Self-Employed allowable expenses

[Salt]

Hello, I have a question regarding some of the allowable expenses.

1) How do you count your mileage expenses? Do you count from the moment you leave your home or from your first job (flat rate)? I am a bit confused because it might look like commuting, right?
2) Do you count any % of the property for the window cleaning business? What do you do?

I appreciate your response and advice.

 

[Part Timer]

I've always done it from the house, if you're claiming mileage allowance you would need to keep an accurate, daily, log.

If you have a dedicated room as an office for your business you are allowed to claim a percentage of your household bills. I think if you have say 5 rooms, 2 beds, living room, bathroom and kitchen you can claim 20%. Don't know if this includes, rent, water, council tax as well as gas and electric.

Ring HMRC and check but good luck getting through today.

 

[P4dstar]

if you're claiming mileage allowance you would need to keep an accurate, daily, log.

I've always found this such an effort. My work van is for work, I've always just put all the cost through and if the tax man ever wants to see it I have a car I use.

 

[Part Timer]

I've always found this such an effort. My work van is for work, I've always just put all the cost through and if the tax man ever wants to see it I have a car I use.

I have a van that I use for 2 totally separate businesses and do circa 20k miles a year so the only way I can do it is to own it personally and charge the companies mileage.

 

[P4dstar]

I have a van that I use for 2 totally separate businesses and do circa 20k miles a year so the only way I can do it is to own it personally and charge the companies mileage.

Yeah that makes perfect sense. Gives you some flexibility too. I wonder if I would be better with my 2 new vans retaining ownership and renting them back to the business. A local cabbie suggested this to me, Its what he does with his Taxi. All seemed too confusing for me.

 

[Part Timer]

Yeah that makes perfect sense. Gives you some flexibility too. I wonder if I would be better with my 2 new vans retaining ownership and renting them back to the business. A local cabbie suggested this to me, Its what he does with his Taxi. All seemed too confusing for me.

Don't know, you wouldn't be able to claim the VAT back and probably need specialised insurance as most insurance companies stipulate not to be hired out.

Speak to your accountant

 

[dazmond]

Hello, I have a question regarding some of the allowable expenses.

1) How do you count your mileage expenses? Do you count from the moment you leave your home or from your first job (flat rate)? I am a bit confused because it might look like commuting, right?
2) Do you count any % of the property for the window cleaning business? What do you do?

I appreciate your response and advice.

Keep it simple and don't count mileage expenses!

I just save my diesel receipts and any servicing,repairs,parts to do with my van and put them through.

Much easier!