Working from home, rules?

[Mesterh]

Thanks for the input. I forgot to mention that this is a house that we are buying soon so I haven't moved in yet. I was hoping to be able to be a little more sure that I will be able to and not get told I can't later on, before we actually buy and sign for the house. It is one of the reasons, quite a major one infact, for wanting the house and it would be a big pain to be then told I can't use the land. A lot of the wood and chip would get used for personal use but obviously a lot would be business.

 

You are going to be popular then.

 

If its for business purposes then the council will charge you business rates if they find out.

 

They might also decide that you cant do what you want to do with the land.

 

Catch 22, ask them and it might be a no then you definitely cant go ahead on the quiet.

[renewablejohn]

Thanks for the input. I forgot to mention that this is a house that we are buying soon so I haven't moved in yet. I was hoping to be able to be a little more sure that I will be able to and not get told I can't later on, before we actually buy and sign for the house. It is one of the reasons, quite a major one infact, for wanting the house and it would be a big pain to be then told I can't use the land. A lot of the wood and chip would get used for personal use but obviously a lot would be business.

 

Have a word of your plans with a local land agent. They will give you the low down of the local council attitude towards your proposed development and could even approach the council on your behalf in a what if scenario.

[Quickthorn]

If you can show there's some personal use, business rates won't come into it - you'll be paying council tax on the place anyway. If it's sole business use, then they'll want the business rates instead of council tax, but they can't have both.

 

The issue will be planning permission.

[T14EES T14UNK]

Planning permission in what way? Do you mean for if I want to put buildings up or is it classed as a planning permission to use the land.

I am hoping to put a wood fired central heating/hot water cooker in so will be going through a lot of wood which will need to be stored and split etc. I will also be able to 'use' alot of the woodchip for my own use in the paddock etc. So hopefully this would be classed as personal and not totally business. I'd be surprised if I have any wood left for sale next year anyway!!

Thanks for the help. Think its gonna be a case of having to get on with it and hope I can. Can't see us going through planning before having to complete the purchase of the house.

[animatedpomegranate]

Councils and the way they treat business run from home is very much luck of the draw. I ran a fairly large furniture workshop employing on and off 4 guys, for 16 years. I started out really small in 85 in my fathers garage in sussex in a residential area. Within 6 months complaints brought the council round. It didnt matter that much cos the whole family were moving to wales. We had bought a rural property with a bit of land and in the workshop that was on site built the business over the following 15 years or so. Big machinery noise and dust, delivery lorries etc no complaints and little interest from the council who seemed happy to see small biz taking off. It was a time when being a small biz person was being encouraged. Labour came to power and all that changed almost overnight. Within two years the council were on to me. Paperwork to fill in to get permission to boil a kettle within the workshop was the last straw.

 

My advice is see what you can get away with, but be sensible. There is plenty of info on the web which enables you to be informed without alerting undue interest. I always found the more I involved the authorities in what I was upto, the more interest they showed. This basically means you end up working harder and harder to keep a pencil jockey in post. Its up to you, but if you get a couple of years rate free, hassle free and pain free, you'll be able to channel that energy into your biz effort. Just my bitter experience thoughts.....maybe its the time of year....ba humbug

[Kev Stephenson]

Planning permission in what way? Do you mean for if I want to put buildings up or is it classed as a planning permission to use the land.

I am hoping to put a wood fired central heating/hot water cooker in so will be going through a lot of wood which will need to be stored and split etc. I will also be able to 'use' alot of the woodchip for my own use in the paddock etc. So hopefully this would be classed as personal and not totally business. I'd be surprised if I have any wood left for sale next year anyway!!

Thanks for the help. Think its gonna be a case of having to get on with it and hope I can. Can't see us going through planning before having to complete the purchase of the house.

 

Keep a business yard somewhere for surplus (or for the purposes of planning 'share' with another surgeon) but deliver very very regularly timber for your own use and chip for the paddock. Unless there is a covenant in place oryou are not causing a nuisence you can run the tractor to process YOUR OWN logs just not for profit or gain, i.e personal use only.

 

Construction of temp buildings for storing logs won't be an issue unless you are wanting brick built and big - personal use only.

 

If the council come knocking you can state the timber/logs/chip is for personal use the business stock is held at ????? yard.

 

You might have more problems using home as an operating base if your 2 lads come in their own cars and parking at the house is an issue.

 

Kev