s
B.
Sergei - Community Manager

VAT email some of you received last week

Dear Partners,

I’d like to share some clarification on the VAT email some of you received last week.

Firstly, what’s happening

Unless you are located in the Netherlands (where Booking.com is based), you are receiving what are called cross-border services from us. This means you are responsible for meeting both local and EU VAT requirements, which may include self-assessing VAT on the services you receive. In line with this, we need to maintain a record of your VAT number to remain compliant with data reporting regulations.

Secondly, on next steps

For those of you who have already updated their VAT number, thank you! You can check everything is up to date via this link.

If you do not currently have a VAT number or have questions about your local and EU VAT obligations, we recommend that you speak to an expert on tax legislation in your particular region. Our tax team will follow-up via email in the coming period with reminders and we’d encourage you to maintain your records as per any advice you might receive.

We apologise if our email caused confusion and thank you for your patience while we were coming back to you.

Sergei

 


v
1
Vila Nidutė 2 years ago

Good afternoon, 

and if we are private renter and we are not Vat payer and will not be ( dont reach any limits as rental term is very short and only 1 object)? Even no cunsultation needed just we will not be VAT payer, what should we do next with these messages?

 

c
1
Christoforos C… 2 years ago

How about Private Hosts that they dont need to have Vat number due the small amount of incomes  ? Or even Managers of properties ? You need to high amount to have a Vat number . Hope you can help on that field !

g
1
Gabriella Olofsson 2 years ago

I have the same question like earlier Private Hosts above in this conversation about VAT number registration. 

Must we do anything?

Or it's just to wait?

Without problem on going with rentals Bookin Com?

  

a
1
Adam 2 years ago

Most of the financial applications including Revolut, Monesse etc and now Booking...need to include the financial residence and a tax identification number to comply with the new regulations as I saw in the recent email received from booking. Also Revoult asked me same thing couple of months ago.

Booking simply need to have on file CIFs, NIFs, VATs etc ( tax identification numbers ) for each type of private hosts ( non professionals ), professional hosts etc, according also to each local financial legislation where each partner has the fiscal residence.

TIN numbers ( tax identification number ) for reporting purposes are in different forms based on your fiscal residence and local legislation. In the Financial section on booking you should have different options ssuch as CIF ( fiscal identification code ) , NIF ( fiscal identification number ) etc VAT is mostly used by companies with higher money flows, the personal identification numbers are for private persons.

In Romania for example where is my fiscal residence, starting with January, 2021 every private person renting between 1 to 5 rooms for tourists mandatory pay a fixed tax as specified by each local city per year, by May, 25th next year you need to complete an online unique form number 212 and use your CIF ( fiscal identification code ) which is a 13 digits number that can be found on your identity card, for example 1800923225818.  VAT is for other business conditions.

a
1
Adam 2 years ago

In order for Booking to remain compliant with data reporting regulations as other financial applications I underlined above, each partner is responsible for meeting his local fiscal residence requirements regarding tourist taxes.

For Booking you just need each partner tax identification number based on each ones fiscal residence rules. It's not only bout Vat.

d
4
Désirée van Schaick 2 years ago

I have sent an email to booking partner helpdesk, explained the situation here in France and added a scan of the official papers from my (small) business. So they have my tax identification number, just not a VAT (TVA in France) number. I do not need one nor do I want one, because that means I have to charge TVA from my guests and then pay it to the government - it is a lot of hassle and not worth it for us. 

Booking keeps saying they need the VAT number and tell me I should ask my tax advisor - someone I have to pay for their service. 

If I understand you correctly Adam, they need a tax number but not necessarily a VAT number?

 

a
1
Adam 2 years ago

That's correct, for each individual it applys the tax laws ( for toursim in this case - where they have the residence. Booking is mixing the Vat Eu thing with Eu tax number reporting.

Basically they are required  ( also other financial applications I use and showed some examples requested the same ) as per EU to keep on file your TIN, CIF or whichever fiscal number you have in your fiscal residence. I'm sure they will get more clear on this.

 

 

 

Profile picture for the user 1
3
13 Bees 2 years ago

Hi Adam - not sure if you work for Booking.com or are a community member like us :-)

BUT, if Booking.com wants a non-VAT tax identification number then that's what they should ask for!  There is no way in hell I am ticking a box that says "this is my VAT number" and completing the form with my ID number..... they will report this as a VAT number and it will case undoubted problems down the line with local tax authorities.

Are we supposed to wait until B.com ask for the right information or what, do you think?

All the best, Kevin.

d
4
Désirée van Schaick 2 years ago

Thank you Adam. 

I wrote what you said to Booking as a reply to them telling me I need to get a VAT number. Their answer: "we cannot give you tax advise". Right...

I ended up contacting my tax advisor (whom I have to pay) and she confirmed what you said: they do not need a VAT number, I do not need a VAT number, you all do not need a VAT number. She basically said Booking does not know what they are talking about and they havent got their facts straight.

So I wrote this and I got a phone call from Booking helpdesk, telling me I was right and apologising for the hassle. The person from helpdesk told me to just ignore the email.

Hope this is helpful to the rest of you.  

r
1
Rhoda lardner 2 years ago

We do not pay or are registered for VAT as we earn nowhere near the VAT ceiling level. What do we do now... we have been trying to find, somewhere on the booking.com intranet an option to say that we are not registered for VAT for the above reasons. This is all very worrying and confusing... 

g
1
Gerhard Semler 2 years ago

Same Problem. No telefonnummer to ask any  kompetent person 

t
1
Trullo Vista 2 years ago

I am a private renter I am not vat registered because I don't earn enough.  My accountant has confirmed this.  Your system does nit give me the option to enter this information.  What am I supposed to do?

m
1
Mark Keane 2 years ago

Does this block payment process

p
1
Przemyslaw Brzyzek 2 years ago

I have a VAT number but I can not enter it, it pops up with an error. what should I do?

i
1
iris Sutton 2 years ago

I have the same problem, can't enter anything and the helpdesk never helps me!

w
1
Wally Luciani 2 years ago

I'm in Italy and renting only one apartment I don't need a Vat number, this is the italian law. So I can't write a Vat number: I think this happens in other Europe countries so that Booking has to change the question and give us the opportunity to write also different number or Id

Profile picture for the user a
1
Apartment Iva 2 years ago

I got a VAT number from the tax office. And when I wanted to enter it in the section Finance - Data on VAT number, the question arises: Do you have a VAT number? As answers, the answers YES and the answer I HAVE, BUT NOT REGISTERED FOR EU TRANSACTIONS are offered. As I received a VAT ID number from the tax administration, I clicked the YES option, then entered the number, and I received an error that the VAT ID is not valid. I checked the validity of the VAT number in the European VAT number database and everything is fine. When I clicked on the option I HAVE A VAT NUMBER BUT IT IS NOT REGISTERED FOR EU TRANSACTIONS, then the VAT number is accepted. For my mother's accommodation, I also asked for a VAT ID number and I could normally enter it under the YES option, which was not possible for me. Please check what it is about, because it turns out that I have a VAT number, but it is not registered for transactions in the EU, and I have a Decision of the Tax Administration which issued me a VAT ID number and which is valid.

I dont know what to do? 🤔🤔

a
1
Andrej Milić 1 year ago

Hi,

Exactly the same thing is happening to me now, customers service is worthless for now, have you solved the problem somehow?

d
1
DEANOR OÜ 2 years ago

According to Estonian law, if the turnover is less than 40000 euros, there is not VAT obligatsion.I have small company, turnover under 10000 euro, I cannot register for VAT.

c
1
Chez Fins Bois 2 years ago

We are in France ,we do not meet the VAT threshold and are therefore not registered. How do we proceed?

John Clegg

 

 

a
1
Avelie Evans 2 years ago

Hello Sergi

As you can se from the vast string of messages many small hosts don't have VAT numbers as they are not registered and don't need to be. But your system does not give that option. If you want other tax information form us you need to ask for the right information and give a form that accepts the right information.

Thanks 

k
1
Kjeld Bruun 2 years ago

Hello , We have so small amount that We dont nede VAT reg.

but its NOT possible to write no, on the side

j
1
Jeannine Rehlinger 2 years ago

I spoke to my tax advisor (gestoría) and as a private host with apartment in his own home, we don't need a VAT number here in Spain. We do not pay VAT. I still have to declare my income of course and pay taxes if I get over a certain amount of income. But no VAT. Please do take that in consideration and add a NO VAT case to your introducing mask. Thank you

b
1
Budai Mátyás 2 years ago

Hi, I just got my EU tax number, typed it in the right place, the program doesn’t accept it. Budai M

m
1
Marian Vlk 2 years ago

HI, I received an Email about VAT. But we are NOT registred for VAT in Slovakia.  So what should I do? Thanks Andrea

g
1
Gerhard Semler 2 years ago

there are only two options to click. vat number or vat number, but not yet registered! where is the third option "no vat number, because it is not necessary, there is too little turnover and therefore not obligatory for vat" ??? this affects a lot of hosts. booking com should set up a telephone help desk to help the hosts! you feel very lonely.

m
1
Maison Di Biancaneve 2 years ago

Maison di Biancaneve di SOLFANELLI VALERIA.

La casa vacanze è di tipo non imprenditoriale, regolarmente registrata presso il comune di Roma e presso la regione Lazio, per la quale la normativa vigente non prevede il possesso di PARTITA IVA. Per la sua gestione amministrativa e sufficiente il codice fiscale della titolare Solfanelli Valeria, gia comunicatio a BOOKING. 

Cosa devo fare? Grazie

p
1
Petra Timmers 2 years ago

Good afternoon

I can not put my VAT in finance. I put ES (spain) before the number but the system says no valid…

I contacted booking but didn’t got replay.

I have to do this before 31-8

Greats

 

e
1
Enzo & Katja Amato 2 years ago

Same problem here (Germany).

I tried with "DE" or without "DE" but the system says my VAT is not valid (but it is valid, I checked this).

 

 

What can I do?

Profile picture for the user 1
3
13 Bees 2 years ago

The field on this page STILL DOES NOT ACCEPT TAX IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS THAT DO NOT BEGIN WITH LETTERS!!!  My tax identification number as a micro-entrepreneur in France begins with numbers.....  Booking.com will need to fix the validation if they want people to comply.

Sergei #ManagingOperations, are you listening?

d
4
Désirée van Schaick 2 years ago

Sergei, are you ever going to reply to all the reactions posted on this forum. Is the partner forum not a tool for Booking to get 'helpful feedback'? And doesn't Booking always state how valued we are as partners?

Just wondering. 

e
1
Enjoy Sevilla 1 year ago

Hi, this problem still exists unfortunately. Did anyone manage to resolve it?

 

Thanks.

 

c
1
Chez Fins Bois 1 year ago

Sergei

Clearly no one at Booking.com is reading the responses from your so-called partners. 
 

Many of us do not have to register for VAT due to low turnover. Moreover, if we are below the tax threshold, we cannot register. 

I am sure that, like us, most « partners » use professional tax advisers who clearly know more about local tax laws than you guys do. 
 

Kindly address this matter so that we can all move on. It should be a simply tick box asking if your business is over the tax threshold and, if yes, complete the tax number. 
 

come on guys ! Be professional !

 

thanks

John Clegg

(France)