Businesses warned about misleading letter

Businesses in Plymouth have contacted the City Council’s Trading Standards Service to notify them of a misleading letter they have received headed ‘Publication of Companies and VAT Registration Numbers in the UK Corporate Portal 2014’.

It leads them to believe that they are required to provide details of their VAT registration number. However, they also include an application to be included in their directory for an annual fee of £797.

The letter states the contract will be renewed annually unless three months’ notice of cancellation is given.

The letter is not connected to HMRC and businesses are advised not to complete it.  The company sending the letter is based in Germany and therefore the contract is governed by German law, which takes it outside the UK jurisdiction.

Those receiving the letter are asked to notify Plymouth City Council’s Trading Standards Service. Email trading.standards@plymouth.gov.uk or telephone 01752 304141.