TAX Return - Where are you In Off The Red?

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

I know, last minute dot com AGAIN, despite promising myself every year that I will do it early.....  ?

 

Same firm but new account manager, same old questions that I've previously clarified and same justifications for queries raised:

 

Guard dog expenses - are they eligible?  (just shy of £800 for the year)

 

They need to be 'wholly & exclusively' for business purposes.  They are kennelled in the yard, they are integral elements of a layered, overt physical security system which includes warning signs, CCTV etc intended to deter and prevent isolated rural crime.  They are working dogs with Schutzhund qual's.

 

I claim for their expenses and accountant has questioned it.  I have previously justified it to the last account manager but I have had to justify it again....  Any thoughts / comments / input appreciated.

 

Subsistence - is it eligible? (just shy of £400 for the year) 

 

I have submitted (small) invoices for occasional pie / pasty etc when unexpectedly delayed or detained on a task.  It happens.  Extra fluids in Summer / hot drinks in Winter.  I normally take too much food and end up bringing it home but sometimes a task or a site visit over runs and I get even more crabby than usual when hungry.  Also, we've taken to having a Friday breakfast meeting (once or twice a month) with the architect(s)).  I'd only claim for my own breakfast but it is a business meeting.  Any thoughts / comments / input appreciated.

 

There was also a question about protective clothing only being allowable if it was 'company branded.'  I said under and mid layer clothing generally is but weather layer items would have waterproof qualities compromised by stitching....  Any thoughts / comments / input appreciated. 

 

I seem to be stuck in some sort of never ending loop where they are asking me if its appropriate and I am asking them if its legitimate.

 

All I want is for them to say you can / cannot submit that.  The expenses have been incurred, if they are legitimate I want them included if they are not I don't...

 

I can feel a bit of a rage coming on ?

 

 

[swinny]

Fuck em and bang it in. All sensible to me... not sure about the dogs but other stuff OK I say. Change of accountant I say

Edited January 28, 2020 by swinny

[topchippyles]

Just found this online 

 

 

Guard dogs

HMRC have been known to claim that guard dogs, especially those who guard a business run from home, are actually pet animals and therefore the cost of buying and feeding the dog is either not allowable for tax or only partly allowable. However, there have been some exceptions to this.

It stands to reason that a guard dog that isn't also a pet animal should be treated just like any other working dog. In that case, you could claim capital allowances on the cost of buying the dog and maintenance costs for the dog - such as feeding and vets' bills - are tax-deductible expenses.

If you have a pet dog that also carries out some guard duties, for example, guarding a home office at night, then you may be able to claim a proportion of the dog's food, vet fees, insurance, etc. as business costs.

[scbk]

3 hours ago, topchippyles said:

Just found this online 

 

 

Guard dogs

HMRC have been known to claim that guard dogs, especially those who guard a business run from home, are actually pet animals and therefore the cost of buying and feeding the dog is either not allowable for tax or only partly allowable. However, there have been some exceptions to this.

It stands to reason that a guard dog that isn't also a pet animal should be treated just like any other working dog. In that case, you could claim capital allowances on the cost of buying the dog and maintenance costs for the dog - such as feeding and vets' bills - are tax-deductible expenses.

If you have a pet dog that also carries out some guard duties, for example, guarding a home office at night, then you may be able to claim a proportion of the dog's food, vet fees, insurance, etc. as business costs.

Does it say anything about cats on duty keeping the mice away from air filters, rubber hoses on machinery etc

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

28 minutes ago, scbk said:

Does it say anything about cats on duty keeping the mice away from air filters, rubber hoses on machinery etc

If you had a known problem with damage caused by rodents and you had to contract in pest control services or bought traps, I’d see that as a genuine cost to protect assets. 
 

Cant see why a cat would differ.
 

No chance of a cat being a pet - horrible, self absorbed, aloof feckers....

Edited January 28, 2020 by kevinjohnsonmbe

[eggsarascal]

2 minutes ago, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

 

 

horrible, self absorbed, aloof deckers....

Reminds me of a bloke I know.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Thanks Egger! Spotted the typo!!  

[Spruce Pirate]

4 hours ago, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

There was also a question about protective clothing only being allowable if it was 'company branded.'  I said under and mid layer clothing generally is but weather layer items would have waterproof qualities compromised by stitching....  Any thoughts / comments / input appreciated. 

They're questioning whether PPE is an allowable expense?  I'm including waterproofs as PPE - when working outside you need to be protected from the elements.  I've had three different accountants (died, retired, current) and none have even thought of questioning this.  To my mind any and all work clothing is an allowable expense and the accountants have always backed this up.  The rest of your queries seem reasonable to me, but I've no direct experience of them, and I'm not an accountant. 

 

I might think of looking for another accountant if I were you.

[doobin]

Pretty sure no food is ever claimable but could be wrong. 

[spuddog0507]

you can get away with putting a lot of things through, food is one of them i have done, as a family we all ways go out for a pre christmas get to gether that includes a 3 course meal and a bar bill, my mother allways pays for it, but on the day i pay then get most of it back in beer tokens but i put it through as a christmas party for me and my subbies, all outdoor clothing goes through with me from wellies, boots, coats and over trousers, all wellies are Hunter coats Musto and boots meindl dovre, all expensive but they do the job well, i have been asked by my accountant why i need to buy a £350 Musto coat for work, i just tell her you have heating on in your office and a roof over your head,we work out in the wilds of lancashire and north yorkshire and sometimes we are 2000ft above sea leavel with no heating or shelter, so why should i not have a decent coat to work in, same with wellies and boots for the job i do i want to be comfortable at work as some of the places we get to are very remote, photo below is a great place to be on a dry day but its shit when its raining, sleeting or snowing, just about 3 mile from civalisation and no phone signal at all, and of all the time i have spent on this site i have only seen one other person up there and that was the Grouse keeper,