Young start up - advice

Tyler.saward · Aug 10, 2020

Hello my names Tyler I’m all new to this area, I got offered to purchase a window cleaning business but it has no rounds or customers as the last person was too lazy, it’s an LtD company which I don’t quite understand, and this is all the equipment it comes (in pictures) with but my question is do you have to learn to do traditional cleaning as not sure if you can just do outsides of windows? And is there any advice that you’d give me as a start up window cleaner

thank you

Wind o kleen · Aug 10, 2020

Tyler.saward said:
Hello my names Tyler I’m all new to this area, I got offered to purchase a window cleaning business but it has no rounds or customers as the last person was too lazy, it’s an LtD company which I don’t quite understand, and this is all the equipment it comes (in pictures) with but my question is do you have to learn to do traditional cleaning as not sure if you can just do outsides of windows? And is there any advice that you’d give me as a start up window cleaner ?

thank you

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Your buying the equipment not a business

ched999uk · Aug 10, 2020

If there are no customers then it's not a business at all. As for the Ltd company I would say that is more trouble than it's worth - you might be buying trouble and liabilities of the Ltd company.

Read lots here, watch lots on youtube, look at ebay for window cleaning vans and then decide what is the van worth to you!!!!

Remember you will also need road tax, van insurance and liability insurance to start a business.

Pjj · Aug 10, 2020

Having a van without the work isn’t much use , it could take a while to get a good customer base , be vary careful just buying a van like this you certainly arnt buying a ltd company only the kit to do the job .

Part Timer · Aug 10, 2020

My first bit of advice would be not to buy a Ltd Company that you know nothing about. If it hasn't got anyway to generate income, no customers, there could be a large debt you're signing up for. Get the vehicle HPI checked and ask the person to guarantee there's no debt associated with the equipment in writing, it could all be owned by a finance company.

How much is he asking for this "Ltd Company", if they have lost all of the previous customers they might have a very bad reputation. Getting work is usually the hard part, getting it with a bad rep would be nigh on impossible.

Martyn · Aug 10, 2020

As above, without customers it's not a business, something isn't right here.

Dabber · Aug 10, 2020

Just wondering why you bought everything without any real knowledge of how to use it ?
was it a good price ?

Chris34 · Aug 10, 2020

Don't do anything at the moment, don't be pressured into buying it. There is loads of offers out there, let this one pass you by it's not worth it to you.

You need to understand the different methods of setting up your own business. The two main ones are 1. Sole Trader and 2. Setting up a limited company. The link below explains the difference.

https://www.simplybusiness.co.uk/knowledge/articles/2020/06/difference-between-a-sole-trader-and-a-limited-company/

Most window cleaners are sole traders, they don't have Limited companies. You can start as a sole trader tomorrow, there is nothing to stop you knocking on somebody's door and asking if they want their windows cleaning, if they say yes then you clean them take your money and hey presto, that's business. All you have to do is let HMRC know that you're a sole trader and register for self assessment to pay your tax. The tax is calculated yearly and you tell them how much you have earned, they then tell you how much tax you owe.

But don't be buying anything. Do your research and once you're confident you know what you want / need then at that point you can look at buying equipment.

Stick to this forum, everybody will help you on your way and answer all your questions, there is tonnes of useful advice and info on here.

Tyler.saward · Aug 10, 2020

ched999uk said:
If there are no customers then it's not a business at all. As for the Ltd company I would say that is more trouble than it's worth - you might be buying trouble and liabilities of the Ltd company.

Read lots here, watch lots on youtube, look at ebay for window cleaning vans and then decide what is the van worth to you!!!!

Remember you will also need road tax, van insurance and liability insurance to start a business.

i do know the guy and it just hasn’t been run so there’s no liabilities, I’ve got a quote for van insurance and liability insurance already, in all honesty I’m buying the van and equipment as there’s no business jusy a name and logo, the van is worth 8-9 grand and the equipment not sure

Tyler.saward · Aug 10, 2020

Part Timer said:
My first bit of advice would be not to buy a Ltd Company that you know nothing about. If it hasn't got anyway to generate income, no customers, there could be a large debt you're signing up for. Get the vehicle HPI checked and ask the person to guarantee there's no debt associated with the equipment in writing, it could all be owned by a finance company.

How much is he asking for this "Ltd Company", if they have lost all of the previous customers they might have a very bad reputation. Getting work is usually the hard part, getting it with a bad rep would be nigh on impossible.

I know the guy and he hasn’t touched it so no debt has been racked up and he owns the van, the van is worth 8-9 grand and the equipment not sure,

Dabber said:
Just wondering why you bought everything without any real knowledge of how to use it ?
was it a good price ?

The previous owner before this one has said he will train me up, I haven’t brought it yet and it’s 10 grand for the van which is worth 8-9 grand and the equipment not sure

Martyn said:
As above, without customers it's not a business, something isn't right here.

I’m only buying the van and equipment so I would have to build up customers on my own

Martyn · Aug 10, 2020

Fair enough, if your happy with the situation then all's good.

To answer your original question there are plenty of window cleaners who only do exterior cleans, it will be your business so it's up to you what services you want to provide.

Personally I believe it is good to have trad skills, it can open up opportunities that you might otherwise have to pass up on.

Good luck with it all anyway.

harunh · Aug 10, 2020

If your looking to get into window cleaning then your best bet would be to do your own research for 2-3 months, buy a van yourself and buy a system your self , a lot more simple for u , if u buy that van and system and something goes wrong what u gonna do? Ring the lad who sold u it ? He wont care about u as uve handed over the £££

And to take over a “LTD company” with no customers etc would be a step backwards, set your own up instead?

Good luck

ched999uk · Aug 10, 2020

While you might know the person selling and trust them if you buy the LTD company you legally buy any liabilities past and present!!!! There could be someone waiting to sue that you might responsible for as the owner of the limited company!!! I am not a solicitor but transferring ltd companies could be dangerous.

The seller can dissolve the LTD and sell you the van no problem. You might just need to change signage a little? Quite a few solicitors offer free legal advice, might be worth giving one a ring to ask about the limited company side of things.

As for kit, a tank and frame (if it has one) will be about £500 - £800, water purification £400, 2 x pumps and controllers £300, 2 x poles £500 (could be a lot more or less) 2 x reels and hose £250, leisure battery and split charger £150, internal connections and hoses £100, couple of ladders £200. So probably £2500 in equipment, it's second hand, but fully installed and you can be shown how it works. Those prices are a low guess at kit as prices can vary depending on which bits you buy but it gives you a slight clue.

Tyler.saward · Aug 10, 2020

harunh said:
If your looking to get into window cleaning then your best bet would be to do your own research for 2-3 months, buy a van yourself and buy a system your self , a lot more simple for u , if u buy that van and system and something goes wrong what u gonna do? Ring the lad who sold u it ? He wont care about u as uve handed over the £££

And to take over a “LTD company” with no customers etc would be a step backwards, set your own up instead?

Good luck

The van has only done 12,000 miles so notbing should go wrong wirh van jusy the equipment, the van is sign written so I would have to get it removed and re done, I do have people are willing to get their windows cleaned so I will have customers it’s jusy the Ltd

Part Timer · Aug 10, 2020

Tyler.saward said:
The van has only done 12,000 miles so notbing should go wrong wirh van jusy the equipment, the van is sign written so I would have to get it removed and re done, I do have people are willing to get their windows cleaned so I will have customers it’s jusy the Ltd

If you want to just buy the van and equipment.and set yourself up as a sole trader Under no circumstances buy the Ltd company.

Tyler.saward · Aug 10, 2020

Part Timer said:
If you want to just buy the van and equipment.and set yourself up as a sole trader Under no circumstances buy the Ltd company.

So that would mean having to come up with new name logo and get van re sign written? There’s no way to keep original is there but as a sole trader?

ched999uk · Aug 10, 2020

Tyler.saward said:
So that would mean having to come up with new name logo and get van re sign written? There’s no way to keep original is there but as a sole trader?

I believe you can call your business anything you want as long as it's not infringing someone else's business name.

i.e. you could say remove the ltd bit of the company name and trade under that name. You would need a business bank account in that name and basically state that you are mr xyz trading as abc....

All depends on the ltd name ? Might be best not to post here.

harunh · Aug 11, 2020

Tyler.saward said:
The van has only done 12,000 miles so notbing should go wrong wirh van jusy the equipment, the van is sign written so I would have to get it removed and re done, I do have people are willing to get their windows cleaned so I will have customers it’s jusy the Ltd

Probably would be better to buy a van from scratch and then get the system put in yourself ? trust me this is the way forward ? U would probably save a good amount of ££ as well... Look at my post count.. Take advice from the experienced ? ? ?

madeads · Aug 14, 2020

Tyler.saward said:
So that would mean having to come up with new name logo and get van re sign written? There’s no way to keep original is there but as a sole trader?

If there are no existing customers and no on-going jobs, then what is the point of keeping the same brand?

The cost of having the van sign-written is minimal, but you will be able to build your own brand from scratch and work under your own chosen name.

Don't get yourself involved with buying a Ltd company, no matter whether it has any debts or not - too much unnecessary hassle with transferring it over and pointless, when there are no existing customers.

If you have the budget and want a head-start, then buy the van and start canvassing as soon as possible to get customers. A fully equipped van is useless, if you are not doing any jobs.

Also look into proper van locks before all the equipment gets knicked.

Iron Giant · Aug 15, 2020

Tyler.saward said:
The van has only done 12,000 miles so notbing should go wrong wirh van

There is no way on this earth that a van that has only done 12k miles is worth 8-9K you can't buy a van that cheap something seems ? about the whole thing if you ask me.

madeads · Aug 15, 2020

Iron Giant said:
There is no way on this earth that a van that has only done 12k miles is worth 8-9K you can't buy a van that cheap something seems ? about the whole thing if you ask me.

Good point.

It looks like a Vauxhall Vivaro or a Renault Trafic from the above images, and a quick check on Autotrader shows that vans with similar mileage start from £12k+VAT.

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