Visual Investments International Ltd v HMRC

In Visual Investments International Ltd v HMRC [2024] UKFTT 843 (TC) (19 September) the FTT dismissed an appeal against assessments disallowing VAT on legal services the appellant had claimed as input tax. The FTT found that the appellant was not the sole recipient of the legal services and even to the extent that it was the recipient there was not a direct and immediate link between the legal services and the appellant’s taxable supplies.

The legal services were supplied with a view to enforcing an alleged oral agreement for the transfer of shares in two broadcasting technology companies to a joint venture vehicle Streaming Investments plc that subsequently went into creditors’ voluntary liquidation. Broadcasting Investment Group Ltd (BIG) was a subsidiary of the appellant and it was BIG rather than the appellant that held a large shareholding in the joint venture vehicle. The FTT found...