Working from home

Sky_Shrimp

I work part time and currently live with my parents who own their house. I want to start selling used items regularly on places like Ebay.
My parents don't mind this but don't want strangers visiting to collect so everything will have to be delivery only. My intended business is just me and my laptop.

I was looking at a guide today regarding how to register as self employed, and it states that I have to give them a business address as well as a home address. My parents would refuse to let me register their address as a business address. Should I buy one of those 'rent a desk' services to use as my business address and would that be legal?

Aquamania

Sky_Shrimp wrote: »

I work part time and currently live with my parents who own their house. I want to start selling used items regularly on places like Ebay.
My parents don't mind this but don't want strangers visiting to collect so everything will have to be delivery only. My intended business is just me and my laptop.

I was looking at a guide today regarding how to register as self employed, and it states that I have to give them a business address as well as a home address. My parents would refuse to let me register their address as a business address. Should I buy one of those 'rent a desk' services to use as my business address and would that be legal?

If your parents, with whom you currently reside, do not want you running this business from then that is something you need to discuss and resolve with them.

Yes you could rent an office and carry on the business from there, but I strongly suspect that will not resolve the underlying issues your parents have with you running a business from your bedroom.

Unless you resolve that underlying issue, it may not be just an office you will be seeking to rent.

Sky_Shrimp

Thanks for the reply.

They don't mind what I'm doing there as long as they're not affected by it. I know they'll have no problem with what I'm doing if the business address was registered elsewhere. I just need access to a computer to manage buying and selling which could be done anywhere.

If a sole trader doesn't have a business address as they're working remotely, what do they declare as a business address when registering as self employed?

I assumed I could pay £5 a week to use a virtual office address and have all my business mail redirected to me. The thread title is misleading as I could run this from a smartphone.

Kayalana99

Sorry to be the one to point this out to you but eBay requires you post your address online for all to see.

I'm not quite sure how these virtual offices work but I am guessing they don't forward your returned mail if someone returns an item?

Plus you can't just 'tell ebay members on a return' the right address because then they won't be able to get a refund through paypal...they will send to address registered.

Why would using their address affect them? All it is, is an address to get mail etc and be known by.

comeandgo

Is there a restriction on the house being used as a business address in the deeds? I know there is on my house. I can understand why they don't want their home to be a business. Any disputes and you could have undesirables turning up with their friends.

Sky_Shrimp

Kayalana99 wrote: »

Sorry to be the one to point this out to you but eBay requires you post your address online for all to see.

I'm not quite sure how these virtual offices work but I am guessing they don't forward your returned mail if someone returns an item?

Plus you can't just 'tell ebay members on a return' the right address because then they won't be able to get a refund through paypal...they will send to address registered.

Thanks, I'll leave my Ebay address as my home address.

Kayalana99 wrote: »

Why would using their address affect them? All it is, is an address to get mail etc and be known by.

I spoke to an accountant today and he told me using a home address as a business address is fine. I only want to use a virtual address to give my parents peace of mind.

Sky_Shrimp

comeandgo wrote: »

Is there a restriction on the house being used as a business address in the deeds? I know there is on my house. I can understand why they don't want their home to be a business. Any disputes and you could have undesirables turning up with their friends.

I'm not sure. That's another reason to use a virtual office as a business address.
I've never really looked into virtual offices and was hoping someone could share their experiences with it.

PlutoinCapricorn

Some people who are buying and selling use self storage lockers to hold their stock:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4849770

Mistral001

Sky_Shrimp wrote: »

Thanks, I'll leave my Ebay address as my home address.



I spoke to an accountant today and he told me using a home address as a business address is fine. I only want to use a virtual address to give my parents peace of mind.

Looks like the accountant needs to explain this to your parents.

Business is all about trust and hiding behind a virtual address will not inspire people/other businesses to trade with you.

Aquamania

Sky_Shrimp wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.

They don't mind what I'm doing there as long as they're not affected by it. I know they'll have no problem with what I'm doing if the business address was registered elsewhere. I just need access to a computer to manage buying and selling which could be done anywhere.

Then you still need to discuss the matter over with your parents. Why would they have any issue with you giving HMRC your/their address??? Presumably you are already on the electoral register at that address.

If you are not having personal visitors to the property, what is their issue? Stock storage? Yes that could cause indeed cause issues with which they are not happy, so a rented warehouse is robably what you would need.

Sky_Shrimp wrote: »

If a sole trader doesn't have a business address as they're working remotely, what do they declare as a business address when registering as self employed?

Most sole traders would use their residential address if they don't have a separeate permanent bsuiness address.
Alternatively businesses may use the address of their accountant (with their permission and perhaps at a price)

Sky_Shrimp wrote: »

I assumed I could pay £5 a week to use a virtual office address and have all my business mail redirected to me. The thread title is misleading as I could run this from a smartphone.

A virtual address is no good if it's stock that is the issue.
What's more a virtual address is very easy to spot on ebay and I for one would definitely avoid any seller using one.
Also ebay tends to do most of it's communication by email or online so there will be little business mail from them through your letterbox. (So that just leaves the odd communication from HMRC - I think you can even opt to receive a lot of that online if you want)
Otherwise as this is a moneysaving site, save yourself £260 a year (or whatever price it ends up as) and use your home address to receive your business mail (providing it is purely clerical), once you've sorted out any issue with your 'rents.

Aquamania

Mistral001 wrote: »

Looks like the accountant needs to explain this to your parents.

Business is all about trust and hiding behind a virtual address will not inspire people/other businesses to trade with you.

... and I'm sure your parents will have even more issues than they do now if they knew you were hiding yourself behind fake/dummy/virtual addresses.

I know if you were ever to knock me and then I had to spend my time & effort tracking down where you really hang out, then ... well, you can guess I'd be even less pleased when I or my appointed agents finally catch up with you.