I'll be using an airport with friends in two weeks, and won't be using up my guest passes on them, but the app appears to show that I'll be eligible for £ 18 off one round at the bar.
Is it as simple as showing the QR code on my phone?
I got PP free with company credit card.
I’m very conflicted by this. Saying “please create a spreadsheet to manage expenses” feels slightly (or more than slightly) ridiculous, as I’m talking to a machine.
However, “create me a spreadsheet….” is something I would never say in real life. I’m a please and thank you fundamentalist.
Could be work related, or free therapy, or tidying your personal finances.
I’m not asking how it has failed you, just what has made your life easier/better.
I’m a very rudimentary user of AI - tightening quotes, helping with emails, personal net worth tracking etc - but for me the excel spreadsheets it creates for my small business are the standout. I was a user of excel anyway, but could never have produced ones as helpful, because I simply wouldn’t know how. They are saving me time every week, and that is a win.
I keep asking questions about CoT Pro card on here, so apologies if it seems I’m repeating myself.
I’m going to get the Pro card as I feel it’s probably worth it for the slightly higher rate of cashback alone, but I’m interested in how well the airport lounge access works.
It says free access, plus two free passes per year for a guest. How have users found this to work in practise? Can you just rock up, show your card, and get in for nothing? Or do you need to call ahead, and are they fine with allowing free access?
Started using a free business credit card from CoT last month and have already spent 34k on it for two months purchase accounts.
I won’t necessarily spend 200k over a year, as some months are smaller than others, but can’t decide whether to upgrade to the paid for card (299 annually I think).
Any advice from other users welcome 👍
My financial end of year is 31st March, five days before the tax year end.
This works perfectly for the things my accountant needs such as sales invoices, purchase invoices etc.
Problem comes regarding investments we have, as the statements are up to 5th April, as I’d expect them to be.
But the accountant always gets me to go back to the IFA and ask for details to 31st, which seems to be a ballache every year. Can’t he just estimate back a few days? We haven’t got a mortgage or loans, but if we did surely the statements for those would align with the tax year, not our financial year which could be any month.
I’m planning on moving away from the IFA this year, into a low fee EFT, but I’m worried that getting the exact info my accountant needs from a giant like AJ Bell or HL will be even harder/impossible.
I don’t just mean on the smallbusinessuk sub. I often go to reply to a post, and when I glance at the other replies, people will be saying that it’s AI generated.
Genuinely interested as to how you know?
I run a small roofing company, and unfortunately the UK isn’t set up for aerial imagery and measuring of roofs by outside companies, in the same way the USA is.
So for complicated, or difficult to view roofs I could do with some good photo/video from a drone.
This isn’t something I need every week, and I’m over 50 with little interest in flying drones for fun.
I’m just trying to get a handle on how easy or hard they are to use. And which ones to consider.
I’m in my 50s and have a mix of assets. Home, BTL, small business, pension etc, but I want to grow my NW considerably before retiring. Also, I still have plenty of mortgage debt.
There are lots of compounding calculators online, but I’m really unsure of what is a realistic percentage to apply.
AI seems to suggest 5 percent long term. My plan is to work fifteen years, which in financial terms is considered long term planning I think.
IT guy set up a link from my laptop, so I can access my work PC from anywhere (mainly home, when I occasionally need it on weekends), but the office IP address isn’t static.
It’s easy to find and change the new IP address, but only if I’m in the office, ten miles from home, which kinda defeats the object.
Can I just ask BT to set a static IP, or do I need to go through the IT guy? I can’t ask him on the weekend, and I pay him adhoc, not on a contract, so if I can avoid a visit and an invoice it would be good.
My properties are mainly 2-3 bed stone terraced houses, c.1900. Low value area, rents c.800 pcm average.
I’ve got EPC C on three, but not sure how much I need to spend on the rest, which are all let and going well.
I don’t get much churn, and expect most of the tenants to still be in place in 2028 and 2030.
What will happen on a larger scale, if for example 20 percent of properties don’t hit EPC C by the due dates? Will the government stop us renting? Sounds like a problem for landlords, tenants and councils coming down the track.
Been using Lloyds Business for ever, don’t pay much in fees, but get zero interest.
Had too much in the account about three years ago, so moved a decent amount into investments, which are doing fine.
But our current account still rarely drops below 70k, and is often 150k.
Can I earn interest on a business current account, without too much faff?
I haven’t even discussed this with my accountant, but I’d quite like a private registration on my car, and I have plenty of cash within the business.
First option is a two digit, three letter option (eg. 26 PDC) for about 4k, but the right initials with 1 in front is about 55k, open to offers (I’d offer 40 and not go any higher).
I’m well aware that the company would always own it, and that doesn’t bother me.
Any reason not to do this?
When I check out a competitor or supplier on gov.uk, I often see that they have several companies, but that some or all are dormant.
Why do you have them, and what are the annual costs involved? It sounds unnecessary, but I’m sure I’m missing something.
Being completely honest here, the main things being mentioned on the TV and radio, about RR, seem quite fair and what I was doing anyway. And I speak as someone who’s certainly not a fan of the Labour government.
I wouldn’t up the rent twice a year, I wouldn’t kick a tenant out because someone offered more rent, and rolling contracts seem much fairer for tenants.
I would be happier if it was the RRR Act (Renters Rights and Responsibilities), and I’m not hearing anything about pressure to pay rent on time …. but we are where we are.
Speaking personally, I’m more concerned about Trump starting bloody wars to push my interest only mortgages up, and on getting my remaining properties up to EPC C in the next couple of years.
I’m interested to be put right if I’m missing something fundamental here.
I have two businesses, one c.1m t/o limited company, and a c.65k gross income BTL portfolio. Non related companies, both owned by me.
We have always been very clear with our accounts, even though until about eight years ago it was all manual. But all clear bookkeeping, not a shoebox full of receipts.
Now everything is either proprietary software, or in the case of the BTL, a fully balancing excel spreadsheet.
It seems logical that the accounts should take much less time, and cost less in fees … but this hasn’t really happened.
Anyone seen meaningful savings?
Was chatting with my elderly mum on the weekend, who owns three properties, and came to the conclusion that even with RR, landlords being made pariahs, small profits and high taxes …. I’d still rather be a property owner than not.
In a nutshell, I’d feel very uncomfortable explaining to a twenty something couple, who are working hard and failing to get a deposit together, how tough owning BTL property is.
I’m not making any excuses for this terrible government, but I’d still rather be in my position, than someone without assets, and I don’t honestly ever see me getting out of owning property. I won’t buy any more, I’ll try to focus on pensions and shares, but I’ll keep the ones I’ve got.
We had no idea how hard buying property would become, in just one generation.
Have run a small scale construction company for many years and have always been PAYE-centric. Average ten staff.
Our make up is 50/50 now but the employed staff are heading towards retirement, in the next ten years.
After a very tough year I’ve completely changed my mind and can’t see me taking anyone on the books going forward.
The reasons always given for employing people is that you have more control, but I don’t feel that. I have lots of responsibility, but if they get offered a pound an hour more elsewhere they can go tomorrow. Also the staff were far more concerned about everyone’s health during Covid, whilst being paid furlough, but happily jumped on a plane once it was allowed.
I can pay subbies more per day, they keep most of it, and I have no responsibility towards them. But because I don’t mess them about, they treat it as a job, and are generally very conscientious. Sometimes moreso than staff.
Just wondered how others are playing things?