Flippy, the second homes kangaroo

[davywavy]

Scene: The Royal Australian flying accounts and oversight service, Dingo Ridge, Queensland. Bruce, a tanned surfer accountant, is speaking into the radio.

Bruce:'Strewth! That's a fair Dinkum problem you've got there! I'll get right on it!

Enter Sheila, a pretty blonde accountant, and her faithful pal - Flippy, the Second Homes Kangaroo.

Sheila: What's the problem, Bruce?
Bruce: I've got former Environment Minster Elliot Morley on the blower. He's claimed £16,000 in mortgage interest payments on his home in his Scunthorpe constituency even though the mortgage had ended 18 months before. Although records show his mortgage had been repaid by March 2006, Mr Morley continued to be reimbursed for £800 a month in 2006-7. Mr Morley had been renting out his London flat to another Labour MP, Ian Cawsey who nominated it as his second home and claimed back the £1,000 a month rent he paid to Mr Morley
Flippy, the second homes kangaroo: Tk tk tk tk tk.
Sheila: What's that, Flippy? He can redesignate the home as his primary residence with only 24 hours of notice, thereby not being liable? That's a corker of an an idea!
Flippy, the second homes kangaroo: Tk tk tk tk tk.
Bruce: And he can claim the cost of an accountant to expenses, despite that being illegal for any ordinary member of the public?
Sheila: Hooray for Flippy! He's saved an MP from having to pay the same taxes as an ordinary member of the public!
Flippy, the second homes kangaroo: Tk tk tk tk tk.
All: Ha ha ha ha ha! Oh, Flippy! You're so funny!

Titles.

Comments

[drplokta]

Actually, any ordinary member of the public who happens to own two homes can also choose which one to designate as his primary residence for CGT purposes, whether or not it's actually his primary residence. It's not a privilege reserved for MPs.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes, I know, but I never let the facts get in the way of something that makes me laugh.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

However, I've edited to reflect what Morley actually did, which takes a lot more space. Bah :p

[(Anonymous)]

I kinda thought you had to live in it for two years? And what's this about MPs calling the same home their second for expenses purposes, and their first for CGT purposes.

It may be legal, but it shows a pretty serious lack of scruple.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Well, that would depend on how you define living, surely?

[(Anonymous)]

No, it means they are describing the same occupancy of the same property in a different manner to different people for fiscal gain. Specifically, to trowser my taxes instead of spending them on stuff the country needs, like skools and so forth, or giving them back.

[(Anonymous)]

I was taught Landlord & Tenant law straight, it was dull, it was boring; I barely scraped a Pass.

The (rather pretty) girl who taught Equity explained everything as a Tax Dodge. Result: Distinction.

Why shouldn't MPs be allowed to treat life as a Game as well?

[(Anonymous)]

The whole idea of a game is when you lose you take it with good grace, as opposed to rewriting the rules so in fact you won anyway.

When're they making the Irish rerun their EU constitution referendum?