet-maid, you are making an in-house supply, commonly referred to as ‘catered accommodation’.

HMRC are attacking the use of TOMS for Rent to SA

  • Rent to SA is not a tour operator and the services being supplied are not designated travel services – tour operators organise travel in their own name and entrust others with the supply
  • The supply made by the landlord is not a ‘designated travel service’ – taking a lease of residential premises, whether furnished or unfurnished for a term of years is not a relevant service for TOMS
  • The landlord is not supplying hotel accommodation or short-let accommodation
  • If the SA operator furnishes the property that is a material alteration which means TOMS can’t be used
  • If the contract requires the SA operator to replace broken glass or deal with condensation or do maintenance that would go beyond routine cleaning and minor repairs
  • If the SA operator is responsible for utilities and Council Tax these constitute a material alteration to supply

What about the Landlord?

The landlord is not supplying a Furnished Holiday Let unless they meet the Occupancy Conditions set out in HS253 this will not be the case in Rent to SA as they are not doing short lets they are simply renting out residential property on a long let. They will not be able to claim capital allowances and the they will not avoid section 24 interest restrictions.

steve@bicknells.net

If TOMS applies is the VAT threshold based on Sales or Margin?

HMRC say…

You must register your business for VAT with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) if its VAT taxable turnover is more than £85,000.

You can of course voluntarily register below the threshold

However, there are special rules for TOMS which mean instead of Turnover the threshold is based on margin. This can make a massive difference as it takes a lot longer for your margin to hit £85,000!

Tour Operators Margin Scheme (VAT Notice 709/5)

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tour-operators-margin-scheme-for-vat-notice-7095#sect-4

4.1 What taxable turnover is for VAT registration or de-registration purposes
If you’re considering whether you must register for VAT, or whether you may de-register, your taxable turnover is regarded as the total of:

total margin on your taxable (including zero-rated) Margin Scheme supplies

full value of:
taxable (including zero-rated) in-house supplies
taxable agency commission
any other taxable (including zero-rated) supplies you make in the UK

 

steve@bicknells.net

Is TOMS an option for Serviced Accommodation VAT?

TOMS is the Tour Operators Margin Scheme (VAT Notice 709/5).

It is a special scheme for businesses that buy-in and re-sell travel, accommodation and certain other services (see paragraph 2.9) as a principal or undisclosed agent (that is, acting in your own name).

TOMS does not apply to:
# supplies you have arranged as a disclosed agent/intermediary and your commission is readily identifiable (see paragraphs 2.14 and 6.7)
# in-house or agency supplies you make which are not packaged/supplied with margin scheme supplies (see paragraphs 2.12 and 2.13)
# supplies you make to business customers for subsequent resale by them (that is, wholesale supplies), or
# supplies that are incidental to your other supplies (see paragraph 3.6)

If you are registered for VAT, you must normally account for tax on the full selling price of your supplies, but you can reclaim the VAT charged on purchases (subject to the normal rules).

Under the TOMS, you cannot reclaim any UK or EC VAT charged on the travel services and goods you buy-in and re-supply – the tax on such goods or services is accounted for in the relevant Member State by the providers of those services (hotels, airlines and so on).
However, as a tour operator based in the UK, you only account for VAT on the margin you make on your margin scheme supplies (see paragraph 2.7), that is, the difference between the amount you receive from your customer (including any amounts paid on behalf of your customer by third parties) and the amount you pay your suppliers.

A margin scheme supply is defined in law (see paragraph 1.2) as a ‘designated travel service’.
This means it is a supply of goods or services which is:
bought in from another person and re-supplied without material alteration or further processing, and
supplied by a tour operator from an establishment in the UK, for the direct benefit of a traveller – see paragraph 2.8

The following are always margin scheme supplies:
# accommodation
# passenger transport
# hire of a means of transport
# trips or excursions
# services of tour guides
# use of special lounges at airports

The reason why this would be useful for Serviced Accommodation is because often its done on Rent to Rent basis and the landlord supplies Residential Accommodation (which exempt from VAT), Serviced Accommodation is Vatable (if you cross the £85k threshold), so the VAT bill would be lower using TOMS. However, its not like a normal tour operator, normally they would buy in holiday accommodation not residential accommodation!

So before using TOMS you should get prior approval from HMRC after full disclosure of all the facts.

steve@bicknells.net