Why do some types of businesses quote prices ex-Vat to the public?

Tombo2001

Am particularly thinking of solicitors here.....

I've been ringing around getting prices.....they all all gave me a price ex vat.

They give me a price. I ask is VAT included. They say, no VAT is extra.

Whats the point? I have to pay the VAT also, its not optional.......why are they quoting me a price ex Vat?

P. Breathnach

Have a look at this: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1973/en/si/0009.html. The one-line explanatory summarises it neatly:

This Order requires that all retail prices marked on goods or prices displayed or quoted at the retail level and all charges for services displayed or quoted should be tax-inclusive.

I have bolded the key phrase. The order does not apply to business-to-business selling.

It's a bit disingenuous of a solicitor to treat all price quotations as exempt from the order.

goz83

Whenever I quote, I ALWAYS state if the price is EX-VAT. If it includes VAT, I don't bother saying so.

Whenever I ask for a price, I ALWAYS ask if VAT is included. Once bitten, twice shy.

Tombo2001

goz83 wrote: »

Whenever I quote, I ALWAYS state if the price is EX-VAT. If it includes VAT, I don't bother saying so.

Whenever I ask for a price, I ALWAYS ask if VAT is included. Once bitten, twice shy.

Reminds me of a time I was haggling to buy a rug in a Moroccan market.

Everything in the market was in Euros.

Haggled him down from 800 to 250.....went to pay......"oh no sir, it is 250 sterling".....

wingnut

I am just used to it. Work in a school and many companies treat us a business, but we pay full VAT. Always ask.