work from home - rent & tax as allowable expenses

lincroft1710

Having your bedroom as a "dedicated treatment room" could mean you will be liable for business rates. However unless you apply for planning permission for change of use, it is unlikely that the council will find out about it and thus ask the Valuation Office Agency to assess it.

The accepted way of avoiding business rates in such circumstances is to use the room for treatment during the day and (for example) a bedroom by night.

[Deleted User]

It seems the OP is already doing this, don't think they have had any problems so far!

I think it's related to where you live, if you live somewhere nice and know all the residents I doubt anyone will have a problem. If you live above the local pub in the City Centre people may ask questions.

Seems like a nice idea to me, as and when it grows maybe take some further advice, but for the moment you have got things covered!

shelleywa

:T
THANK YOU assj and lincroft1710 for some positive comments (I was beginning to lose faith in humanity for a second there). Being only 1 of 2 rooms (except kitchen and bathroom) in my house I absolutely do use it for other things too - study, spare room for visitors, utility room.

I live in a quaint cottage in a friendly town just outside a big city and my neighbours are also very supportive.

Thank you assj, I have had very positive feedback from my 'guinea pig' clients.

[Deleted User]

That's not a problem!

As you have the support then I think you should be fine, just make sure your clients park out of other peoples way! Parking always seems to bring problems.

I did the same (well probably worse) I contacted the Local Council first and asked what the consequences could and would be if I were to do what I was doing, they were always little to none, but just to make sure I made a FOI request to see how many people had been fined for doing the same, the grand total of 0 came back and I was advised that people are just warned and then stop in all cases.

So the worse case senario would be that you are warned. The business rates would be a concern to me and not the planning rules. I'd look at how the other poster proposes to avoid paying these rates first and be sure that you are legal in this respect to avoid any fees or charges down the line. Nothing worse than doing well and then being hit with unexpected charges and fines.

Good Luck, I am sure that you will be doing just fine this time next year!

Don't forget to thank me below if you like my post!

Savvy_Sue

LianneCarlaS wrote: »

I really can't imagine who would visit someones house for a massage, especially a bedroom. If it was a dining room that had been converted then maybe at a push (and it would be a big push)

I do! Well, I see my regular massage therapist in her dining room. She does mobile, which is where I first met her, and has also worked out of a GP surgery and in rented treatment rooms. Her dining room's nicest though!

shelleywa

Hehehehehehe... Oops LianneCarlaS... that backfired a bit hey? :rotfl:

Thank you all for your input!

tamiami

Get yourself a good accountant, mine charges me £200 a year to file my tax returns. They know all the tricks of the trade. I work from home and a third of all my household expenses, rent, etc., are claimed, legally, as allowable expenses.

LianneCarlaS

shelleywa wrote: »

Hehehehehehe... Oops LianneCarlaS... that backfired a bit hey? :rotfl:

Thank you all for your input!

Not really I still can't imagine it.

I also can't imagine spending $5000 on a burger and fries or finding being punched a turn on but we are all individuals and people enjoy different things.