Leicester director banned for seven years
A Leicester director of a lead generating firm has been banned from being a director for seven years after it was found that her firm underpaid VAT by over £50,000.
On 11 September 2017, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy, & Industrial Strategy, accepted a disqualification undertaking from Ms Anne Christie Townsend, also known as Christie Townsend, a director of Greendeal Helpline.
The company went into liquidation on 6 April 2016 owing £110,236 to creditors, of which £58,522 related to Value Added Tax (VAT).
The unfit conduct that led to Ms Townsend giving the undertaking was that she submitted incorrect VAT returns to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) which resulted in the company receiving £21,588 in VAT reclaims whereas at least £30,542 should have been paid to HMRC equivalent to an under declared amount of at least £52,130.
Martin Gitner, deputy head of investigations with the Insolvency Service said: “Under-declaration of the VAT due by a company deprives the exchequer of the monies needed to provide public services. In co-operation with HMRC, the Insolvency Service will not hesitate to investigate such misconduct with disqualification as a director the likely outcome.”
