Welcome to the UK Window Cleaning Forums

Starting or own a window cleaning business? We're a network of window cleaners sharing advice, tips & experience. Rounds for sale & more. Join us today!

Starting own business, best way?

cuboid

New member
Messages
6
When starting out as window cleaning and other cash work as main job it will be tough financially. What is the best way to go in the beginning?

I heard that legally you should always give out invoices ( where would you buy these?) WH Smiths? And if you didn't give out any to customers would that be as dodgy as hell? What do you do with the cash you have received from each individual customer? Just put it into the spreadsheet or record it in a book?

To give you a bit of help in the beginning. Can you sign onto Universal Credit and register as self employed at the same time? I imagined that if you worked more than 3 hours a week, wouldn't tax credits be better than universal credit or are they the same thing?

Are there people who just work and don't declare anything on universal credit or jobseekers? ( of course there are), but is it better to declare 2 or 3 hrs until things get going? (in case someone who works in the job centre spots you.)

If I think I will need to sign on from next Monday should I do it now and put next Saturday as the start date?

Should I go into the job centre and say- I am on zero hours (on zero hours contract in PAYE job which will probably lose soon. Being on zero hours entitles me to sign on without being fired. I can say I may get some PAYE work but maybe not and I am trying to start my business but think I may only have 2 hours a week in the beginning? If I say I might be working is it going to be a nightmare?

 
youre overthinking it

my advice is get out on the street and find the work first, the rest will follow along naturally

 
Sounds like most of these questions for the job centre and possibly the tax people

Work will come fast or slow depending on area, personality, time, effort and experience

The average domestic customer won't want an invoice

 
Get on entitledto.gov

Register self employed with hmrc

Get looking for work pronto

 
You have 3 months to register self employed with hmrc from the date you start working for yourself

If you play crafty you can keep a record of what work you do now in case questioned but let them know in about 2 months you have just started self employed (not that i advocate dishonesty ):whistle:

Jobseekers is only about 75 notes a week so if you get out there and get yourself 8 £10 jobs at the weekend you are already better off and no need to sign on

By the next week you have had 7 days to knock (clean as you get them) and build on next months work

If you're not knocking doors and advertising on facebook you're not getting new work so every minute you are not out there is wasted time

Get out there..get your nut down and you'll soon be laughing

 
I don't declare anything I make window cleaning: do the work, they pay cash, I give em a generic petty cash slip without my name or real signature on it and that's that.

 
I don't declare anything I make window cleaning: do the work, they pay cash, I give em a generic petty cash slip without my name or real signature on it and that's that.
Love it!

 
When starting out as window cleaning and other cash work as main job it will be tough financially. What is the best way to go in the beginning?
I heard that legally you should always give out invoices ( where would you buy these?) WH Smiths? And if you didn't give out any to customers would that be as dodgy as hell? What do you do with the cash you have received from each individual customer? Just put it into the spreadsheet or record it in a book?

To give you a bit of help in the beginning. Can you sign onto Universal Credit and register as self employed at the same time? I imagined that if you worked more than 3 hours a week, wouldn't tax credits be better than universal credit or are they the same thing?

Are there people who just work and don't declare anything on universal credit or jobseekers? ( of course there are), but is it better to declare 2 or 3 hrs until things get going? (in case someone who works in the job centre spots you.)

If I think I will need to sign on from next Monday should I do it now and put next Saturday as the start date?

Should I go into the job centre and say- I am on zero hours (on zero hours contract in PAYE job which will probably lose soon. Being on zero hours entitles me to sign on without being fired. I can say I may get some PAYE work but maybe not and I am trying to start my business but think I may only have 2 hours a week in the beginning? If I say I might be working is it going to be a nightmare?
No need to give out invoices

As long as you record all payments made to you (either spreadsheet or on paper) that is all you need to do

It is hard to say i am doinng 3 hrs etc as these jobs take as long as they take

The first few times you do them they could take ages but then you could be doing a £10 house in 10 minutes

 
Sign on then after a couple weeks ask about new enterprise allowance, its 65 a week for 3 months towards business costs and living costs then 3 months at 33, they will also provide you a mentor who will help you with all the questions you have as well as writing a business plan and helping with finding funding.

 
is it worth signing on first and risking it just to have the guaranteed money then if all is good after 3 months sign off switch to working tax credits? It could be if you don't find the money initially won't be able to pay the bills! And the extra money from job seekers (would have to use this one (not universal credit) as own flat) would help survive initially.

What about starting to record all customers from now on for practise, (but don't register) or do register but claim you earned almost nothing in the beginning? What is registering as a business is it just telling HMRC? And, can you do it and sign on?

Maybe tell job centre did 2 hrs a week so if spotted can say oh when you saw me that was the 2 hrs I told you about are the 2 hours you I told you about. Or are the recorded hours accompanied by the customer's info and time and so if they don't match would you still get done for fraud?

 
Don't over think it, all you need it 2-3 a day at a tenner and your away, it will be a struggle for a few weeks but once you get started and get a good reputation the work will fly in

 
guys are bang on here, stop panicking and enjoy the new adventure, you have one great advantage and that is us

the guys here can help you out with what ever info you need.

The graft will come just work hard and enjoy gd luck

 
Your best bet is if you tell the job centre that you worked 2 hours tell them that you were not paid for it. Otherwise they will ask you how much you got paid and deduct that from your dole money. If you were to tell them about the 2 hours you worked, tell them that is was for free as you are looking at starting a window round and by doing the windows for free, 1) you are practicing and 2) you are trying to gain future customers/example of your work/satisfied customers and it#s a form of marketing.

That way you are also contributing to the 35 hours a week minimum they expect you to be doing looking for work. They may not believe you but they have to prove it. And the beauty of it is, when you go legit, start asking job centre staff who cleans their windows saying that they are doing their bit by helping someone off the dole and not just filling in your paperwork. /emoticons/smile.png

 
Back
Top