Anybody know...

[mrsflibble]

if you can register a PO Box as a business address for tax purposes? i don't wish to dodge tax or anything nasty like that; all I want is to be able to work but under the terms of our lease I'm not actually allowed to run a business from this address- to have it as my registered address for tax in other words. being a digital artist/photographer type bod I can work anywhere with the right equipment, but I can't afford premises and I know I can't register our Volvo as my work address lol! being able to rent a PO Box and register it as my business address would suit me down to the ground, if it's legal..... I don't want to do anything illegal as I'm really a fly straight kinda gal. I really do want to start advertising my services and working part time FOR MYSELF though. My need to work's not about the money or getting away from Soph, it's about gaining recognition that I'm good at something lol!

other than that PO box idea, I will either have to not work, not register myself and make sure I earn less than £5 or so KPA or rely on the slightly dodgy grey area which is that I am not actually registered here as a tenant, only hubby is (long story, urgent move, was cheaper this way with the references etc) and therefore I am not bound by the terms of the lease... but there in lies another problm that if I'm caught by our agents then James will be liable for having vilated the terms of the lease by letting me work on the premises..... but it could be argued.

so, yeah. anyway. PO Box anyone?!

[The Riff-Raff Element]

I have a feeling that a registered office must be a real place, ie, one that actually exists and where legal documents can be served.

However...there is more than one way to skin a cat.

My dear wife had a engineering consultancy business that employed her and occaisionally me. Our home address was the registered office. When we moved to France, we hit a snag: a English registered business MUST have an English address (the rules may be different in Scotland - I can't say). But there exist service companies that quite legally, and for a surprisingly modest fee of a few quid a month, will "host" your business and allow you to use their address as that of your company.

You will obviously need to provide them with a correspondence address, but they might be happy with a PO box and that would put an extra layer between your landlord and your business.

I think the mob we used were called "First 4 Business" or something. We only used them for a short while as the business was wound up after we emigrated.

Hope this is of help.

[Thomzo]

Ok - firstly, if you are a limited company you need a registered office. This address is publically available from Companies House. That doesn't need to be your home address. You could use a friend or relative's address, your accountant may act as your registered office or you could use the services of a registered office company (but why pay for it?).

If you are not a limited company then you do not need to file details of an address with anybody except the tax authorities - HM Revenue and Customs. The fact that you have done so should be confidential. HMRC are not supposed to tell anybody else that you have registered your address with them. Of course they may put it on a disk ... but that is a separate issue.

The main question is, how likely is it that your landlord would find out from HMRC that you have registered as self employed? Very unlikely I would say.

For correspondence purposes with customers, suppliers and other contacts, a PO box is perfectly acceptable.

Zoe

[Thurston Garden]

Mrs F - I don't think you will get away with a PO Box as a registered address. If you are going to have an accountant do your tax return (you will still have to do one even if your income is below the 5k threshold and you need to register with the Revenue and make monthly contributions £11 atm I think) you could ask t ohave the business registered at their address.

Some might not like the idea, and some may charge but it is a common practice with holding or shelf companies.

We got lots of free advice from the local enterprise people - perhaps ask at the council's offices if you can't find them elsewhere.

[mrsflibble]

thanks for the advice everyone; RiffRaff, my aunt and uncle used to work for one in Nottingham called Sharespace aparently... when I get a bit "bigger" I'll look into that....
I wont be limited, I'll be a low-earning sole trader to start off with because I need no business loans etc to get started, just the camera I already have and my computer.
Thomnzo, thanks for the advice about hmrc and confidentiality...
and yes Thurston, I already knew I'd need to be registered no matter what I earn; can't afford to risk upsetting the child tax credit people for a start lol! My accountant is a friend who lives nearby- registered accountant, willing to start work when I need her and good with juggling numbers.don't think she'd let me register a business from her house 'cos I think that's a council place with the same rules as mine (my house is one of the right to buy set; private owned, ex-council but on a lease hold so it's still technically sort of still belongs to the council).

thanks for the help everyone... now to give myself a kick up the bum and stop being so scared that I'll fail lol! don't tell me I wont, it wont work, I'm just a run of the mill paranoid nutcase loon. I'll get over it. again. as I always do!!

[Thomzo]

Mrs F
If you don't have any loans and pay all your bills as you go along then you can't fail. Just work at your own pace and do as much or as little as you want to.

Make sure you agree the fee with the client up front and how and when you are going to invoice them. If you are working for other businesses then they will expect 30 days to pay. Be careful of this as a lot of businesses will try to avoid paying you or disappear without paying.

The second bit of advice is to look into what insurance you need. I doubt your "product" will be a problem but as a business you will be liable for any problems that your work causes for anybody else. It really is a good idea to get some public and product liability insurance just in case.

Good luck - I'm sure you'll make a go of it. The most important thing is to enjoy it.

Zoe

[mrsflibble]

already got somewhere sending me quotes for photographer's PL insurance ;)

now alls I gotta do is pass my driving tests so I can get places!!!