Run it from home...?

[Simon Rotheram]

Business rates and water can only go back 1 year.

 

I had heard that, its not the financial side I'm so concearned about they have said I wont get planning to continue the use as an arb business. Looking for new premises and the added cost of leasing when I own a perfectly good yard ...where's SWB stress thread??!

[Mesterh]

Business rates and water can only go back 1 year.

 

Oh no they cant try 4 years for water and the same for council tax mate.

[Kev Stephenson]

Are you actually doing anything from the yard e.g. logs or is it just parking for the works vehicles (how many vehicles/operators licence)? Do the staff park there through the day?

 

If you are just parking a van there is it any different from a travelling sales man parking his mondeo on the drive and arranging appointments on his laptop.

 

If the council want to visit it might be worth moving any excess logs/kit.

 

I got a letter though re running a business form home and after discussion the council had no objections as

 

1. I have no staff and other than use of the PC, use of the phone and kit maintenance I don't work at home.

2. All my gear is out of view in the garage other than the van and they could not come up with a valid reason why I was any different from Mr AA up the road who comes home in a works van as he is on call 24 hours a day.

3. No issues with the water board, you are allowed to wash your company vehicle and having no staff and the fact I carry out no work from home means I do no tuse any additonal water or produce any additional waste water.

 

Kev

[Stephen Blair]

I had heard that, its not the financial side I'm so concearned about they have said I wont get planning to continue the use as an arb business. Looking for new premises and the added cost of leasing when I own a perfectly good yard ...where's SWB stress thread??!

 

cant you fight it?

[skyhuck]

Oh no they cant try 4 years for water and the same for council tax mate.

 

If you have been paying for waste water when you should not have been, they will only refund back one year, even if you have been over paying for 30 years.

 

I don't see how any one could have not paid council tax you either you have a house or you don't?????

[Simon Rotheram]

Are you actually doing anything from the yard e.g. logs or is it just parking for the works vehicles (how many vehicles/operators licence)? Do the staff park there through the day?

 

If you are just parking a van there is it any different from a travelling sales man parking his mondeo on the drive and arranging appointments on his laptop.

 

If the council want to visit it might be worth moving any excess logs/kit.

 

I got a letter though re running a business form home and after discussion the council had no objections as

 

1. I have no staff and other than use of the PC, use of the phone and kit maintenance I don't work at home.

2. All my gear is out of view in the garage other than the van and they could not come up with a valid reason why I was any different from Mr AA up the road who comes home in a works van as he is on call 24 hours a day.

3. No issues with the water board, you are allowed to wash your company vehicle and having no staff and the fact I carry out no work from home means I do no tuse any additonal water or produce any additional waste water.

 

Kev

 

My thoughts exactly!

 

I have an operators licence for the 7.5t and have 2 transits parked up over night (out of sight hidden by hedge) I park my 4x4 on my drive at the front of the property so shouldnt matter.

 

My guys park the cars in my yard during the day which is off the public road and out of the way.

 

We do some log splitting on a Saturday partly for personal use but we do sell too.

[Simon Rotheram]

cant you fight it?

 

Like never before mate...got a solicitors meeting tomorrow

[Kev Stephenson]

If you have an OL for the 7.5 tonner is it registered at your house? If so then it is a commercial premise. OL = commercial premises = business rates.

 

Find out what the exact objections are, too many vehicles, noise, plant/logs on view and deal with that before you get inspected.

 

You might get planning with improvements to remove the areas that are being objected to

[Tom D]

I have a yard at home and I asked one of the planners to come out and take a look as I am hoping to build a shed, he thought I'd be ok for the shed and didn't mention any "change of use" issues. We are out in the sticks though and our nearest neighbours are 200 yards away. If they refuse me permission for the shed or get shirty about change of use I'll complain that they are stifling a rural business in an area where they are keen to create jobs etc.

 

Its hard to tell from the picture what the surrounding area is like, if there are no noise or extra traffic issues there are no grounds for neighbours to complain. For planning objections to be upheld they must meet certain criteria, these criteria are actually quite generous to the person making the application. On the downside though each authority will have a "local plan" this will set out areas which have been earmarked for particular purposes, greenbelt, residential , industrial etc, going against the local plan can be tricky. If you know the status of your area you can approach the council accordingly telling them what they want to hear, ie if its residential the logs are for your own use and you are entitled to keep your van and tools at home anyway, on the other hand if its mixed residential / industrial / agricultural or whatever then put an appropriate application in stressing things your business does in support of the plan.

Planning consultants know all this stuff and will know the best line to take with the council, money well spent.

[Mesterh]

If you have been paying for waste water when you should not have been, they will only refund back one year, even if you have been over paying for 30 years.

 

I don't see how any one could have not paid council tax you either you have a house or you don't?????

 

Sorry not council tax business rates on a yard.

 

The water can charge you going back 6 years iirc, for stuff like surface water drainage etc.