Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Clean Cloth on August 19, 2022, 01:11:05 pm

Title: Starling
Post by: Clean Cloth on August 19, 2022, 01:11:05 pm
Does anyone here use Starling for a business account?

I am only part time and was using a personal bank account but the terms and conditions are changing at my bank in November so I opened a Starling business account.
So far I like it, I only have a few customers that will use bank transfer, they all changed over no problem.
There is no charge to accept and send bank transfers.
How do you put cash in? My card arrived yesterday, I assume I need to go to a post office to do that and there will be a charge. I would then transfer funds to my old current account.
Is there anything stopping me paying the cash straight into my personal account as it is more convenient for me than going to a post office.
Title: Re: Starling
Post by: AuRavelling79 on August 19, 2022, 04:31:37 pm
Does anyone here use Starling for a business account?

I am only part time and was using a personal bank account but the terms and conditions are changing at my bank in November so I opened a Starling business account.
So far I like it, I only have a few customers that will use bank transfer, they all changed over no problem.
There is no charge to accept and send bank transfers.
How do you put cash in? My card arrived yesterday, I assume I need to go to a post office to do that and there will be a charge. I would then transfer funds to my old current account.
Is there anything stopping me paying the cash straight into my personal account as it is more convenient for me than going to a post office.

I don't know about Starling but I have a business account with HSBC and a joint personal account with them too.

The vast majority of my customers pay by credit transfer.

I also take a few cheques and cash. I pay both into the joint personal account. The cheques go in by using a smartphone to photograph them and cash is paid in to it from time to time over the counter about once a month if  it is up around £500.00.

Sometimes I just ask Mrs.  Gold to use say £100 cash towards grocery shopping or we use cash if out on a jolly.

Everything is recorded on George software however I get paid.
Title: Re: Starling
Post by: Spruce on August 20, 2022, 09:36:51 am
Does anyone here use Starling for a business account?

I am only part time and was using a personal bank account but the terms and conditions are changing at my bank in November so I opened a Starling business account.
So far I like it, I only have a few customers that will use bank transfer, they all changed over no problem.
There is no charge to accept and send bank transfers.
How do you put cash in? My card arrived yesterday, I assume I need to go to a post office to do that and there will be a charge. I would then transfer funds to my old current account.
Is there anything stopping me paying the cash straight into my personal account as it is more convenient for me than going to a post office.

I don't know about Starling but I have a business account with HSBC and a joint personal account with them too.

The vast majority of my customers pay by credit transfer.

I also take a few cheques and cash. I pay both into the joint personal account. The cheques go in by using a smartphone to photograph them and cash is paid in to it from time to time over the counter about once a month if  it is up around £500.00.

Sometimes I just ask Mrs.  Gold to use say £100 cash towards grocery shopping or we use cash if out on a jolly.

Everything is recorded on George software however I get paid.

Its going to be interesting if the new tax reporting system takes account of this. As I see it now, the receiver wants a sole trader to have a separate business account with all cash receipts and customer payment transfers paid into the bank so they tally up total income to bank deposits.

I also have my total earning, cash and bank transfer details on George.
Title: Re: Starling
Post by: AuRavelling79 on August 20, 2022, 12:42:50 pm
Does anyone here use Starling for a business account?

I am only part time and was using a personal bank account but the terms and conditions are changing at my bank in November so I opened a Starling business account.
So far I like it, I only have a few customers that will use bank transfer, they all changed over no problem.
There is no charge to accept and send bank transfers.
How do you put cash in? My card arrived yesterday, I assume I need to go to a post office to do that and there will be a charge. I would then transfer funds to my old current account.
Is there anything stopping me paying the cash straight into my personal account as it is more convenient for me than going to a post office.

I don't know about Starling but I have a business account with HSBC and a joint personal account with them too.

The vast majority of my customers pay by credit transfer.

I also take a few cheques and cash. I pay both into the joint personal account. The cheques go in by using a smartphone to photograph them and cash is paid in to it from time to time over the counter about once a month if  it is up around £500.00.

Sometimes I just ask Mrs.  Gold to use say £100 cash towards grocery shopping or we use cash if out on a jolly.

Everything is recorded on George software however I get paid.

Its going to be interesting if the new tax reporting system takes account of this. As I see it now, the receiver wants a sole trader to have a separate business account with all cash receipts and customer payment transfers paid into the bank so they tally up total income to bank deposits.

I also have my total earning, cash and bank transfer details on George.

Well if they want it I'll do it. It's simply that it is free to pay cash into the personal account. As it stands I show a little more receipts declared than actually goes into the bank.
Title: Re: Starling
Post by: johnny bravo on August 20, 2022, 06:39:15 pm
i use a Starling for the majority of payments going in .   I Got one incase my main bank pulled me up regarding payments going in .   No  issues as of yet as its only payments going in
My Starling now has the majority of my Payees.      On my self ass.     i just went back tp April to end of March and put my takings in .
I dont put cash into it directly
if i want cash out i use ATM

FREE   never been charged for anything      I have a bussiness one and a  daily one i use for shopping etc
Just transfer monies over when needed
Title: Re: Starling
Post by: johnny bravo on August 20, 2022, 06:41:58 pm
you can easilly transfer to Starling from any other account if needed for free
Title: Re: Starling
Post by: CleanClear on August 21, 2022, 10:11:21 am
As I see it now, the receiver wants a sole trader to have a separate business account with all cash receipts and customer payment transfers paid into the bank so they tally up total income to bank deposits.


Thats totally incorrect. We are going to be required to keep digital records thats all.
Title: Re: Starling
Post by: CleanClear on August 21, 2022, 10:13:09 am

Is there anything stopping me paying the cash straight into my personal account as it is more convenient for me than going to a post office.

There is nothing stopping you paying cash into your personal account.
Title: Re: Starling
Post by: dd on August 21, 2022, 10:42:50 am
Does anyone here use Starling for a business account?

I am only part time and was using a personal bank account but the terms and conditions are changing at my bank in November so I opened a Starling business account.
So far I like it, I only have a few customers that will use bank transfer, they all changed over no problem.
There is no charge to accept and send bank transfers.
How do you put cash in? My card arrived yesterday, I assume I need to go to a post office to do that and there will be a charge. I would then transfer funds to my old current account.
Is there anything stopping me paying the cash straight into my personal account as it is more convenient for me than going to a post office.

I don't know about Starling but I have a business account with HSBC and a joint personal account with them too.

The vast majority of my customers pay by credit transfer.

I also take a few cheques and cash. I pay both into the joint personal account. The cheques go in by using a smartphone to photograph them and cash is paid in to it from time to time over the counter about once a month if  it is up around £500.00.

Sometimes I just ask Mrs.  Gold to use say £100 cash towards grocery shopping or we use cash if out on a jolly.

Everything is recorded on George software however I get paid.

Its going to be interesting if the new tax reporting system takes account of this. As I see it now, the receiver wants a sole trader to have a separate business account with all cash receipts and customer payment transfers paid into the bank so they tally up total income to bank deposits.

I also have my total earning, cash and bank transfer details on George.
What makes you think that Spruce?
Title: Re: Starling
Post by: Clean Cloth on August 21, 2022, 01:29:49 pm
Thank-you all for the replies.
I will carry on using the Staring business account for Bank transfers coming in and my non Starling personal account for paying in cash once a month.
If I need to at a later date I will open a Starling personal account.
Title: Re: Starling
Post by: Bob1980 on August 21, 2022, 06:41:53 pm
Good bank I moved from santander business.

The texts when money goes in is great.

Title: Re: Starling
Post by: Steve H on August 23, 2022, 08:26:58 pm
I use Starling bank and have done for a while now, best move i ever made. Their charging structure is so much less compared to your average every day bank ie Natwest that i used to be with, who seemed to be increasing their charges all the time.
Advantages:
- Take a picture of a cheque, straight into account, clears in two days - no charge.
- Credit transfers - no charge
- Direct debits/payments out - no charge
- Monthly fees - none (unless you use one of their add on services)
- Service levels - fantastic , as long as your happy to do everything online, i do it all from my app on my mobile.
Only thing you have to pay for is a small fee for paying cash into the account, this is done via post office, very easy again.
No negatives so far with them, im sure at some point they might start charging more for business user, who knows, but for now, best bank ive ever used for sure.
And on the business account/personal account part, i would definitley have a business account, separate from your own personal account. Pay monies into your Starling business account as above, then just transfer what you want each month to your personal account - again no charge !!
All the best


Title: Re: Starling
Post by: ants on August 28, 2022, 08:06:55 pm
I switched to Starling about 2 years ago after Nat West offered me £1200 to leave ;D (they used to charge me about £60 a month in charges] even though my account was always well in credit
ITS FANTASTIC  and free~best thing I ever did
They send a message to your phone every time someone pays,
the payments stay in order on your fone screen , unlike other accounts
Accounting is easy as well
To pay cheques in just take a photo of the cheque and send it digitally
If you want to pay cash in  [I dont]  , I think you can do it at the post office
Title: Re: Starling
Post by: carl stanton on August 29, 2022, 07:18:09 am
I moved to Starling 18 months ago. Love it.
Pay cash into to post office. You can pay £1000 annually into starling personal account with no fee after that it’s 0.7%. To your business account it’s0.7% with minimum charge of £3.

Much of the info it’s in the app tap on profile icon, circle top right.