This is another such issue recently. The tax authorities found out and the Oslo Police District investigated a construction company from Bærum and its clients. So far, 20 customers have been fined for not paying VAT on services they bought from the company.
Tax Crime Manager Erik Nilsen at the Tax Administration believes that customers they also need to know, who they deal with and how they pay.
- To put it simply, undeclared work, because there is a demand. As a consumer, you are not released from liability. These cases also highlight the consumer's responsibility to prevent undeclared work, says Nilsen.
In the summer of 2021, the police received a tax report from the Bærum-based construction company and several of its clients. The audit revealed a large amount of undeclared work between the end of 2017 and December 2019.
In e-mail and SMS correspondence, many customers were offered the price with and without VAT, and many customers accepted the offer without VAT. Payments were made in cash or otherwise, which made it difficult to detect by the tax authorities.
20 customers were fined for complicity
In the fall and winter, the police investigated customers. As a result, 20 of the company's customers have remained so far punished for complicity in tax evasion. The investigation found that many had no intention of paying illegally, but when the opportunity arose, it was easy to accept it without thinking long about the possible consequences.
The penalties received by the company's clients differ from each other. These were fines, conditional imprisonment and social sentences. All clients were confiscated from their savings made by paying illegally. A total of 20 customers received a withdrawal request of NOK 2. Additionally, fines totaling NOK 055.
Illegal buyers in practice do not have legal protection in terms of errors and quality of service
- Decisions taken so far show that buyers of undeclared work risk both large claims and confiscation and criminal convictions, which may be relevant in several contexts. It has also been shown that black buyers have in practice no legal protection in terms of errors and quality of service, says Eindride Kjørri, a police lawyer for the Oslo Police District.
Police are now continuing to investigate the Bærum-based construction company.
Source: Politiet
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