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Edited version of your private ruling

Authorisation Number: 1012264636320

Ruling

Subject: Goods and services tax (GST) and sale of lots created by subdivision

Question

Will GST be payable on the sale of the new lots created from the subdivision?

Answer

No.

Relevant facts and circumstances

Individual 1 and individual 2 (the owners) own a property located in Australia (the property), which they purchased on a certain date.

The owners are not registered for GST as a partnership.

The owners have been leasing out the property since a certain date and they currently lease out the property.

There was no oral or written agreement between the owners that determined the mutual rights and obligations of the owners in relation to the activity of leasing out the property.

The owners jointly acquired the property under a single contract.

The owners hold the property as joint tenants.

The co-owners funded their acquisition of the property out of joint borrowings.

The joint leasing activity of the owners is for the mutual benefit of all co-owners.

The owners jointly appointed a manager to manage the leasing activity.

The income from the property is paid into a joint bank account of the owners.

Expenses relating to the property are paid from a joint bank account of the owners.

The owners jointly pay all liabilities relating to the property.

A single lease agreement is executed by the owners in relation to the property for any given period.

The lessee does not pay separate rent amounts to each owner.

The property had a house on it when the owners purchased the property.

The owners have not used the property for any purpose other than leasing it out for use as residential accommodation.

The owners originally intended to subdivide the property into a number of lots, build a house on each new lot and lease out the new residential premises. However, due to financial reasons the owners have determined that it is no longer viable to pursue this strategy.

The owners will subdivide the property into a number of lots and demolish the house.

Then the owners will sell the lots created from the subdivision.

The owners did not purchase additional land to add to the original parcel of land.

The owners did not record the land as a business asset in accounting records of any business that they carry on.

The owners will not hire a manager to oversee the subdivision.

The owners will not have an office to mange the property subdivision or have a sales office.

The owners will use the original loan they acquired for purchasing the property to finance the subdivision - they will redraw additional repayments they made on the loan.

The owners have not decided yet whether they will claim income tax deductions for interest incurred on the loan funds they will use to finance the subdivision - it will depend on whether the sale of the new lots is treated by the Australian Taxation Office as being on the capital account or instead revenue account.

The owners will not build any buildings on the land.

The owners will not develop the land beyond the level that is necessary to secure Council approval for the subdivision.

The owners are not carrying on an enterprise as a partnership elsewhere.

If the owners can choose to voluntarily register for GST as a partnership, they would not choose to voluntarily register for GST as a partnership.

Relevant legislative provisions

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 subsection 7-1(1)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 section 9-5

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 section 9-40

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 subsection 9-30(4)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 section 23-5

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 paragraph 40-35(1)(a)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 subsection 188-10(1)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 subsection 188-15(1)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 subsection 188-20(1)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 paragraph 188-25(a)

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 section 195-1

Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 subsection 995-1(1)

Reasons for decision

Summary

GST will not be payable on the sale of the new lots created from the subdivision because the supplier (the partnership between the two owners) will not be registered or required to be registered for GST.

Detailed reasoning

GST is payable by an entity where it makes a taxable supply.

You make a taxable supply where you satisfy the requirements of section 9-5 of the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 (GST Act), which states:

However, the supply is not a *taxable supply to the extent that it is *GST-free

or *input taxed.

(*Denotes a term defined in section 195-1 of the GST Act)

We need to first consider whether the owners of the property in question are in a partnership and whether the partnership will sell the new lots created from the subdivision.

A partnership is defined in section 195-1 of the GST Act by reference to the definition of 'partnership' in subsection 995-1(1) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997). In accordance with subsection 995-1(1) of the ITAA 1997, partnership includes an association of persons (other than a company or limited partnership) carrying on business as partners or in receipt of ordinary income or statutory income jointly.

Paragraph 40 of Goods and Services Tax Ruling GSTR 2004/6 considers whether co-ownership of rental property is a partnership. It states:

The owners entered into a single agreement to purchase the current property for leasing purposes. Therefore, the owners have a joint right or entitlement to income. Hence, the owners are in a partnership.

We shall now determine whether this partnership carries on a single property leasing enterprise in relation to the property or whether instead each partner is carrying on a separate leasing enterprise in relation to the property. If the partnership carries on a single property leasing enterprise in relation to the property, then the partnership will be considered to be selling the new lots created from the subdivision.

Paragraphs 62 and 68 of GSTR 2004/6 provide factors that assist in determining whether a partnership of co-owners of a rental property carry on a single leasing enterprise in relation to a property.

Paragraph 62 of GSTR 2004/6 states:

Paragraph 68 of GSTR 2004/6 states:

Single lease agreement

All but one of the factors set out in paragraphs 62 and 68 of GSTR 2004/6 are present in this case. Therefore, we consider that the partnership of the owners carries on a single leasing enterprise in relation to the property. Hence, the sales of the new lots created from the subdivision will be supplies made by the partnership.

We shall now consider whether GST will be payable on the partnership's sale of the new lots created from the subdivision.

Consideration

The partnership will supply the new lots created from the subdivision for consideration when it sells these lots. Hence, the requirement of paragraph 9-5(a) of the GST Act will be satisfied.

Supply made in the course or furtherance of enterprise

Miscellaneous Taxation Ruling MT 2006/1 provides guidance on the meaning of enterprise for ABN purposes. Paragraph 1 of Goods and Services Tax Determination provides that the principles in MT 2006/1 apply equally to the terms 'entity' and 'enterprise' and can be relied upon for GST purposes.

The question of whether an entity is carrying on an enterprise often arises where there are 'one-offs' or isolated real property transactions.

Paragraph 263 of MT 2006/1 states:

Paragraph 264 of MT 2006/1 discusses a court case where a property subdivision was undertaken but the sale of the lots created by the subdivision was regarded as the mere realisation of a capital asset. It states:

Paragraph 265 of MT 2006/1 provides a list of factors we consider in determining whether a property subdivision activity is a business or an adventure or concern in the nature of trade. It states:

Paragraph 254 of MT 2006/1 discusses motive. It states:

Considering the factors in paragraph 265 of MT 2006/1 in this case and the fact that the owners did not have an intention at the time they purchased the property to sell it, we do not consider that the activities in question amount to a property subdivision enterprise or property trading enterprise.

However, as the partnership used the property in its property leasing enterprise, its sale of the new lots created from the subdivision will be supplies it makes in the course or furtherance of its leasing enterprise. Hence, the requirement of paragraph 9-5(b) of the GST Act will be satisfied.

Connected with Australia

The partnership's sale of the new lots created from the subdivision will be supplies connected with Australia as the lots will be located in Australia. Hence, the requirement of paragraph 9-5(c) of the GST Act will be satisfied.

Registered or required to be registered for GST

The partnership is not registered for GST.

We shall now consider whether the partnership is required to be registered for GST.

In accordance with section 23-5 of the GST Act, an entity is required to be registered for GST if:

The partnership satisfies the requirement of paragraph 23-5(a) of the GST Act as it is carrying on a leasing enterprise.

We shall now determine whether the partnership's GST turnover will meet the registration turnover threshold.

Subsection 188-10(1) of the GST Act states:

Subsection 188-15(1) of the GST Act states:

Subsection 188-20(1) of the GST Act states:

Paragraph 188-25(a) of the GST Act excludes sales of capital assets from the calculation of projected GST turnover.

The leasing income in this case is excluded from the calculation of current and projected GST turnover as it is consideration for an input taxed supply of residential premises by way of lease under paragraph 40-35(1)(a) of the GST Act.

Input taxed supplies under subsection 9-30(4) of the GST Act

Subsection 9-30(4) of the GST Act states:

Paragraph 97 of Goods and Services Tax Ruling GSTR 2003/3 states:

The partnership's subdivision of the land is a use of the land that is not in connection with input taxed supplies. Therefore, the partnership's sales of the new lots created from the subdivision will not be input taxed supplies under subsection 9-30(4) of the GST Act.

Paragraph 259 of MT 2006/1 provides guidance on the meaning of capital assets. It provides that examples of investment/capital assets are rental properties, business plant and machinery, the family home, family cars and other private assets. The mere disposal of investment/capital assets does not amount to trade.

The partnership has held the property as a rental property and the subdivision activity will not be an adventure or concern in the nature of trade or part of a business. Hence, the partnership's sales of the new lots created from the subdivision will be the mere realisation of a capital asset.

Therefore, the partnership's sales of the new lots created from the subdivision will be excluded from the calculation of projected GST turnover by virtue of paragraph 188-25(a) of the GST Act.

The partnership's projected GST turnover will be zero because:

Hence, the partnership's GST turnover will not meet the registration turnover threshold. Therefore, the requirement of paragraph 23-5(b) of the GST Act will not be satisfied.

As not all of the requirements of section 23-5 of the GST Act will be satisfied, the partnership will not be required to be registered for GST.

As the partnership is not registered for GST and will not be required to be registered for GST, the requirement of paragraph 9-5(d) of the GST Act will not be satisfied.

As not all of the requirements of section 9-5 of the GST Act will be satisfied, the partnership will not make taxable supplies when it sells the new lots that are created from the subdivision. Hence, GST will not be payable on these sales.


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