[for sale] how to sell stuff

[mikeprice]

Hi all

 

I have just got rid of a broken printer (epson c900) and I have a full set of toners for it plus some other stuf (not sure what)

 

I can't sell it yet - but I was wondering what permission/hoops-to-jump-through there are in other school - and how they sell old stuff that is still worth money but not needed by the school??

 

I have asked the Head but she just looked worried and told me to ask the Office Manager - who will probably say ask the Head

 

anyone know what the rules for LEA controlled school are - or do we just make it up as we go along??

 

thanks

 

Mike

[rad]

Dont tell them... list it.... buy IT tools with the proceeds :getmecoat::getmecoat:

 

What you should probably do is wait for the Head/Office Manager to give you the all clear

[FN-GM]

We sell the majority of old stuff. It is a simple case of taking it off the asset register as end of life, selling it and then giving the money to finance to go back into the budget. I usually sell it all to staff. I would have thought I had saturated the market but they keep asking for them! For pricing I just look at the going rate on eBay.

[bossman]

Hmm! well I was once told that because schools don't pay the VAT or can claim it back then anything that is sold via the school is actually illegal due to this fact and that it can be given away as a charitable act (data wiped professionally) and a small donation to the school can be asked for.

 

This happened as a result of Staff constantly asking if I could purchase them laptops and the like through the school, absolutely a No! No! as far as the VAT man is concerned.

 

Things may have changed but I very much doubt it!!

[elsiegee40]

Hmm! well I was once told that because schools don't pay the VAT or can claim it back then anything that is sold via the school is actually illegal due to this fact and that it can be given away as a charitable act (data wiped professionally) and a small donation to the school can be asked for.

 

This happened as a result of Staff constantly asking if I could purchase them laptops and the like through the school, absolutely a No! No! as far as the VAT man is concerned.

 

Things may have changed but I very much doubt it!!

 

I can see why.

 

VAT hasn't been paid on an item sold on. You are genuinely releasing stuff that's no longer wanted, but organisations might be tempted to buy stuff VAT free and sell it on at a profit taking advantage of the gap between the VAT-free and VAT-paid price.

 

My accountant husband, who I just consulted, isn't a VAT expert but suspects that HMRC would expect VAT to be charged on the sale. Which means the school would have to register a VAT registered trading arm... which they may already have for, say, lettings purposes.

[3s-gtech]

I believe (but I may be wrong) that you can include VAT in the sale price, then pay it out of the balance. You should invoice clearly and keep records.

 

We've sold quite a bit of stuff, we've always produced the paperwork for finance to work through. Cleared some space and made a few quid.

[JonThompson]

When we sell old stuff to staff, the VAT is calculated on the total amount(s), and this is then deducted from the total money we give to finance, with the balance paid into our budget. The VAT is then paid to HMRC at the end of each tax year (so I'm led to believe - I could be wrong on that). As a school we can claim VAT back on items we buy, but we have to pay it on items we sell. As the boss says, you can't have it both ways!

 

We keep detailed records which includes the sale paperwork which lists the serial numbers, make, model, description, sale amount etc. And this also contains stipulations that the staff member is responsible for safe disposal of the item if it dies, and they must NOT sell it on for profit. They have to sign this paperwork in duplicate. We keep one copy, and they get the other as a receipt. We also have to get permission from SLT before we sell the items.

Edited June 13, 2017 by JonThompson

[jmak]

To simplify the accounting, could you donate it to your parents' association who would then sell it to raise funds and donate any proceeds as part of their normal donations?

 

Obviously you'd need to follow normal asset management and secure disposal procedures.

[mikeprice]

Thanks for all the replies

 

might try to barter it for some stuff from a refurbished type person or something

 

Thanks again

 

Mike