Question 1

Is there a GST consultant near Old Pallavaram for gst return filing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We serve Old Pallavaram and the surrounding areas from our office at Porur, Chennai - 600 116, Tamil Nadu, and most monthly returns work is completed online — you send documents on WhatsApp and we handle the portal work. If you prefer in-person help, we offer doorstep document pickup across Old Pallavaram and you are welcome to visit our office. Reach us on +91 - 9600 606 444 between 9 AM and 8 PM, Monday to Saturday.

Question 2

Do you provide GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B monthly filing for businesses on Gandhi Street?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We serve businesses on and around Gandhi Street in Old Pallavaram — shops, offices, godowns and home-run businesses alike. Document pickup can be arranged at your premises, or you can send everything on WhatsApp and complete monthly returns without leaving your counter. Call +91 - 9600 606 444 and mention your location; a consultant will confirm the fee and timeline immediately.

Question 3

Is there a late fee for filing GSTR-1 after the 11th?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Late fee for GSTR-1 is Rs.50 per day of delay, and Rs.20 per day where there are no outward supplies, subject to caps linked to your turnover. Although the portal historically collected GSTR-1 late fees through the next GSTR-3B, the liability arises the moment the due date passes. Delayed GSTR-1 also hurts your customers, because your invoices miss their GSTR-2B and their input tax credit gets deferred, which can strain business relationships. Filing by the 11th every month avoids both the cost and the friction.

Question 4

My credit notes this month exceed my sales. Can GSTR-3B show a negative figure?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Since the January 2024 tax period, the portal permits negative values in Table 3.1 of GSTR-3B where credit notes issued in a month exceed the outward supplies, a situation common in businesses with heavy sales returns. The resulting negative liability is carried forward automatically by the system and adjusted against the liability of subsequent tax periods, so you no longer need to defer reporting credit notes. Ensure the same credit notes are reported in GSTR-1, because GSTR-3B auto-populates from it and manual deviations invite the portal's variance flags. Retailers with seasonal return spikes benefit most from this facility.

Question 5

A client paid me an advance. Do I raise an invoice or something else?

Accepted Answer

On receiving an advance, you issue a receipt voucher under Rule 50, not an invoice; the tax invoice follows when the service is actually supplied. GST is payable on advances received for services in the period of receipt, and the receipt voucher documents that liability. Advances for the supply of goods are not taxed at receipt for normal taxpayers under Notification 66/2017. If the rate is not determinable when the advance arrives, tax is paid at 18 percent, and if the nature of supply is not determinable, it is treated as inter-state. Service firms in Old Pallavaram with retainer billing should map this into their monthly cycle.

Question 6

My medical shop also sells supplements, cosmetics and baby products. Do they all take the medicine rate?

Accepted Answer

No, and this is where pharmacies slip. Only items answering the description of drugs and medicaments take 5% or nil. Nutraceuticals and protein supplements generally attract 18%, beauty and makeup preparations 18%, while daily-use items such as soaps, shampoos and toothpaste came down to 5% in September 2025. Each product must be mapped to its own HSN code and rate in your billing software, and your GSTR-1 HSN summary must reflect that mix. A single wrong default rate applied across the counter creates either short payment or overcharging. ChennaiGST runs product-master audits for pharmacies in Old Pallavaram; call +91 - 9600 606 444 to schedule one.

Question 7

What documents do I need to give my GST consultant every month?

Accepted Answer

For monthly returns you need your sales invoices (or a sales register), purchase invoices, credit and debit notes, details of advances received for services, and any export or SEZ supply documents. If you use accounting software, an exported sales and purchase summary is enough. We then match your purchases against GSTR-2B on the portal before claiming input tax credit. Most clients in Old Pallavaram simply share their data on WhatsApp or email by the 5th of each month and we handle the rest. Call +91 - 9600 606 444 to set up a simple monthly routine.

Question 8

My shop was closed for a month. Can I skip filing GST returns for that period?

Accepted Answer

No. Once you hold an active GSTIN, returns must be filed for every tax period regardless of business activity. If there were no sales and no purchases, you must file nil GSTR-1 and nil GSTR-3B for that month. Skipping creates a break in the sequential filing chain, blocks future returns, accumulates late fees and can eventually lead to suspension of registration. Nil returns take only minutes and can even be filed by SMS. If your business in Old Pallavaram has periods of inactivity, ask us about our low-cost nil filing plan.

Question 9

Is there a late fee if I delay the monthly PMT-06 payment under QRMP?

Accepted Answer

No late fee applies to a delayed PMT-06 deposit, because late fee is linked only to returns. However, interest at 18 percent per annum is payable on the shortfall for the delay period. Note that if you used the fixed sum method and paid the pre-filled 35 percent amount on time, no interest applies for the first two months even if actual liability was higher, provided the balance is paid in the quarterly GSTR-3B by its due date. Late fee does apply if the quarterly GSTR-1 or GSTR-3B itself is filed late.

Question 10

We distribute free samples and run buy-one-get-one offers. How is ITC treated on these?

Accepted Answer

The two are treated very differently. Goods disposed of as gifts or free samples attract the block under Section 17(5)(h), so ITC on inputs used for genuinely free samples must be reversed. However, CBIC Circular 92/11/2019 clarifies that buy-one-get-one offers are not free supplies; they are effectively two goods sold for a single price, tax is charged on that price, and full ITC remains available. Trade discounts recorded in the invoice also do not disturb credit. Pharmaceutical distributors and FMCG dealers in Old Pallavaram should therefore document promotional schemes carefully, because the same physical giveaway can be creditable or blocked depending on how the offer is structured.

Question 11

I heard old ITC demands for 2017-18 to 2020-21 were given relief. What is Section 16(5)?

Accepted Answer

The Finance (No. 2) Act 2024 inserted Section 16(5) retrospectively, allowing ITC for financial years 2017-18 to 2020-21 if it was claimed in a GSTR-3B filed on or before 30 November 2021, even though it breached the original Section 16(4) deadline. Section 16(6) gives similar relief for returns filed after revocation of a cancelled registration. Where demands were already confirmed on this ground, a special rectification procedure was notified for taxpayers to have such orders corrected. If your Old Pallavaram business paid or is contesting a 16(4) demand for these years, have the eligibility under 16(5) examined; call +91 - 9600 606 444 for a review.

Question 12

Is a pure labour contract for building a house exempt from GST?

Accepted Answer

Two exemptions exist for pure labour contracts, meaning contracts where the contractor supplies only labour and the owner buys all materials. First, construction, erection or installation of original works pertaining to a single residential unit, otherwise than as part of a residential complex, is exempt. Second, pure labour services under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana for beneficiary-led individual house construction are exempt. Outside these, labour contracts are taxable at 18 percent. A mason team building one independent house in Old Pallavaram on labour-only terms therefore charges no GST, but the same team working on an apartment project must.

Question 13

If I open a bulk bag and sell rice loose by weight, is that sale taxable?

Accepted Answer

No. The 5% levy on specified food items applies only when they are supplied in pre-packaged and labelled form in packs up to 25 kilograms. When a retailer opens bulk stock and weighs out loose quantities against each customer's order, the supply is not of a pre-packaged commodity, so it remains exempt. What you cannot do is sell an intact labelled retail pack and bill it as loose. Keep purchase records showing bulk procurement and maintain the loose counter separately from the packed shelf, because officers test this distinction during inspections of grocery businesses. When in doubt on a product, call +91 - 9600 606 444.

Question 14

Is the late fee charged on delayed returns the same thing as a penalty?

Accepted Answer

No, they are legally distinct. Late fee under Section 47 is an automatic, fixed daily charge for filing a return after its due date, computed by the portal and payable in cash before the return is accepted; no officer discretion or notice is involved. Penalty, under provisions such as Sections 122 to 125, is imposed through adjudication for specified offences, requires a show cause notice and hearing, and can be contested or reduced. Interest under Section 50 is a third, separate levy compensating for delayed payment. A delayed return with tax due can therefore attract all three simultaneously, each on its own footing.

Question 15

Which everyday goods now attract 5 percent GST?

Accepted Answer

The 5 percent slab now covers most household essentials that earlier fell in the 12 or 18 percent brackets: soaps, shampoos, toothpaste and toothbrushes, hair oil, bicycles, kitchen utensils and tableware. Packaged foods such as butter, ghee, cheese, namkeens, sauces, pasta, biscuits and chocolates are also at 5 percent, as are most medicines, medical devices and agricultural machinery. Apparel and footwear priced up to Rs.2,500 per piece attract 5 percent as well. Retailers in Old Pallavaram should update billing software rate masters item by item rather than assuming old rates continue.

Question 16

We sponsored a trade event. Does reverse charge apply to the sponsorship amount?

Accepted Answer

If your business is a body corporate or partnership firm, sponsorship services received are notified under Section 9(3) and you must pay 18 percent GST under reverse charge, with ITC available since sponsorship is a marketing expense. One recent change matters: with effect from 16 January 2025, sponsorship services provided by a body corporate were moved to forward charge, so if the event organiser billing you is a company, it now charges GST on its invoice and RCM does not apply. Where the provider is a proprietor, trust or society, RCM continues. Verify the organiser's constitution before booking the entry, and raise a self-invoice where the provider is unregistered.

Question 17

What is the penalty for running a business without GST registration?

Accepted Answer

A taxable person who is liable to register but fails to do so faces a penalty of Rs.10,000 or the amount of tax evaded, whichever is higher, under Section 122 of the CGST Act. Beyond the penalty, the department can demand the tax for the entire unregistered period with interest at 18 percent per annum, and you cannot recover that tax from customers you billed without GST. Goods moved without registration and e-way bills, required for consignments above Rs.50,000, also risk detention. If your turnover has crossed the threshold, registering within thirty days is far cheaper than regularising later.

Question 18

How do I document free samples and gifts given to customers?

Accepted Answer

Goods supplied genuinely free of cost to unrelated persons are not a supply, so no tax invoice is raised and no GST is charged; the movement is covered by a delivery challan marked as free samples. The cost is that input tax credit on those goods must be reversed. Two traps deserve care: gifts to related persons or between distinct GSTINs of the same PAN are taxable under Schedule I even without consideration, and promotional schemes like buy one get one are treated as a single price for two items, taxed normally with credit intact. Structure your Old Pallavaram promotions with this distinction in mind.

Question 19

How long does GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B monthly filing take in Old Pallavaram?

Accepted Answer

Filed before the 11th and 20th of every month. That assumes your documents are complete and there is no departmental query. We start the same day we receive your papers and tell you the realistic completion date upfront rather than an optimistic one. Where the GST portal or the officer causes delay — clarifications, physical verification or system issues — we track it daily and keep you informed on WhatsApp.

Question 20

Are there any hidden charges for GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B monthly filing?

Accepted Answer

No. The fee quoted before we start is the fee you pay. Government fees, portal charges or statutory late fees, where they apply, are separate and disclosed to you in advance with the exact amount. We issue a proper GST invoice for our professional fee. If the scope of work changes — for example, an unexpected notice or additional periods — we tell you the revised fee before doing anything further.

Question 21

Do you provide gst return filing for small businesses and proprietorships in Old Pallavaram?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A large share of our clients in Old Pallavaram are proprietors, small traders, shop owners, freelancers and family businesses rather than large companies. The fee of Rs.749/month and the process are the same regardless of size, and we explain the compliance position in plain language — in Tamil or English — so you understand what is being filed on your behalf and why.

Aspect	With ChennaiGST	DIY / Unattended
Late fees and interest	Filings go in ahead of statutory dates, so the Rs.50-per-day late fee and 18 percent interest never arise.	Late fees accumulate silently every delayed day, and interest on unpaid tax runs at 18 percent per annum.
Record keeping	Every return, challan, acknowledgement and working paper archived in an organised folder, retrievable in minutes years later.	Documents scattered across email, downloads and old phones; assembling records for a bank or an audit takes days.
Due-date tracking	A maintained compliance calendar with internal cut-offs days before the 11th and the 20th; we chase you for data, not the other way around.	Deadlines remembered from memory or phone alarms; one busy week and the return slips past the due date.
Input tax credit	Purchase register matched against GSTR-2B each period, with defaulting suppliers chased so eligible credit is actually captured.	Credit claimed from books alone; mismatches with GSTR-2B mean lost credit or excess claims that invite departmental queries.
Registration and amendments	Query-resistant applications prepared correctly the first time, with supporting documents matched to what proper officers actually verify.	Repeated clarification memos and resubmissions, with weeks lost because a rent agreement or premises photograph did not meet expectations.
Keeping up with changes	Rate changes, portal updates and new thresholds such as the Rs.5 crore e-invoice limit are tracked by us and applied to your case proactively.	Changes are discovered after the fact — often through a rejected filing, a blocked e-way bill or a departmental letter.

GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B Monthly Filing for Shops and Offices on Gandhi Street, Old Pallavaram

Get a Free GST Consultation

Trade Profile and GST Jurisdiction for Gandhi Street, Old Pallavaram

Why Gandhi Street, Old Pallavaram Businesses Choose ChennaiGST

Reverse Charge Tracked, Not Forgotten

Cancelled GSTIN? We Handle Revocation Too

Extra Hands During Filing Windows

E-Invoice and E-Way Bill Fluency

Ledger Housekeeping on the Portal

Job Work Movements Tracked Through ITC-04

Our Monthly Returns Process

Monthly data collection

GSTR-1 preparation and filing

ITC reconciliation with GSTR-2B

Tax computation and confirmation

GSTR-3B filing and reporting

Documents Required for GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B Monthly Filing

What GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B Monthly Filing Costs in Old Pallavaram

What You Get

Stronger Standing with Corporate Buyers

Clarity on What You Actually Owe

Books and Returns That Agree at Year End

Tax Paid Under the Right Head

The Lowest Tax Position the Law Allows

TDS and TCS Credits Converted to Cash

With ChennaiGST vs Doing It Yourself

GST Support on Gandhi Street, Old Pallavaram

Recent GST Law You Should Know — relevant to Old Pallavaram businesses

Electrical wiring harness classified as insulated wire, not a vehicle part

Council fixes the basic GST registration threshold at Rs 20 lakh

Phase-III HSN reporting: dropdown codes and B2B/B2C split in GSTR-1

Frequently Asked Questions

Related GST Services & Nearby Areas

Ready to Sort Out Your GST?