HST on Assignments

A person signing an employment contract

An assignment is a sales transaction that is carried out between the owner (assignor) and the buyer (assignee). The original owner sells the property to the buyer before the original buyer closes on the property. In short, the buyer sells the property to gain any interest or profit on the house by selling the property before they close on the property.

HST on Assignment Sale

The assignor pays the HST on the assignment sale along with the original price. The assignment agreement is prepared, clearly stating the profit on a transaction.  It is advisable to hire a  Real Estate lawyer to prepare the agreement with all the necessary information.

Important Changes in the HST on Assignment Sales

In the 2022 Federal Budget, two important changes were introduced in the HST on assignments. The changes that will govern the New Home Contract are as follows:

HST on Assignments is Applicable on all New Home Contracts

The government announced that all Assignment agreements for New Homes entered in on or after May 7th, 2022 are now subject to  HST. In the past, the HST on assignments was decided based on the intention of the original buyer, who often paid no HST on assignments. In short, the government has now removed all exemptions, and every New Home Assignment is subject to HST now.

The intention of the original owner is no longer taken into consideration, and all New Home Assignments are now deemed to be a taxable supply to HST.

Deposits are Exempt from HST under Conditions

The government has removed another confusion that often clouded the judgment of whether or not HST is to be paid on the deposit. To exempt the deposit from HST, the Assignment Agreement must include that part of the assignment price is the reimbursement of the deposit paid by the original buyer under the purchase agreement. In short, the writing must clearly state that the assignment price already includes the deposit, so the HST can be exempt.

As stated in the HST Info Sheet GI-120, the HST is only charged to the extent the assignment price exceeds the deposits paid by the assignor in the New Home Contract. The HST does not apply to the original deposit paid by the assignor. However, the above condition must be met. The HST is only payable on any other amount paid to Assignor over and above the deposit.

Nanda & Associate Lawyers Professional Corporation assists Canadian residents and businesses with their HST needs. Get in touch with us today for more details.

Fill In the form below, We will get in touch with you as soon as possible.

Demo Description