Business account - phone help and support.

[#1]

At one time Plusnet was known for it's good support service. It was something it boasted.

I've attempted to make 2 phone calls, one said the queue was over an hour, the most recent said 50 minutes.

I'm now doing the rounds of the forums stating phone support is non-existent, and that Plusnet do not provide VAT invoices.

Unfortunately we're I'm tied into Plusnet for a long while and considering our options.

[#2]

Business accounts do get VAT Invoices.

[#3]

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@pjmarsh wrote:

Business accounts do get VAT Invoices.

There is also no wait on the phones at the moment, I've just got off the phone from them about one of my business accounts.

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I don't beleive you. I just phoned on the offchance you might be telling the truth and I got the wait was 40 minutes. Perhaps you are using a different number. I used 0800 028 0282 with options 2-1-2 What number did you call to get zero wait?

Business accounts do not get VAT invoices. They used to, but not any more it seems.

Unfortunately I have Plusnet at home, and the idea that residential customers are treated even worse fills me with horror.

[#4]

Moderators Note.
Moved to Business board from My Account

[#5]

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@vidsol wrote:

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Business accounts do not get VAT invoices. They used to, but not any more it seems.

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It's residential accounts that no longer have VAT invoices, business accounts still get VAT invoices.

[#6]

Hi @vidsol,

Just to confirm, if you have a business account with us then you will receive VAT invoices. To view these, simply log onto your account on the Member Centre and click on "View my bill". If you would like to print these off, you can select the invoice and click "print" and then "print to PDF".

[#7]

If it was that easy I wouldn't be posting this.

Yes, I can see the bill in a box on the screen. However if I print this out I get a garbled mess in both IE and Chrome. In Firefox I can't even select the bill to view it on the screen.

I've written to the CEO as I can't be arsed to spend an hour on the phone where I have no confidence in speaking to anyone who can actually send me the last quarter's invoices. If he doesn't reply within the week, he'll be receiving a letter before action with the intent of claiming the VAT element of the bill.

The whole point of running a business is efficiency. I feel totally conned by the claim that PlusNet provides good support.

Moderator's note by Dick (Strat): Full quote of preceding post removed as per Forum rules.

[#8]

After writing this post, I find it offensive to have a feedback screen that says "PlusNet, we'll do you proud".

It has one word too many, it should read, "PlusNet, we'll do you".

[#9]

Hi,

A warm welcome to the forums.

Are you raising issue with a bills before or after 1st September 2018?  For BUSINESS services (accounts) VAT invoices have been always provided both before and after the change to the billing system.

I have just looked at a business account and can affirm that post 1st September bills show the VAT number and the VAT rate applicable for every line item.  These bills are PDF documents and they can be readily downloaded and printed.

However, invoices prior to the new billing system are now not readily printable in browsers not supporting iFrame printing.  For example Internet Explorer allows just the content of the scrollable window to be printed (either to paper or PDF).  It is a little tedious and the inability of the user's choice in browser to print just iFrames (for example Edge and Chrome) does make a marked difference to the experienced functionality.

As has been advised, post 1st September VAT invoices are not provided on residential accounts as it is (reasonably) presumed that they are not VAT registered businesses, for which there appears to be no obligation to provide a VAT invoice to a not VAT registered entity.

[#10]

I require VAT invoices for June, July and August 2018.

I might add your conditions allow fair use of business on residential lines. Therefore there is an obligation under the Act outlined here to supply VAT invoices for those acting as agents:

 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-guide-notice-700#section22

The fact you believe otherwise is contrary to custom and practice and perhaps Plusnet require legal advice. There is no legal basis for your position and claim.

[#11]

In all situations cited in section 22, the "agent" is VAT registered.  The section could therefore be read as not applying to non-VAT registered agents, as in someone buying a residential service on behalf of their employer, who is a business.  In such circumstances one might consider that the act of the agent has brought their principle into a situation which breaks the T&Cs related to the supplied service - "Not for business use".

The only valid way forward here is for some one with the issue to take it to HMRC for guidance.  Which one expects Plusnet, Sky and others already have. 

[#12]

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@Townman wrote:

In all situations cited in section 22, the "agent" is VAT registered. 

That's not my understanding, indeed the title of 22.3 is "How agents are involved with VAT". I don't see anywhere it says an agent must be registered for VAT. In fact it goes further:

• supplies made between your principal and the third party
• supply of your own services to your principal, for which you will charge a fee or commission - the normal VAT rules apply to your services as an agent

It’s important to distinguish between these separate supplies.

If the agent was VAT registered the significance would be lost.

Are you suggesting that an employer cannot reclaim the VAT element of car mileage rates without the employee being VAT registered?

Moderator's note by Dick (Strat): Full quote of preceding post removed as per Forum rules.

[#13]

No, not at all.  However the line of argument that people are taking is that there is an obligation to provide a VAT invoice to a non-VAT registered person.  This is not a matter of it is helpful and convenient for an employee to be able to present a piece of paper which allows the employer to claw back a bit of VAT for which (at best) the employee is acting as an agent.

The VAT regulations clearly state that the obligation only arises on a VAT registered supplier to a VAT registered buyer.  If one wants to claim a legal obligation here then one has to find a clear legal requirement.  I am not seeing one in anything people have referenced - advice notices are not the regulations.  We might not like it (in the residential space), we might not find it convenient, but that is different to there being a legal obligation.  One should equally challenge the moral position of the employer not being prepared to reimburse expenses against what is clearly a VAT standard rate inclusive VAT bill.

We can assume that PlusNet's (and other ISP's) legal teams have fully checked this out before implementing the change.  If people want to contest it, then they need to find firm clear legal opinion from either HMRC or a VAT tax advisor.  Nowhere have I found an obligation to provide a VAT invoice to a non-VAT registered party.

What is not clear is why businesses behave in this manner - knowing that might illuminate the whys around here.

Whatever, back to your original question here, VAT invoices on business accounts remain readily available throughout the change in the billing engine … so long as you use a fully functional browser, capable of printing iFrame content.

[#14]

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@@Townman wrote:

No, not at all.  However the line of argument that people are taking is that there is an obligation to provide a VAT invoice to a non-VAT registered person.  This is not a matter of it is helpful and convenient for an employee to be able to present a piece of paper which allows the employer to claw back a bit of VAT for which (at best) the employee is acting as an agent.

 

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The VAT regulations do not say that, quite the opposite in terms of passing on VAT for supplies as an agent and treating the agent's services separately from a VAT point of view.

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@Townman wrote:
The VAT regulations clearly state that the obligation only arises on a VAT registered supplier to a VAT registered buyer.

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No they don not say anything of the sort. The Act goes futher and gives further clarification to how VAT invoices must be made available to an agent.

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@Townman wrote:
We can assume that PlusNet's (and other ISP's) legal teams have fully checked this out before implementing the change.  If people want to contest it, then they need to find firm clear legal opinion from either HMRC or a VAT tax advisor.  Nowhere have I found an obligation to provide a VAT invoice to a non-VAT registered party.

What is not clear is why businesses behave in this manner - knowing that might illuminate the whys around here.

 

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That doesn't follow. The Act says you should provide VAT invoices to agents in addition to B2B VAT registered companies.

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@Townman wrote:
Whatever, back to your original question here, VAT invoices on business accounts remain readily available throughout the change in the billing engine … so long as you use a fully functional browser, capable of printing iFrame content.

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Ah, the original question. I can assure that I cannot print, June, July and August invoices through my browsers. I am assuming you refer to Firefox, Chome and Internet Explorer rater than any other esoteric browser?

[#15]

As clearly stated Edge and Chrome make a pig's breakfast of things, I cannot speak for Firefox, but if you use IE and select "Only the selected frame" you get what you are looking for.