What kinds of cases are you looking for?   
< Previous Case Next Case >

GST/HST — reducing assessment on self-supply of new home

My client X and her business partner Y built a new home, together with Z, a young man whose family wanted him to learn the construction business. Z put in some equity and X transferred 50% beneficial interest in the property to Z. They signed an agreement that, even though X remained legal owner of the property, X and Z each had 50% beneficial ownership. (Z registered this agreement on title to protect his interest.)

The new home was built, but didn't sell. The basement was rented to a tenant for a few months starting September 2015. In January 2016, X bought back Z's 50% interest in the home, and eventually sold the home.

A CRA auditor proposed to assess X almost $400,000 for HST on the "self-supply" that was triggered when part of the home was rented out to a tenant. X came to me for help.

I reviewed the history and all the documentation, and determined that the auditor was correct in proposing to apply the self-supply rule. However, at the time of the self-supply, X owned only 50% of the property — something the auditor was unaware of.

I provided the auditor with a careful explanation of how the matter had developed, and showed conclusively that as of September 2019, when the tenant moved in, X beneficially owned only 50% of the property. X was thus liable for only 50% of the HST on the self-supply.

As well, X was entitled to input tax credits (ITCs) for 50% of the HST spent on the construction costs. The auditor had acknowledged this in his proposal letter and invited X to submit receipts. When I reviewed all the receipts, however, I could see there would be a problem, because the receipts were variously in the names of X, Y and Z.

I therefore included in my letter to the auditor an explanation of why invoices in the names of X and Z both qualified, since as co-owners they automatically authorized each other to incur construction expenses. I further submitted a written agreement between X and Y, documenting a pre-existing oral agreement, whereby X authorized Y to incur construction expenses as X's agent. I showed that the Regulations governing ITCs claims permitted a registrant to claim ITCs if the supporting documentation named the registrant's authorized agent or representative.

My careful analysis and documentation smoothed the way, and the auditor allowed all of the input tax credits submitted, as well as agreeing that X was liable for only 50% of the HST.

The end result was to reduce the HST assessed from almost $400,000 to under $100,000.

Problem greatly resolved!

(2020)