Sole Trader Nonsense
Ok so I’ve had an eBay business for a number of years. As a sole trader, so do self assessment tax returns, etc.
Thought it would be a good time to expand, so applied to set up an Amazon business.
Thought it would all be quite straight forward, as I had all the necessary docs.
Sent through a few things, rejected, then…
Get this they’re refusing to accept my welcome to self assessment UTR letter because it’s not dated within the last 90 days… you only get issued this letter once.
It even states it on their help page:
Sole Proprietors in the United Kingdom: You must provide the following documents from HMRC as a proof of Sole Proprietorship. Some of these documents are issued on a one-off basis, or they may be issued once in a year. In this case, you must provide the most recent HMRC document. They are as follows:
- Self-Assessment Welcome letter: This is issued only once
- Class 2 National Insurance Contributions bill
- Certificate of registration for Value Added Tax (VAT)
- Correspondence from HMRC acknowledging UTR number
- Notice to complete Self-Assessment Tax Return
- Utility Bill, Bank Statement or Credit Card Statement in the name of the Sole Proprietor or the Trading Name"
(REF: https://sellercentral-europe.amazon.com/gp/help/help-popup.html/?itemID=201200780)
Can anyone help figure out what is going on here please?!
Seller_u4SFdJKMStDfU
It’s easier getting a business loan. Although, their customer service is shocking, eBay are outstanding compared with the “assistance” I’ve had today. They can’t keep throwing guidance at you then going against the guidance they’ve provided.
59 replies
Seller_ZjZ4slOF0jHpk
You can ask HMRC to issue a new UTR confirmation letter. I had to do that as none of the other acceptable docs suited me.
Seller_CkBmKJ4ClQCbF
are you able to login to government gateway and get anything from there with your UTR on it?
Seller_DROodOAYHftnc
You could send them your latest request to complete Tax Return, that will have your UTR on it.
Seller_NoLYurmb006tq
If you phone HMRC explain you need proof of UTR in a letter format for amazon they send it out I had to a couple year back.
Seller_Rds42gzScDQFa
Always send Amazon copies, photos or scans of documents and ensure they can see it’s a hard copy document. Don’t take a screenshot of an online document as it will be rejected. As HMRC to send you a letter with your UTR number. That will be accepted.
Seller_f5cnodyVjLD4S
This is from the link you posted in your original post. 
Sole Proprietors and Partnerships, who do not have the required document issued by HM Revenue & Customs, can request one by calling HMRC at 03002003300, asking for “self-assessment department” and requesting Confirmation of Unique Taxpayer Reference letter. The letter may take two weeks to arrive in the post.
https://sellercentral-europe.amazon.com/gp/help/help-popup.html/?itemID=201200780
Seller_u4SFdJKMStDfU
As it says: " Sole Proprietors and Partnerships, who do not have the required document issued by HM Revenue & Customs" - I do have documents. I don’t need to call HMRC or request anything. I have provided everything already, another piece of paper saying the same thing dated a week later, is not going to make much difference.
Seller_NoLYurmb006tq
Hi things change and that’s the guidelines like any business things are in place its not upto us and they ain’t about to change them for us so if you want an account you need to do it unfortunately.
Seller_u4SFdJKMStDfU
It’s easier getting a business loan. Although, their customer service is shocking, eBay are outstanding compared with the “assistance” I’ve had today. They can’t keep throwing guidance at you then going against the guidance they’ve provided.
Seller_Rds42gzScDQFa
Yes it will if it’s dated within 90 days when you send it.
Seller_u4SFdJKMStDfU
Sent them a HMRC reminder (dated last week) and my HMRC receipt for submitting my tax return (also dated last week). They didn’t accept either of those. Those are both within the last 90 days. But contacting HMRC to get a piece of paper that has today’s date on it and less information makes all the difference… I don’t think so love. I think they are failing to to follow their own guidance and if that’s the case how can they expect anyone else to follow it. Starting to think the US congress were right to be calling them out now.
Seller_Rds42gzScDQFa
This is what you get for trying to be helpful… Solve your own problem…love…
Seller_u4SFdJKMStDfU
You seem to have only read one line. Here it is again for you: “Sent them a HMRC reminder (dated last week) and my HMRC receipt for submitting my tax return (also dated last week). They didn’t accept either of those. Those are both within the last 90 days. But contacting HMRC to get a piece of paper that has today’s date on it and less information makes all the difference… I don’t think so love. I think they are failing to to follow their own guidance and if that’s the case how can they expect anyone else to follow it. Starting to think the US congress were right to be calling them out now.”
Seller_NoLYurmb006tq
@DannyKK it’s not multiple choice unfortunately there is only a number of documents they will accept as they have stated to you previously.
This is part of thier due diligence assessment and they need to follow the rules set out to them.
As other people have stated above it is easy enough to obtain the required information, if you chose to do so then I’m sure it will be accepted if you don’t then obviously your account will not move forward it is going to be no real loss or gain to a company the size of Amazon.
Seller_2BrPSydGy6oyq
I see your argument re the ‘issued within 90 days’ yet no mention of the 90 day limit in this list, that’s likely because if you are registering as a sole trader now, Amazon will assume you have not already been trading as a sole trader on Amazon, if for example you registered as an individual, so would expect doc’s to be within 90 days (as stated elsewhere in the requirements for businesses.
What if you are not VAT registered, then you can’t comply with this requirement under any timescale, do they wave this requirement, keep demanding it, or accept not every seller is VAT registered, in which case not all on the list can be provided?
Seller_EOmLRMFX8Oo9x
I don’t understand why people come on here and complain about Amazons rules, many members have tried to help including myself and I really don’t get why you won’t send the documentation they are asking for. This issue is a particular easy one to solve and you give the impression you want to fight Amazon over this which you won’t win. If you do start selling on Amazon you are most likely at some point having to have a bigger fight over something.
How are you going to react if you send out an order, signed for and delivered, customer says they didn’t get it, raise an A-Z and Amazon grant the A-Z to the customer. It does seem that this minor small problem is causing you grief and stress, it could get much worse when you start actually selling on here
I restate my good luck wishes from earlier on as you are going to need them FACT
Seller_HxzldtLnjj9Vo
Hello all.i got this message and I selected individual. Is it still ok to be an individual after doing over 15000 in sales.and how do I change it to business. I have all my business details to hand
