Monday, July 20, 2015

How to calculate value of supply for VAT in sale of Land and Buildings in Sri Lanka



VAT liability on sale of land and buildings
1.    Subsection 5(7) of the Value Added Tax Act. No 14 of 2002 gives how to calculate value of supply in sale of land and buildings:
a.    It will be value of sale of land and buildings – less
b.    Value of land and buildings constructed before 31.03.1998 at the time of supply (if sold at market value, the part sale value of this).
2.    The alternative interpretation is when selling a property; value of supply of the sale of property is limited only to the sale value of the buildings constructed after 31.03.1998. This is logical according to VAT principals, since being a VAT registered person VAT input credit could have been claimed for the construction cost of the building. And the value addition at the time of sale is; VAT on Sale price less input credit claimed. This part of tax is due to the government. Since the input credit has already claimed in the past at the time of construction, VAT is payable on the sale price of the buildings constructed after 31.03.1998.