Newsletter
July 2014 Newsletter
Property development managers denied GST credits
Two taxpayers have been denied GST input tax credits they had claimed in respect of purported acquisitions made in relation to property developments. The Commissioner had refused the taxpayers' claims for input tax credits on the basis that neither taxpayer carried on an enterprise.
The AAT heard from the taxpayers that they were "principal contractors" in relation to the property developments. However, the AAT said that exactly what the "principal contractors" did in respect of the properties remained the subject of "quite profound mystery".
It said that an entity is not a "project manager" simply because someone says it is. Further, the AAT said that to carry on an enterprise, an entity must "do" something, and that in this case, the AAT was unable to identify the activity that the taxpayers were doing in respect of the properties.
TIP: This case demonstrates the need for multiple parties, and in particular related parties, who are involved in large property development projects to clearly articulate and document the role of each party and the agreements they have with each other, particularly if one party intends to seek GST input tax credits.