Welcome the opportunity to put our talents and ideas to work in our firm, let alone the possibility to eliminate our daily commute. So, what’s keeping us from taking the following logical step and operating your company from home on our own?
So, is it true that all you need to thrive as a home-based business is a toolbox, a smartphone, and a laptop? Not exactly. However, it is probably possible. This article is intended to lead you in the proper way for starting and growing your company.
Is working from home the right option?
As is usually the case, begin with your goals and determine if a home-based company is the best approach to accomplish them. With this in mind, two problems that many entrepreneurs have at this time are as follows:
“I want to conduct myself in my manner…”
If you’re juggling several responsibilities, the thought of launching a business from home may sound great. However, working from home does not remove the challenge of juggling responsibilities to one’s family and one’s career. While it may be more convenient in practical terms to leap from one to the other, you’ll almost definitely want to maintain some aspect of regularity to keep work and play distinct. Working from home provides an opportunity for more flexibility in this schedule.
“I’d want to get started, but finances are limited…”
The fact is that you wish you could have a fully serviced office in a premium location, but that is not a possibility at the moment. Commercial property is not inexpensive, nor are the accompanying overheads. Working from home enables you to establish a business quickly and simply, without paying commercial rent, which might eat into your startup money and earnings.
Costs associated with working from home
However, you may still need new equipment, and there are additional expenditures connected with working from home (phone bills, heating, electricity etc.). If you want to run a business, it’s important to keep track of all of your receipts from the beginning. It easier for you to complete your soul tax return or company accounts. In addition, the HMRC’s streamlined expenditures system makes life considerably simpler for sole traders that operate from home.
How can I convey the appropriate image while starting a home business?
It is rather normal to begin as a lone trader, for which you must register as self-employed. This is a short and simple process that may be completed online.
You may be afraid that using a domestic address as your company address would seem relatively unprofessional, depending on your clientele. And then there’s the problem of privacy; do you want to broadcast your home address to the world?
Here are other ideas to help you cope with it:
If done correctly, operating as a limited corporation should be a simple, uncomplicated, and economical procedure. Adding the ‘Ltd’ suffix to your name communicates that you mean business, regardless of operating from home.
Consider a registered office address service. When forming a limited company, you designate a registered office address to which all official communication from Companies House and HMRC will be addressed. You may use our address through our Registered Agent Address Service instead of your own. Following that, we will transmit all messages to you. This prevents your home address from appearing on publicly accessible government records. Due to our location in the City of London and our prestigious business address, we can also provide your firm with a reassuringly corporate and established vibe.
Do you need the authorization to start a home business?
Installing a computer and telephone in a spare room is one thing; transforming a garage into a workshop is another.
The UK government’s planning webpage is a must-read for anybody considering operating a company from their home. It suggests that you ask yourself four questions before to beginning:
- Will your house cease to be primarily a private residence?
- Will your company operations result in a significant increase in traffic and/or calls (consider delivery trucks, for example)?
- Is your firm going to engage in any odd activities in a residential neighbourhood?
- Fourth, will your company cause excessive hours of operation or other types of annoyance, such as noise or odours?
You want to prevent the circumstance in which you start a home-based company only to discover that you violate the regulations. If in doubt, contact your local government to get a certificate of legitimate usage. Additionally, you should verify compliance with any applicable building rules before making physical alterations to your home.
Recruiting workers
Homeworkers might hire employees. To do so, you must register as an employer. As with any employer, you’ll be required to maintain payroll records and will very certainly be required to run PAYE. Employers’ liability insurance is another legal necessity, and regardless of where those people work, you still owe them a safe working environment. Contact an insurance broker before hiring employees to get critical information on any improvements that may be necessary to make your house safe for workers.
Health & safety still applies at home
Suppose you welcome clients, to your house, for example, for music lessons or physiotherapy sessions. In that case, you have a common law need to take reasonable efforts to protect their safety while on your premises. While there is no legal necessity to ensure this, it is exceedingly prudent. For starters, it gives you piece of mind, and insurers should be ready to provide you tips on how to avoid accidents.
