Help needed with part time electrical bussines / starting property maintenace service

[leeward]

HI , i work full time in the electrical trade i finish at 2 every day, im thinking of trying to set up somethink after i finish work, my idea is to try and set up a part time bussiness / soletrader doing testing and inspection , landlords certificates that sort of stuff mainly maintenace and testing , not so much rewires and big installs, i im thinking of trying to go with nappit and get insurred with them, the problem i have is i work full time on a paye, how would i go about paying tax ect,

could you please give me some feed back if you think its a good idea and if it could work,

Thanks for your time

 

[wozz]

you would need some very flexible customers (far more flexible than I have) and local, how many hours do you do before 2?

 

[Sharpend]

You can afaik operate both, for best advice I would speak to HMRC. You would have to fill out a self assessment tax return and detail all your paye details. It can be very time consuming, unless you get yourself an accountant and leave them to sort it out.

 

[NozSpark]

Could you have a conflict of interest with your employer?

There might be a non-compete clause in your contract

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Otherwise as the others have said, loads of people are employed and self employed, it will be nothing new to HMRC.

IIRC your employer wouldn't even need to know as you will stay PAYE with them, they allow your full allowance and then you'll pay tax on all your SE net profit.

 

[leeward]

you would need some very flexible customers (far more flexible than I have) and local, how many hours do you do before 2?

i work from 6 am

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 21:13 ---------- Previous post was made at 21:05 ----------

You can afaik operate both, for best advice I would speak to HMRC. You would have to fill out a self assessment tax return and detail all your paye details. It can be very time consuming, unless you get yourself an accountant and leave them to sort it out.

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Do u think they could be a part time market just for lanlord certificates/ periodic inspections , and just do them ?

 

[Zeespark]

Not part time, and the biggest market for that is letting agencies if you can get them. They do normally ask for trades to do 24/7 cover for them too from what I know.

AndyGuinness

 

[leeward]

cheers maybe i could have a aprentice/ improver covering the hours i carnt, i was just hopeing to do tests and issue certificates at a good rate

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cheers for advice

 

[NozSpark]

The problem with apprentices/improvers is that they are learning and should really be supervised

 

[Electroglow]

An apprentice covering hours lol

I wouldn't trust a improver who has done there time to do that.. Not from my experience any way.

We do a lot of lettings and we nearly work full time for them.

 

[leeward]

yes agree , what would you say is the going rate for a lanlord certificate, im just thinking of a way of earning more money for me and my family,

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cheers so how meny lanlord certificates do u do a week on averge

 

[Electroglow]

Again depend on the property.

To employ some one with having enough work is wrong and will make u bust

Any thing from 100 to thousands

 

[leeward]

cheers i was just thinking of doing domestic propertys landlord certificates and to do the work my self if its a fail, i can put 36 hours a week in too it thats with 8 hours sat and 8 hours sun

 

[ProDave]

As others have said, there's nothing wrong with being PAYE and self employed at the same time. Just as long as you tell HMRC.

You will fill in a tax return each year that declares your PAYE income, your tax paid and your self employed income.

I was self employed for nearly a year before quitting PAYE. It can get a little complicated, for instance, instead of asking you to pay the tax due for your self employed earnings in one lump, you might get the option instead to adjust your tax code, so that you pay more PAYE tax and so pay all the tax due from your self employment over the next year.

If you are only doing inspection and testing, and maintenance jobs, you won't be doing new installations or work that comes under part P, so I question if there's any need to join any of the schemes? All you need it so be competent, and backed up by PL and PI insurance.

 

[leeward]

thanks very much for your help, so on the periodic / lanlord certificates as long as im insurred all i need to do is by the certificates and fill them out

 

[Doc Hudson]

thanks very much for your help, so on the periodic / landlord certificates as long as im insurred all i need to do is by the certificates and fill them out

Theoretically yes, But many landlords and agency will want the business doing the inspections to be a member of an approved contractors scheme. Not sure many tenants would like you coming a doing a PIR during a Sunday even if the landlord can arrange it. Also many agencies may prefer a single contact 24/7 for an electrical contractor who can provides alterations, faults and inspections. A lot of the questions you are asking would be able to be answered by yourself from the contacts and enquirers you already have made. Very few small business succeed by just staring up cold with no contacts for work to get them started. Have you been round your local letting agency's to put the feelers out about the work levels out there. A lot of advertising is word of mouth. A person who has done C&G 2391 should understand the required competence and basic legal requirements for undertaking inspection work. What work do you actually do at the moment. do you have your own calibrated test equipment. once you start doing any electrical work, even inspections, for monetary gain you do take on additional legal responsibilities. Especially if your negligence leave someone injured.

Doc H.

 

[ProDave]

thanks very much for your help, so on the periodic / lanlord certificates as long as im insurred all i need to do is by the certificates and fill them out

You don't even need to buy them. Download the model forms from this site or others, or create your own.

 

[steptoe]

many agencies may prefer a single contact 24/7 for an electrical contractor who can provides alterations, faults and inspections

what puts me off letting agencies,

although I am starting to get a smallish base of private landlords put together, for general maintenance and inspections.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

HI , i work full time in the electrical trade i finish at 2 every day, im thinking of trying to set up somethink after i finish work, my idea is to try and set up a part time bussiness / soletrader doing testing and inspection , landlords certificates that sort of stuff mainly maintenace and testing , not so much rewires and big installs, i im thinking of trying to go with nappit and get insurred with them, the problem i have is i work full time on a paye, how would i go about paying tax ect,could you please give me some feed back if you think its a good idea and if it could work,

Thanks for your time

Your proposed business model only working half a week could potentially work if you were partnered with someone who could cover the morning time slots..

Cuz I am betting sooner rather than later some one will want you there in the morning to college a key or do a quick bit of remedial work following an inspection before the new Tennant move in...

Bit like pi55ing in the wind....

Sometimes you will manage and get away with it...

But at some point you are going to get messed up because you are not flexible enough to fit in morning time slots..

Then you customers will start going to people who can provide normal working hours appointments. :C

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i work from 6 am---------- Post Auto-Merged at 21:13 ---------- Previous post was made at 21:05 ----------

Do u think they could be a part time market just for lanlord certificates/ periodic inspections , and just do them ?

cheers maybe i could have a aprentice/ improver covering the hours i carnt, i was just hopeing to do tests and issue certificates at a good rate---------- Post Auto-Merged at 21:26 ---------- Previous post was made at 21:25 ----------

cheers for advice

yes agree , what would you say is the going rate for a lanlord certificate, im just thinking of a way of earning more money for me and my family,---------- Post Auto-Merged at 21:33 ---------- Previous post was made at 21:31 ----------

cheers so how meny lanlord certificates do u do a week on averge

cheers i was just thinking of doing domestic propertys landlord certificates and to do the work my self if its a fail, i can put 36 hours a week in too it thats with 8 hours sat and 8 hours sun

thanks very much for your help, so on the periodic / lanlord certificates as long as im insurred all i need to do is by the certificates and fill them out

Actually....

reading some of your other posts...

You don't seem to have much of a clue about the level of competence required to perform PIR and fill out EICR's!!

:_| :_|

 

[Sharpend]

One thing you will learn very quickly when self employed is that time is no longer your own especially with letting agents as they will think they have a right to own your time. They will pretty much dictate timings and if you can't make it they will only be happy to use another spark.

Being self employed can be more stressful then you bargain for.

Unless you're canoeboy

 

[leeward]

Thats why i joined the fourm for help, and ,some people on here have been helping, , i just need to know will i be coverd to do pir and where i can get the certificates if im not with a body like nappit ect but im insurred

Cheers