[Tosh]

I'm in the process of decorating my 'office' (a posh name for the 'box bedroom' with a computer in it); nothing fancy; but it has still cost a fair wadge.

Can I make it tax-deductable?

And before anyone starts; NO, I will not get an accountant! 

[ronnie paton]

tosh if this rooms sole use is the office then yes i think

[matt]

tosh

have you ever thought of getting a accountant ?? ? ?? ?

[Tosh]

tosh if this rooms sole use is the office then yes i think

I also use it for escaping the Missis; it's my 'bolt hole' (I'm not lucky enough to have a shed down the bottom of the garden); I also read non-window cleaning related books in there too.

In the office; while I'm sat reading; I sometimes I let my dog sit on my lap and we have a quiet moment together.

Should I deduct 20% from the total of office decoration because of my private use of the office; I'd hate to think that I was fiddling the tax man?

[ronnie paton]

tosh your a real character

[Tosh]

So is office decoration tax deductable?

[Tosh]

I can't be the only window cleaner here to have an office whose decorated it and wonders if the cost of it is tax deductable?

There's got to be another window cleaner here in a similar situation whose paid £300 for an accountant, who knows the score!

But regardless of which, I'll make it tax deductable, and if I'm ever investigated; I'll argue the point.

Remember our illustrious MPs claim thousands-of-pounds on posh wallpaper (remember that in the news?).  So my £9.00 rolls of Homebase wallpaper is nothing compared to that!

[Sir Squeaky]

You can't claim for rude pictures on the wall.









Or Vaseline...

[jodan63]

i must say both tosh and squeaky are a very good double act , carry on guys 

[Tosh]

What's a 'Sun Room'?

[jodan63]

a room where the sun shines through?

[macmac]

What's a 'Sun Room'?

A conservatory but with a solid roof, just sounds posher, more expensive & with a bit of luck it may make discount think I'm sucsessful !

[Tosh]

i must say both tosh and squeaky are a very good double act , carry on guys 

If we're a double act, I'm the straightman and Squeaky is the stooge!  We did have a brief chat this afternoon though; we bumped into each other; and we had a quick bet that the first of us who could get a 'bite' on this forum would win a pint.

But despite my best efforts, no-one has bitten.  And Squeaky hasn't really tried!

 

[jodan63]

hehee u r a pair you two  . always enjoy both or ur posts( well most)

[Spruce]

Hi Tosh
If you had a business premises and the office was in need of redecoration, then this is a legitimate business expense as would be any other alteration, new furniture etc and would come off the bottom line of your balance sheet.
I would apply the same self assessment rule as you do on other things - share the expense on a percentage basis of business and private use.
When I first started off I had an interview with the Middlesbrough Tax Office and he said that everything to do with tax is how you see your business - its "self assessment", and you claim any business expense proportionally. There are no hard and fast rules according to him, and each self employed person is different.
You just need to be able to justify your claim if you need to.
Spruce

[williamx]

tosh if this rooms sole use is the office then yes i think

I also use it for escaping the Missis; it's my 'bolt hole' (I'm not lucky enough to have a shed down the bottom of the garden); I also read non-window cleaning related books in there too.

In the office; while I'm sat reading; I sometimes I let my dog sit on my lap and we have a quiet moment together.

Should I deduct 20% from the total of office decoration because of my private use of the office; I'd hate to think that I was fiddling the tax man?

Tosh

Because you are using a spare bedroom as your office you can claim a percentage of your gas-electric-water (if on a meter only) and council tax.

You can also claim 100% for office furniture-tea/coffee (if you are making them for you staff or customers or anyone who is connected to your business like visting sales reps etc) you can also claim 100 for decoration and alterations (you need to build an extension and so on).

You CANNOT use this space,other than for business use, so you cannot allow 20% for private use, you also must remove any furniture that this space was originally to be used for (beds-wardrobes-clothing rails etc)

As for using an accountant, well I have been on quite a few courses that the inland revenue hold and I think that I am pretty well clued up on tax rules and regulations, but my accountant has saved me more than his fees this year, he also has reccomended a business grant of £5k that I am also eligible for ( I had never heard of it before).

Also if you make a small error in your accounts returns, this carries on down the time line, so in say 6 years time you undergo a tax investigation, then this small error will come back big time, because all you return figures for the last 6 years are wrong you tax fines and interest could be very costly.

If you don't want a accountant then think about joining the Federation of Small Businesses, because they will help you in  any investigation that you might find you under in the future.

Don't forget its not the taxman who calls for an investigation its their computer who ramdonly picks the lucky winners in a lottery of tax payers.

[paul saunders]

I sometimes I let my dog sit on my lap and we have a quiet moment together

Isn't there a law against that kind of thing. 

[luther1]

If you have a room solely for business use in your house you are liable to pay business rates.

[williamx]

If you have a room solely for business use in your house you are liable to pay business rates.

I don't think that applies, but I will check, and if it did then you would only be liable for business rates for 1 room while the rest of the house comes under residential rates.

[jaykie]

My mum was going to get a coffee machine in her works office but was told that if she did her staff get taxed for it.

[trike]

yes you put on tax reyurn as repairs and renewals,also put computer on as equipment,and any protective clothing.

[trike]

My mum was going to get a coffee machine in her works office but was told that if she did her staff get taxed for it.
[/quot who told her that,wifes an accountant never heard of that one

[luther1]

It does apply.Rates for your house and business rates for the room.Is it worth it?

[luther1]

The maximum you can claim for an office at home is £3 a week.

[luther1]

Just for the record http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/BIM47825.htm. No doubt someone will disagree

[Chris B]

Get an accountant

[williamx]

The maximum you can claim for an office at home is £3 a week.

Wrong, I claim £5 and the tax office have agreed to it as well.

The £3 is not a fixed figure.

[luther1]

Its £3 a week if you are employed and quite obviously differs if you are self-employed. And no,you can't claim for redecorating! Saving £5 a week for all the extra admin,why not just not declare one £5 a week house,or is that dishonest?

[Paul Coleman]

So is office decoration tax deductable?

Don't forget to allow for the Ming vases on the window sill and the solid gold chandelier.

[luther1]

What about the Faberge egg and Monet painting?

[ronnie paton]

this seems so strange, i need some were to store equipment my yard is getting over run and i could do with a small office has my house is getting to messy.

so i have been looking for some were to lease and your looking at any were between £50 and £150 a week plus rates ect ect but you can only claim £3 a week??? if you have the space why can you not get the going rate??

[windowwashers]

this seems so strange, i need some were to store equipment my yard is getting over run and i could do with a small office has my house is getting to messy.

so i have been looking for some were to lease and your looking at any were between £50 and £150 a week plus rates ect ect but you can only claim £3 a week??? if you have the space why can you not get the going rate??

I think that is wrong Ronnie, rental for business is deductable in full

[luther1]

If you are renting away from home then it is fully tax deductable.

[williamx]

If you live in a 2 bedroom house and you use 1 bedroom as an office then you can claim for 33% of you electric and gas bills, you also can claim 33% of your council tax.


This is a fact, check your local tax office, they will confirm this.

If you do not use a spare room then you can claim a weekly allowance, each tax office has a figure that they consider resonable, a lot of local tax offices will say that £3 per week is reasonable, but the £3 figure is ONLY a guildline, if you do say 20 hours a week of work in this office, would you consider this as being worth £5 a week instead of £3 that another person is only working 2-3 hours a week.

Remember that you need to justify what you claim for in your returns if they ever to a check.

And finally you cannot claim the same rate as if it was a seperate building than your home because the majority of the expensives a home incurs would happen even if you were not in business.

[ronnie paton]

but you could but a commercial property and rent it back at very mice costs!!!

[Rob_Mac]

Ronnie

We've got a substantial trading address. Ground floor - enough room to fit 4 vans and all heavy cleaning machines.

Top floor - office, gym, storage area (tip!!!) and water purification. Loadsa space.

£300.00 a month - go and have a word with a local farmer. They always have outbuildings that are empty. Ares ain't no oil painting but it does the job!!

Rob

[Rob_Mac]

On the original thread - we put a box into the unit - for the office. Everything that we bought to go into the building of the office has just gone down on our return as a fixed assett.

Rob

[cherubs cleaning]

You can't claim for rude pictures on the wall.









Or Vaseline... 

[windowwashers]

Ronnie

We've got a substantial trading address. Ground floor - enough room to fit 4 vans and all heavy cleaning machines.

Top floor - office, gym, storage area (tip!!!) and water purification. Loadsa space.

£300.00 a month - go and have a word with a local farmer. They always have outbuildings that are empty. Ares ain't no oil painting but it does the job!!

Rob

I only wish I could find them down here rob and trust me I look every week

[ronnie paton]

me too im lucky to get a small shop front for a office for £300.

rob i see things are going well which is good, havent spoke i ages, but you have any advice im always willing to lisson

[ronnie paton]

he will prob say no chance but my point would be that its need for the business /or to fill my tanks ect.

you could try and rent the bit of landback to the company not sure if they would allow that either??

but if you was to rent a unit with parking you could put it all through even though this is always going to be more expensive....to me it doesnt make business sense so wht cant the ir be more flexible

[Paul Coleman]

Ok, I am in the process of having a large driveway built. My house is on a hill and I have had to excavate about 65ton of clay and getting a base and walls built, all so I can park my vehicles safely and have direct access to my water supply. Its costing a small fortune, about 10k all in.  Can I get any of this back from "the Man"?

You might be able to make a case for offsetting part of the cost as a capital outlay.  The question is whether would you be prepared to risk some capital gains tax on selling the place?
This is where some people fall down in trying to offset part of the value of a property for business use.  No problem with offsetting a bit of the domestic electric bill and maybe a few other knicknacks.  But when it comes to the actual capital value - that's when there could be problems stored up for the future.  It can get complicated and IMO it's better to seek pro advice.

[Paul Coleman]

Ok, I am in the process of having a large driveway built. My house is on a hill and I have had to excavate about 65ton of clay and getting a base and walls built, all so I can park my vehicles safely and have direct access to my water supply. Its costing a small fortune, about 10k all in.  Can I get any of this back from "the Man"?

You might be able to make a case for offsetting part of the cost as a capital outlay.  The question is whether would you be prepared to risk some capital gains tax on selling the place?
This is where some people fall down in trying to offset part of the value of a property for business use.  No problem with offsetting a bit of the domestic electric bill and maybe a few other knicknacks.  But when it comes to the actual capital value - that's when there could be problems stored up for the future.  It can get complicated and IMO it's better to seek pro advice.

Good point! think I'll just stand it and avoid the complications

A lot can depends on your circumstances too.  If you are thinking of selling in the next few years you may feel that you would be selling at a price that isn't much higher than the property's current valuation - therefore CGT probably wouldn't apply.  Also, I think there may be an extra tax free allowance for certain capital items.  It may well pay you to seek accurate advice on this as you could save a fair bit of tax.  Being liable for CGT on re-sell is only a possibilty - not a certainty.  Of course there may be another (separate) issue of whether the property is residential or commercial and, if the latter, whether there should be a business rate.
It may be better to settle for simplicity and just stump up the cost without tax relief but no harm in looking at whether you could save a bundle without overly complicating your life.