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If you let out residential property you need to know whether you can receive a tax deduction for the cost of replacing or repairing furniture and fittings provided inside that property. The cost of equipment used to maintain the outside of a property, or used in the communal areas of a building containing multiple dwellings, is always deductible.
When you fit something for the first time to a property, such as a fitted kitchen, that cost will form part of the capital cost of the building and will only be deductible when you sell the property. If you repair a fitting or replace the fitting with something of the same quality, the cost counts as a repair which can be deducted from the rental income.
If the fitting is replaced with items of a higher quality, the whole cost must be treated as a capital improvement, which is only deductible from the proceeds of selling the property. This does not apply if the replacement is superior just because the modern equivalent of an outdated material or design is used. For example when you replace an old central heating boiler with a new condensing boiler, which does the same job but with greater energy efficiency, that will be a tax deductible repair not an improvement
Vans, computers and most office furniture can help reduce your tax bill
Do you know that there are a range of tax reliefs/allowances that you may be able to claim that could help save your business money?
Whether you are thinking of investing or buying assets for your business, or simply thinking of employing someone, there may be a tax relief or allowance that you are entitled to.
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Do you know that there are a range of tax reliefs/allowances that you may be able to claim that could help save your business money?
Whether you are thinking of investing or buying assets for your business, or simply thinking of employing someone, there may be a tax relief or allowance that you are entitled to.
See what reliefs/allowances you or your business could benefit from and whether you can claim by checking out the information on the BIS GREAT website.
If the artwork is kept at their home there will be a taxable benefit in kind, which needs to be declared on the annual form P11D.
Say the artwork cost £30,000:
Your client will pay income tax on 20% x £30,000 = £6,000 at their marginal rate, each year. The company must also pay class 1A NICs of 13.8% x £6,000 = £828 per year.
If the artwork is to be kept in a bank vault as a pure investment, there won’t be a benefit in kind charge for you. However, the business must pay the insurance and storage costs, for which there will be no tax deduction. There is also no tax deduction for the cost of buying the artwork as it is not an item used for the business.
If the company closes, any creditors will be able to access the value of that art, just as if it was cash. If the business is solvent when it closes holding significant investments, it may not qualify for entrepreneurs’ relief, which would otherwise reduce the tax you pay on any gain made on the liquidated asset of the company down to 10%.
There are 6 things you need to do when employing staff for the first time.
- Decide how much to pay someone – you must pay your employee at least the National Minimum Wage.
- Check if someone has the legal right to work in the UK. You may have to do other employment checks as well.
- Apply for a DBS check (formerly known as a CRB check) if you work in a field that requires one, eg with vulnerable people or security.
- Get employment insurance – you need employers’ liability insurance as soon as you become an employer.
- Send details of the job (including terms and conditions) in writing to your employee. You need to give your employee a written statement of employment if you’re employing someone for more than 1 month.
- Tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) by registering as an employer – you can do this up to 4 weeks before you pay your new staff.
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There are a number of reliefs available to owners or tenants of smaller business premises. This article lists a number that can be claimed.
Small business rate relief:
You’ll get 100% relief (doubled from the usual rate of 50%) until 31 March 2015 for properties with a rateable value of £6,000 or less. This means you won’t pay business rates on properties with a rateable value of £6,000 or less.
The rate of relief will gradually decrease from 100% to 0% for properties with a rateable value between £6,001 and £12,000.
Retail relief:
Some local councils will give you up to £1,000 off your business rates if you occupy a retail property with a rateable value of £50,000 or less. To be eligible the property must mainly be used as a shop, restaurant, cafe or drinking establishment.
You’re usually not eligible if your business provides financial services, medical services or professional services like legal advice or accounting.
Empty properties re-occupation relief
You may get 50% off your business rates if you start occupying a retail premises that’s been empty for one year or more.
Rural rate relief:
You may qualify for the rural rate relief if your business is in a rural area with a population below 3,000. The relief is between 50% and 100% off your business rates.
You can get rural rate relief if your business is:
Local councils can also:
The availability of the various reliefs will depend where you business is based. If you think you may qualify for any of the rates relief discuss your options with your local council.
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f a property is let furnished – with sufficient furniture, furnishings and equipment for normal residential use – landlords can only claim tax relief for the furniture and equipment by way of the WTA. Prior to April 2013, landlords had the option of claiming the cost of replacement furniture instead.
The WTA is calculated as 10% of the gross rents less any tenant’s costs (e.g. water rates and council tax) met by the landlord.
WTA does not cover repairs, which continue to be tax deductible. The question is then raised can replacement of an item be counted as a repair? In this respect, landlords that let furnished property need to distinguish between:
- Replacement of items that are integral to the building, and
- Replacement of items that are not integral to the building.
Needless to say there are grey areas!
Replacement of items that are integral to the building
Fixtures integral to the building are those that are not normally removed by either tenant or owner if the property is vacated or sold. Examples include:
- Baths
- Washbasins
- Toilets
- Immersion heaters
- Fitted kitchens and fitted white goods.
This list is not intended to be complete but gives an idea of the assets that are integral to the building and fall outside the wear and tear allowance. As these items are integral to the building, the cost of replacing these items is normally an allowable expense as a repair to the building.
Replacement of items that are not integral to the building.
Expenditure of this type will be covered by the WTA. Examples given on HMRC’s website in this category include:
- movable furniture or furnishings, such as beds or suites,
- televisions,
- fridges and freezers,
- carpets and floor-coverings,
- curtains,
- linen,
- crockery or cutlery,
- beds and other furniture
Unfortunately, these examples are not definitive: is a carpet glued to the floor a permanent fixture, or not part of the integral features?