Hairdresser motor expenses

jilt

I have a couple of clients who are self employed hairdressers renting a chair at a local salon although I doubt if you used HMRC's rules they'd determine them to be self employed :001_unsure:

As they work at the same premises each day I am not allowing any motor/travelling expenses as this is travelling betwwen their home and place of work, however a previous accountant has included £1200 for motor expenses in one client's accounts and on his tax return. The same client also has an amount in for travelling expenses and clothing!!!. If he also works as a mobile hairdresser and incurs costs to get to client's homes I will include it but not for getting to the salon.

Anyone disagree, I'm starting to think I'm mean :laugh::laugh:

farmergiles

jilt wrote: »

I have a couple of clients who are self employed hairdressers renting a chair at a local salon although I doubt if you used HMRC's rules they'd determine them to be self employed :001_unsure:

As they work at the same premises each day I am not allowing any motor/travelling expenses as this is travelling betwwen their home and place of work, however a previous accountant has included £1200 for motor expenses in one client's accounts and on his tax return. The same client also has an amount in for travelling expenses and clothing!!!. If he also works as a mobile hairdresser and incurs costs to get to client's homes I will include it but not for getting to the salon.

Anyone disagree, I'm starting to think I'm mean :laugh::laugh:

Maybe the previous accountant has allowed for going to cash and carry for stock? do you have receipts for hairdressing products? Also to consider is where the business is registered, it may be registered at their home address because they do clients hair at home as well as going to the salon. They would need to have other clients outside of the salon to get around the HMRC rules of employment/self employment.
just some food for thought.
Kind regards
Peter

Jon_1984

I guess some smart/tidy clothing would be a nescessity - I wouldnt let some scruffy oik near me.......

Anne Boleyn

Clothing

Hi Jon 1984

You can't claim for clothing unless it is protective ie hi-vis jackets, hard hat, steel toe cap boots etc or a uniform. It would be great to claim for my suits which I wouldn't wear otherwise, but I can't.

jilt

Anne Boleyn wrote: »

Hi Jon 1984

You can't claim for clothing unless it is protective ie hi-vis jackets, hard hat, steel toe cap boots etc or a uniform. It would be great to claim for my suits which I wouldn't wear otherwise, but I can't.

Exactly, it's amazing the number of clothing receipts I'm given from a huge assortment of clients.

Fortunately for me as I work from home I don't have buy an assortment of suits, which like you I wouldn't wear otherwise. I do make sure I am wearing something smart when seeing clients though, not just shorts and a t-shirt :laugh:

farmergiles

I have had dis-agreements with HMRC in the past over clothing. In the practice I worked in we used to handle stage acts, who would claim for their clothing.HMRC would argue "Duality" of use, we would argue that the clothing was bought primarily for stage use and would need replacing every few months because of the stitches rotting due to excess sweating on stage. We agreed to claim 50% of the cost!
With hairdressing, they often have to wear a "uniform" , normally black blouse and trousers. I would expect again to claim 50% of the cost. HMRC may try to argue "Duality", but would you honestly want to wear the same clothes when going out at night, with the smell of hairdressing chemicals that would remain on the clothing, no matter how well you washed it??

I would argue that it is "specialist clothing" purchased for the sole purpose for use as working clothes!!

Bluewednesday

I think you might have just been lucky there FG.

The case law relating to this is for a barrister who wasn't allowed to claim the cost of her wigs and robes and I believe she was fairly unlikely to wear them out of court!!!

farmergiles

Bluewednesday wrote: »

I think you might have just been lucky there FG.

The case law relating to this is for a barrister who wasn't allowed to claim the cost of her wigs and robes and I believe she was fairly unlikely to wear them out of court!!!

I did argue this with a Nottingham Inspector who originally wanted to throw it out. After putting my case, he eventually agreed to a 50/50 split.
I think that providing you can prove your argument, you can get agreement from Inspectors.

JodieR

Hairdressers would be able to claim the cost of any clothing with a logo on it, I think you'd be lucky to get away with anything more. The argument is more whether you COULD wear the items outside of work than whether or not you DO.

jilt

Thank you all for your input, I'm afraid that the amount I'm charging the said hairdressers for a simple set of accounts and tax return does not warrant time spent on argueing my point with a tax inspector.

However, well done FG, and Bluewednesday, maybe the barrister could go to a fancy dress party :laugh: