Yesterday we had a really clear and engaging Masterclass for the Final Year post-grad Masters students at Manchester Metropolitan University from Simon Merry on VAT in Practice and Construction. This showed case studies with exercises for the audience and stressed how essential it is to consider these issue during the design and planning process. Many thanks Simon for your informative seminar.  

Many thanks for giving the excellent seminar last week! The students commented afterwards that Simon's presentation was insightful and memorable, and were impressed that he made the subject of VAT so interesting.

I would like to thank both Rosie and Simon for the professional manner and efficient way they have worked on our behalf. Without Simon’s encouragement I would not have applied for the 5% refund but in all my dealings with both Rosie and Simon I have been very impressed and felt very confident in the advice I was being given. Once again thank you very much.

"As architects we have often recommended Berthold Bauer to clients and stressed the benefits expert VAT advice at the earliest possible juncture in any building development venture. Recently we completed our own development and experienced at close quarters the service that BB provide. Our feeling that VAT consultants should be one of the first ports of call post-feasibility study has strengthened as a result of this project and the conviction that BB have the skills and capacity to perform this role is strengthened further by going through the process with BB in detail. In a profession where we often have to chase consultants, BB were a breath of fresh air. BB were proactive, could speak about complex VAT issues in straightforward terms, and provided a seamless and valuable service for us. We continue to happily recommend BB to any party, that is considering a development with VAT implications."

“Simon and his team have helped our clients on many occasions with VAT matters. We have found that they are knowledgeable, know their way around the relevant legislation, and their approach is to advise and simplify.”

“Berthold Bauer were recommended to me for my DIY Scheme and I am absolutely delighted with them. Rosie was helpful, organised and kept me updated throughout the process. Throughout the build it was a relief to know that they were handling the VAT recovery accurately and it was a real weight lifted not to have deal with this aspect. I would definitely use them again.”

Berthold Bauer VAT Consultants Ltd have provided us with an amazing service regarding the claiming back of VAT on major building work we have recently undertaken. They have provided a very professional service liaising between us and the building firm we employed and have not only acted quickly and efficiently, but have provided us with advice and support throughout, keeping us informed of progress made and exercising incredible patience when we have needed explanations or misunderstood the nature of our own response. I cannot recommend them highly enough!

Just wanted to say a huge thank you for all your advice regarding my queries. You did not hesitate to help and having such experience in this field you decided not to charge and gave free advice which is extremely rare in todays world. Your advice has really helped for which I am very grateful. Any future work will only come to BB VAT. Would highly recommend to anyone needing property VAT work. Thank you once again.  

I really appreciate that you took the time and energy to respond to my on line query without a fee being charged. I was going round in circles trying to demystify the HMRC VAT notices and I just wanted to say a big thank you. I wrote the on line request to at least six organisations and you are the only one to answer my question without wanting a fee upfront, being elusive and complicating the matter or otherwise. And what a surprise when you call to explain about my second query and again without a fee. You have no idea how much paper work and research you have saved me. I loved your no nonsense, transparent approach that was clear to understand. Thank you for coming to my rescue and helping me solve the mystery.

Berthold Bauer VAT Consultants Ltd are true financial wizards! Exceptionally knowledgeable, efficient, and communicative. The personalized attention and dedication demonstrated were truly impressive. I wholeheartedly recommend Berthold Bauer VAT Consultants Ltd for anyone seeking a top-notch tax professional & advice. A five-star experience all the way!

“I worked with Berthold Bauer on an empty refurbishment project, they were very helpful and managed to decipher my various spreadsheets to be able to carry out the necessary VAT audit and achieve a valuable VAT saving for my client.”

“Berthold Bauer undertook the review of the overpayment of VAT on a major and complex listed building refurbishment project undertaken over a number of years. Team leaders at Berthold Bauer diligently coordinated all aspects of the evidence gathering and subsequent handling of the detailed and protracted negotiations with their counterparts at HMRC. These efforts led to the successful recovery of circa £450k of overpaid taxes.”

“Berthold Bauer have been very efficient and professional and we are very pleased with the service provided.”

"Berthold Bauer were recommended to me by my architect to help minimise the VAT I was going to have to pay on the works being undertaken for my disabled daughter. As a private self-funding client (rather than someone in a litigation situation represented by a law firm) I didn’t really expect that I was big enough nor my project large enough to justify their involvement or fees. However I was pleasantly surprised, they were exceptionally friendly, personable, deeply knowledgeable and managed to find various avenues for zero rated VAT that more than covered their reasonable fees.  I would not hesitate to work with them again and would thoroughly recommend”.

"You made significant VAT savings for the client by understanding the complex tax legislation relating to this particular Grade 1 listed building. Your advice early on in the design process resulted in a significantly reduced contract sum. Both the main contractor and the sub-contractors were reassured by the clarity of your paperwork and the consultant team found the complexities of VAT law were made simple by your explanations. I have recommended you to others on a number of occasions. I have also since worked with other VAT consultants (at other Client's insistence) who have not produced the savings we expected or the clarity of advice. In summary, I would highly recommend you and will certainly choose to work with you again."

“Berthold Bauer provided exactly the service they advertised.  In fact they exceed expectations - both in terms of tax savings and professionalism.  I found them extremely easy to work with”

"Berthold Bauer ensured we were able to minimise our VAT liability on a recent refurb / newbuild, liaising with contractors on our behalf.  Furthermore, they guided us through a potentially costly VAT reclaim, contacting HMRC to confirm we complied with the VAT reclaim criteria and avoided the pitfalls.  An all-round efficient, friendly and reassuring service.  We would not hesitate to work with them again."

"I used Berthold Bauer Consultants to help me with a homebuilding/refurbishment VAT claim – it was very complicated as the project took over 18 months and involved a number of different contractors and consultants.  They were incredibly helpful, forthright and diligent and I received my VAT refund on time and in the amount expected.  I could not speak high enough about their professionalism and hard work and would recommend them."

"18 months ago, I found out that I had overpaid tax by £35k on building works, which was actually qualifying for a much lower rate than the 17.5% I had paid for. I reached out to my architect who recommended Berthold Bauer. I had a choice between paying BB by the hour or as an X% commission only on the recovered amount. I chose the success based fee on the basis that it would provide the best incentives for BB to work hardest on the case. 18 months on and after a lot of hard work by BB (with very little involvement from myself, which was great!), the case was won in principle and £26k of the £35k has been recovered at this point. I was most impressed throughout the process by the professionalism, determination and responsiveness of the team at BB and am obviously very happy with the outcome. This goes to show that the success fee structure does work as a great incentive. What more, they only issued a bill for the money actually recovered to date as opposed to the full amount agreed upon by HMRC. Based on my experience of dealing with them, I highly recommend the team at BB, who were also a pleasure to deal with. It is not often that one encounters such excellent and friendly professionals."

"Berthold Bauer has saved my Clients and Contractors thousands of pounds of VAT they did not need to pay and removed a lot of stress and worry in the process."