HRI / VAT refund question

[frankfred]

Hi,

We got 10k worth of work done by a referred builder. We (naively) took his word that he was VAT registered, that we could get an HRI refund and a VAT receipt on completion of works.

A few months later, no receipt, nothing on the HRI system and no contact from the builder other than a brief phone exchange where he denied saying he was HRI registered, despite it being one of the assurances we used to justify paying so much money to him to begin with.

What are our options? Would Revenue accept his quote & bank records (luckily all payments were electronic and notated)? If he's not HRI registered does it mean we're out of luck no matter what? We feel like we were scammed out of an extra €1300.
We should have been more careful, but he came as a referral, but with no evidence / receipts etc do we have any recourse at all or do we just have to accept the loss?

Thanks

 

[wonko]

My guess is Revenue will not help. They state that the builder should show you his records online and you should check. I'm afraid your best recourse I would say is lega

 

[newirishman]

A good opportunity to bring the name (and address details) to attention of Revenue, and let them know what job, how much money, and when.
Copy of the bank transfers are helpful, as well as the quote which hopefully shows the name and address.

The builder however can only use HRI if he is registered for both VAT and RCT, and if he is tax compliant. Being registered for VAT and RCT should be no problem for a (legally operating) builder. Tax compliance could of course be a different issue....

You might not get your HRI schema sorted, but at least this cowboy will have to do some explaining to Revenue.

 

[GabbyTheKing]

Call him, tell him to get registered or you will bring his name to the attention of Revenue that his is wrongly using the Revenue to his advantage and wrongly stating that he is VAT and HRI Registered.