Contract Xchange

mstopham

littleange_com wrote: »

Thanks for everyone's help on this thread.

I applied but my application has been declined and I am very disappointed. I've already ordered my CRB check and I bought a phone last week, so I guess I'm now out of pocket, good job my phoneline isn't costing my anything.

Spoke to someone on livehelp and they said to reapply in a few weeks, but if they don't want me now, then I can't see them wanting me then to be honest.

Hope this works out for everyone else.

Sorry to hear that! Did they give you a reason? It maybe because they only have a couple of training courses to get through before they stop until March?

I am struggling to get my PC passed, the last thing (hopefully!) is my DVD drive shows as CDROM:mad: so I might be joining you in not doing it if I don't get on a course soon!

littleange

mstopham wrote: »

Sorry to hear that! Did they give you a reason? It maybe because they only have a couple of training courses to get through before they stop until March?

I am struggling to get my PC passed, the last thing (hopefully!) is my DVD drive shows as CDROM:mad: so I might be joining you in not doing it if I don't get on a course soon!

No, said they don't give feedback.

mstopham

Think I might look into the flat rate scheme and then might just pay something like 10% VAT on turnover - this would make VAT easier to do yourself I think. So you'd get £1.09 ish I guess but can't claim back VAT on expenses. You can also apply for annual accounting for VAT too.

I like the sound of this! Ran some figures through based on monthly costs of line rental, paysource, livechange and broadband (don't think there is anything of any great significance beyond this you would claim VAT back on monthly) and worked out a rough point of 150 calls per month. Below this standard VAT is better, above this flat rate VAT is better (this is on the assumption that flat rate is 10% on turnover). A couple of questions though, is it really as simple as input turnover pay 10%? and can methods be switched later?

littleange

If your turnover is less than £150,000, you could simplify your VAT accounting by calculating your VAT payments as a percentage of your total, VAT inclusive, turnover.


info: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vat/account-flat.htm

you have to pick a category from one of these: http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageImport_ShowContent&propertyType=document&columns=1&id=HMCE_CL_000345#P169_14547

I'm not sure where it would fit, I'm thinking either:
Any other activity not listed elsewhere 10% (9% first year)
OR
Business services that are not listed elsewhere 11% (10% first year) - probably this one!

1% discount in the first year: If you register for the flat rate scheme in your first year of VAT registration, you can take advantage of a one per cent reduction in your flat rate.


You can join the flat rate scheme at the beginning of any VAT accounting period.

You may leave the scheme at any time by telling HMRC - you will leave at the end of your next VAT accounting period.

Annual accounting scheme

Using annual VAT accounting, you make nine monthly or three quarterly interim payments throughout the year. You only need to complete one VAT return at the end of the year when you either make a balancing payment or receive a balancing refund

tannis

This does sound very interesting to me, the big question i would like to know is how many hours you can do, i gather there's a few people on here already doing this so how many hours are you guys doing?

No good to me if it's just 10-15 hours a week because if i went into this it would be on a full time basis otherwise i don't see this as being worthwhile.

Thanks.

mstopham

tannis wrote: »

This does sound very interesting to me, the big question i would like to know is how many hours you can do, i gather there's a few people on here already doing this so how many hours are you guys doing?

No good to me if it's just 10-15 hours a week because if i went into this it would be on a full time basis otherwise i don't see this as being worthwhile.

Thanks.

I am not 100% on the law here but I would think just about as many hours as you like. I would point out that the rate per hour will go down a bit if you are working in the off peak times. I used to do some early cover in a previous job and 6.30 - 7.30 would see hardly any calls, I was paid by the hour not the call though so that was fine with me!

Different things suit, for me 10 - 15 hours as a top up to my main income seems ideal especially as I see this as a bit of a security blanket as well. If my company goes belly-up and I lose my job I can switch to full time hours.

The woman who interviewed me said that I would be likely to get to between 12 and 15 calls an hour when fully skilled and conversant. I have done my calculations at 10 calls an hour and worked out that for 15 hours a week I would have a net profit equal to £6.72 an hour. This equates to £9.75 gross rate for a second "normal" job.

All in all I would consider that a nice little package. My figures don't include any sales either which do sound like they would be available during winter (boiler breakdowns etc).

tannis

mstopham wrote: »

I am not 100% on the law here but I would think just about as many hours as you like. I would point out that the rate per hour will go down a bit if you are working in the off peak times. I used to do some early cover in a previous job and 6.30 - 7.30 would see hardly any calls, I was paid by the hour not the call though so that was fine with me!

Different things suit, for me 10 - 15 hours as a top up to my main income seems ideal especially as I see this as a bit of a security blanket as well. If my company goes belly-up and I lose my job I can switch to full time hours.

The woman who interviewed me said that I would be likely to get to between 12 and 15 calls an hour when fully skilled and conversant. I have done my calculations at 10 calls an hour and worked out that for 15 hours a week I would have a net profit equal to £6.72 an hour. This equates to £9.75 gross rate for a second "normal" job.

All in all I would consider that a nice little package. My figures don't include any sales either which do sound like they would be available during winter (boiler breakdowns etc).

Thanks for your reply, however i should have been clearer in what i meant, i was meaning more along the lines of how many hours are available for you to work as allocated by the company.

mstopham

capitan19792000 wrote: »

As per my previous post, I was told that I was eligible for a 'Free PC' and to expect a contract in the post to sign and send back; This I was told last Tuesday (30/09/08), but as of today I still hadn't received anything. So I went back onto the online chat and was told that I was not eligible for the 'Free PC' because the only reason I failed the spec test was because my Wireless Network Card was enabled????? I was obviously flumexed to why I had not been told this prior, instead of wasting a week thinking I was going to get a new PC. Anyhow I have re-done my Belarc test, with wireless card disabled - fingers crossed it will pass!

I must admit ContractxChange don't make this very easy; I'm seriously considering telling them to poke it, as its just one thing after another, with more and more hoops to jump through!

I had forgotten about this and submitted mine with wireless enabled even though the ethernet clearly shows as primary! I do agree that it is not always obvious when they fail the test, though I have found the live text people very helpful.

mstopham

tannis wrote: »

Thanks for your reply, however i should have been clearer in what i meant, i was meaning more along the lines of how many hours are available for you to work as allocated by the company.

Well this is off their advert for CSA's

Work Periods Available6amGMT-9pmGMT, 7 days per week.


So I guess upto 105 hours are available. This is what I meant when I said just about as many as you like. You may be superhuman and want to work more of course! :eek:

taffy056

littleange_com wrote: »

Thanks for everyone's help on this thread.

I applied but my application has been declined and I am very disappointed. I've already ordered my CRB check and I bought a phone last week, so I guess I'm now out of pocket, good job my phoneline isn't costing my anything.

Spoke to someone on livehelp and they said to reapply in a few weeks, but if they don't want me now, then I can't see them wanting me then to be honest.

Hope this works out for everyone else.

very sorry to hear that, they are looking for people so I wouldn't be surprised if you will get on the next time you apply.

Best of luck!