Car Traders- Do many of you here trade from your residents ?
Discussion
I'm sure this is done to death, but here goes. I've been saving funds to start trading in cars from home. I'm looking to sell diesel golfs under 3yrs old, hoping that having four or five in one place would be attractive to anyone shopping for a diesel golf.
I have experience in Detailing and car preparation so hope that by providing an impeccably prepared car i could build a good reputation.
My question is what are the pitfalls of trading from home for those of you that do it ? And is there anything that you would avoid if you started out again ?
Your help would be appreciated.
I have experience in Detailing and car preparation so hope that by providing an impeccably prepared car i could build a good reputation.
My question is what are the pitfalls of trading from home for those of you that do it ? And is there anything that you would avoid if you started out again ?
Your help would be appreciated.
I bought my first TVR from a trader working from home. He had a lovely house, with 3 TVRs in his garage and it was all very professional and there were no surprises. The house was large and neighbours not too close so I don't think that was much of an issue.
Do it well, act professionally and it's not necessarily a problem. It will depend partly on where you live and what your premises (house
) is like though.
Do it well, act professionally and it's not necessarily a problem. It will depend partly on where you live and what your premises (house
) is like though.
PetrolTed said:
I bought my first TVR from a trader working from home. He had a lovely house, with 3 TVRs in his garage and it was all very professional and there were no surprises. The house was large and neighbours not too close so I don't think that was much of an issue.
Do it well, act professionally and it's not necessarily a problem. It will depend partly on where you live and what your premises (house) is like though.
It wasn't a bit south east of Stockport was it?Do it well, act professionally and it's not necessarily a problem. It will depend partly on where you live and what your premises (house
) is like though.That is where I got my TVR from. Guy had a stunning detached house, decked in oak, and a walled and gated gravelled front drive with about £200k of sports cars on it.
It's not illegal to work from home - I do and have done so for almost 20 years.
What is illegal is being a motor trader whilst pretending to be a private seller, because in law the responsibilities are very different.
The issue here is the possible inconvenience/disturbance to your neighbours. If there is plenty of space and you sell one car at a time, discretely (and discreetly!), it's unlikely to be a problem. But if you have block the road with cars for sale and test engines all night, you will quite rightly have the Council on your doorstep very quickly.
Where are these 4-5 diesel Golfs going to go? Your land or on the roadside?
What is illegal is being a motor trader whilst pretending to be a private seller, because in law the responsibilities are very different.
The issue here is the possible inconvenience/disturbance to your neighbours. If there is plenty of space and you sell one car at a time, discretely (and discreetly!), it's unlikely to be a problem. But if you have block the road with cars for sale and test engines all night, you will quite rightly have the Council on your doorstep very quickly.
Where are these 4-5 diesel Golfs going to go? Your land or on the roadside?
Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 17th March 22:19
As Simpo says, trading from home is not automatically "illegal" BUT there may be planning restrictions on conducting certain types of business activities from your home address.
I run my accountancy practice from my home and it has virtually zero impact on the residential nature of the area.
Selling cars from home often DOES have a significant impact on the residential nature of an area and you could fall foul of the local planning authority.
There are usually two outcomes to any such problems -
they order you to cease trading from your home
or
they allow you to trade from home but will ask you to pay Business Rates
Where would your "stock" of cars for sale be kept?
On your propety?
On the street outside?
I run my accountancy practice from my home and it has virtually zero impact on the residential nature of the area.
Selling cars from home often DOES have a significant impact on the residential nature of an area and you could fall foul of the local planning authority.
There are usually two outcomes to any such problems -
they order you to cease trading from your home
or
they allow you to trade from home but will ask you to pay Business Rates
Where would your "stock" of cars for sale be kept?
On your propety?
On the street outside?
Thank you for the responses
The stock would be kept on my land/Driveway short term, my Dad also lives 2 minutes away so could keep some there. Although my intension is to move (where as someone has said)into a larger, more private house as not to upset any neighbours and to appear more professional.
The stock would be kept on my land/Driveway short term, my Dad also lives 2 minutes away so could keep some there. Although my intension is to move (where as someone has said)into a larger, more private house as not to upset any neighbours and to appear more professional.
PWE said:
Eric Mc said:
PWE said:
I'm expecting to sell my first 12 cars as a private seller and if successfull i will then register as a trader.
Register with whom?The date you bought your FIRST car for resale (not your thirteenth) would count as a valid commencement date. If you fail to notify HMRC within this three month time limit your are liable to a late notification penalty.
They insist on this because you need to start paying them the Self Employed Class 2 National Insurance contributions within three months of start up - unless your profits fall below the Lowere Earning Level for NI. If that is the case, you need to notify them about that as well.
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