Alex, I suspect I'm afraid that it is the wrong way around at Apple's stores. HMRC are correct, their articles state so, their people state so, the RNIB web-site states so, my experience and understanding states so, as do my qualified certified auditors.
Apple will just be getting confused… they've likely been told by a client and its gone around like Chinese whispers… I will though, for good measure ring one of these Apple stores in question to see what they have to say. As stated though in my earlier detailed message, the case speaks for itself. When you consider the rules on nil rating VAT. The item can only be considered for nil rating where it is exclusively built for the blind, or, where a modification is done to it to make it usable. The modification is not a modification if it is a feature for all users, irrespective of disability. In this instance, every iPHone since the 3GS has had Voice Over installed, and as such, the phones are not nil rateable under these conditions. OK, now I've just phoned the three main London Apple Stores that I could think of off the top of my head. Two stated that they have heard of this, but, that the reduction of VAT is something that would be the responsibility of the customer to arrange, that they had no facility to lower their prices. Other than of course by the known discounts offered by Apple directly. So that clears it up, if you went and bought your phone from Apple, then submitted the relevant claim form to HMRC, they would reject it on the bases that you would have to declare that no modification has taken place to your phone beyond standard manufacturing methods and the standard product specification. Regards, Neil Barnfather Talks List Administrator Twitter @neilbarnfather TalkNav is a Nuance, Code Factory and Sendero dealer, as well as an Apple iOS, Macintosh and Android accessibility specialist. For all your accessible phone, PDA and GPS related enquiries visit www.talknav.com URL: - www.talknav.com e-mail: - [email protected] Phone: - +44 844 999 4199 On 16 Oct 2012, at 16:03, Alex Wallis <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Neel and list, > well I can see you have done thorough research, but my question is why have > three separate apple stores told different people that they can by apple > products vat free? > I would suggest the fact apple includes VoiceOver means they have adapted the > product to be useful to the visually impaired. > I suggest this issue should be investigated further, as we already know apple > stores have mixed training about this, so its quite possible HMRC might be > giving out inaccurate information as well. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google > Group. > To search the VIPhone public archive, visit > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google Group. To search the VIPhone public archive, visit http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en.
