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Harry Potter star Rupert Grint takes the Government to court claiming he is owed a £1million tax refund

Rupert Grint taking taxman to court claiming he is owed a £1million refund

*Harry Potter star locked in dispute over tax returns between 2008 and 2010
*He tried to change his accounting date when 50% top rate of tax brought in
*The actor, 27, said to have built up £24million fortune playing Ron Weasley

By SAM TONKIN FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 11:02 EST, 27 June 2016 | UPDATED: 14:28 EST, 27 June 2016



Harry Potter star Rupert Grint is taking the Government to court claiming that he is owed a £1million refund in tax.
The 27-year-old actor is said to have built up a £24million fortune while playing Ron Weasley in the hit film series.
He is now appearing before the Tax Chamber at London's Royal Courts of Justice because of an arcane dispute over his tax returns between 2008 and 2010.
The row with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs started after he tried to change his accounting date to April 5 2010, the year the 50 per cent top rate of tax was introduced.

Over the 20-month period leading up to that date he had a turnover of £28million and net profit of £15million.
HMRC rejected the change in accounting period, claiming it fell foul of their rules.
Through his barrister, Grint told the court he has paid every penny of his tax up front.
His barrister Patrick Soares told the tribunal: 'There is no tax avoidance involved here.
'He has paid all his tax up front. If he wins the case he gets a refund. He just wants to make that point in open court.'
Mr Soares described Grint as 'a well known actor in the Harry Potter series - Ron Weasley - which was filmed in 2001 to 2011.'
Grint entered the witness box to tell the court he placed 'a lot of reliance' on his accountant Dan Clay, who advised him on the accounting date change.
He said: 'I don't have great knowledge so I do entrust a lot of it to my father and Dan.'



Grint told the court he knew the 20-month period leading up to the accounting date would have to be split into two periods of eight months and 12 months to satisfy HMRC rules.
He added: 'I didn't really have a reason to question them (the accounts).
'I am not too great. My knowledge of this is quite limited so I put a lot of faith and trust in Dan's knowledge.'
His legal team claim that the 20-month accounts were just a 'work in progress' towards separate tax returns for two periods of eight months and 12 months.



Mr Soares said: 'The long accounts (of 20 months) were never intended to constitute the formal accounts of expenditure. They were the raw material to prepare the eight months and 12 months and do the tax return.'
Referring to HMRC's arguments Mr Soares said: 'They say that the return accounts and schedule accounts are not really accounts.
'They reject our alternative accounts as even if they are accounts they think the relevant ones are the long accounts.'
Although no figure for the potential refund has been given in court, Grint's accountant Dan Clay confirmed outside court that it could be around £1million.
Earlier this month it was reported that one of Grint's companies, Clay 10, made £1.5million this year.
His most recent film role was in the comedy Moonwalkers.
The hearing is due to last until Wednesday.


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WRONG WEASLEY Harry Potter star Rupert Grint in trouble with the taxman as he tries to claw back £1million from HMRC

The 27-year-old claims he has overpaid the tax on his £24million fortune and is seeking a refund

BY SHAUN WOOLLER 27th June 2016, 5:23 pm
HARRY Potter star Rupert Grint is embroiled in a legal battle with HMRC over a £1million tax bill.


The actor, 27, is said to have built up a £24million fortune while playing Ron Weasley in the hit film series.

But the taxman is unhappy with the way he tried to reduce his tax bill, the Tax Chamber at London’s Royal Courts of Justice heard on Monday.

Grint’s row with HMRC began when he tried to change his accounting dates in 2010, to try and limit the impact of a rise in the top rate of tax from 40 per cent to 50 per cent.

He says he filed full accounts that reflected this change but the revenue says his paperwork amounted to just a “schedule”.


They also claim he failed to qualify for the change due to issues with the timing.

No value was given for the difference in tax liability, but his solicitor indicated outside court that it may be around £1million.

Grint declared a turnover of £28million and net profit of £15million over a 20 month period leading up to April 5, 2010.



This covered some of the period when he was filming alongside movie co-stars Daniel Radcliffe, 26, and Emma Watson, 26, the court heard.

The actor told the court he was advised to change the dates during a meeting with his accountant.

And he insists he has paid every penny of tax up front.

He has taken the HMRC to court in a bid to secure a rebate on the “excess” money paid.


Grint’s barrister Patrick Soares told the tribunal: “There is no tax avoidance involved here.

“He has paid all his tax up front. If he wins the case he gets a refund. He just wants to make that point in open court.”

Mr Soares described Grint as a “well-known actor in the Harry Potter series – Ron Weasley – which was filmed in 2001 to 2011.”

Speaking about his accountant, Dan Clay, Grint told the court: “I am not too great. My knowledge of this is quite limited so I put a lot of faith and trust in Dan’s knowledge.”

The hearing continues.