Background
East Dean Kennels & Cattery is situated in seven acres of beautiful Kent countryside between Maidstone and Ashford. The property was purchased in 2009 for £799,000.
The site houses a heated kennel and cattery block containing sixty-seven dog pens and fifteen cat pens (each with own outdoor garden), as well as a grooming room, kitchen, pet food store and other facilities. There is also a rubber matted play barn and a paved winter paddock.
£233,000
Capital allowances uncovered
£98,000
Unlocked in total tax savings
£8,000
Cash rebate (after fees)
What owner Mrs Holson said . . .
“When I was first contacted I was highly sceptical and in all honesty rather disinterested in the information discussed. However, through their perseverance with me, they finally highlighted the tax savings available for current and future tax liabilities. They made the whole process very understandable and handled the initial concerns I had professionally. I am forever grateful for the tax savings achieved for me, as not only was I not aware of the substantial savings but the tax relief couldn't have come at a better time. Having to furlough staff and strip back the business model in order to increase the survivability of the business means uncertain times ahead, however a large cash rebate and even larger tax savings for future years has decreased that concern greatly.''
Overview of the claim
Although initially sceptical, after viewing a detailed proposal from our team outlining the benefits of claiming and the potential tax savings she could be due, the owner realised she had nothing to lose and gave the green light to proceed. Making a claim on a kennel or cattery can be extremely complex because there are complicated relief structures in place. It is difficult to determine what fixtures within a kennel/cattery property are deemed to be ‘plant’ or ‘structure’ in accounting terms. As specialists in embedded capital allowances, our qualified in-house surveyors are able to determine what is deemed to be ‘plant’ or ‘structure’ and identify what qualifies for tax relief within the property.
Qualifying items
The technical site survey identified qualifying expenditure including electrical, heating, water and ventilation systems, kitchen fixtures, toilet facilities, disposal installations, ironmongery, fire and lighting protection, security systems and telecommunications. Over £233k was uncovered in previously unclaimed allowances, generating tax savings of £98k for the owner. Less than 3 weeks after the claim was submitted to HMRC, the owner also received a cash rebate of £8k for tax she didn’t even know she had overpaid, plus a £5k reduction off her upcoming tax payment.