POWERPUFF71

I will be staying in a B&B in London the last week of July and recently heard the 17.5% VAT charge can be refunded. Does anyone know the details about this, how it works?

parisonmymind2

I'm certainly not an expert, but I thought that VAT refunds only applied to things you take out of the country and not to hotels, restaurant meals, etc.

nytraveler

No - they're not refundable. If you consume something within the country the tax is not refundable.

It is refundable only on things you take out of the country with you - and then - only for purchases of certain minimum amounts - at the discretion of the merchant - who has to do the paperwork for you.

nibblette

No, VAT on services (B&B is a service) are not refundable. VAT is refundable only on goods taken from the country. Anything you bought and used, e.g. jumper, cosmetics, etc., are also not eligible.

janisj

translation: jumper = pullover sweater

As the others say - VAT is only refunded on items you can show to the tax agent at the airport when you leave the country - and only when you spend a lot in one store. So no VAT refunds on drinks, meals, theatre tix, hotels/B&Bs, car rental, train/tube/bus tix, concerts, entrance fees, etc etc . . . . . .

Alec

There is no VAT on transport tickets in UK, neither on basic food, medications, books, magazines nor children's clothes
If you are a VAT-registered business and you incur VAT on business expenses such as hotel and car rental, it can be reclaimed but no, for private personal expenses, VAT cannot be returned, expect for personal export - i.e. goods you ship or take away from EU yourself.
In Canada, GST (general sales tax) incurred on accommodation by foreign tourists can be reclaimed or, as is often the case, the hotel doesn't charge them.