Page 54 - BHTA 100 years

M“emories from... Sten Chesser
Until the re-interpretation of part of the VAT laws it was very possible for identical
items to have VAT or no VAT. The decision to impose VAT was taken by the local VAT man in the area in which they were sold. The same item could be rated for VAT differently in Wellingborough, London or Nottingham.
At that time Keep Able were in competition with Nottingham Rehab and Homecraft with all of us selling nationally. Keep Able had a mail order catalogue based in Northamptonshire and a retail shop in London. The situation was clearly a farce. The same product was available in different catalogues priced either with or without VAT.
As MD of Keep Able I raised this with my local VAT men (Northamptonshire and
London) and was told that they could do nothing but apply the law. As Chairman of the Rehabilitation Products Section I raised the question with the VAT head of ce in Waterloo.
Somewhat to my surprise I was invited to Head Of ce. I went with reinforcements in the person of the chief of RADAR. We explained, they listened and told us that we had a point. But, they said, they could do nothing about. They suggested we needed to see the Postmaster General, so I went to see Sir John Cope.
I explained, he listened then explained that it would take too much Parliamentary time
to change the actual law but he was empowered to change the interpretation of the law by re-drafting the interpretation and offering new guidance to local VAT of ces and, as I seemed to know all about it I should assist them in writing the new guidance. So I wrote it.
I then raised another point about adjustable beds and rising chairs. They said that adjustable beds were a dif cult area with many people buying them just for personal comfort. I produced a list of the customers to whom we had sold such beds which included the name of a peer who knew Sir John and who was severely disabled. Sir John agreed that adjustable beds and chairs should be exempt from VAT.
I was taken aback by the simplicity and speed of reaction of the Civil Service and of ” Government when faced with a reasonable request from a representative of an
approved Association.
BHTA 100 years