Business from home query

[Bishee1999]

Hi

I received a letter from council tax office this morning stating:

"we have received information that a business is being run from your property, Please confirm if nature of your property has changed and should now be classed as commercial.

now i have a electrical and plumbing business which i work from home meaning that i leave home and come home in the evening if that makes sense. I didn't know i had to change property class for this.

The only thing i can think of is i have issued several electrical, gas and Energy preformance certs to the council for clients under the landlord licence scheme

Please advice

Thanks

 

[kbdiy]

Thousands of small businesses/ sole traders work from home like this without the need to change class of use.

Have you upset one of the neighbours and they have moaned to the council knowing you work from home? Can't understand why they would randomly send out such a letter otherwise. Any covenants on the house/land that prevent use for business?

 

[tony1851]

I think on that basis pretty well all self-employed people would be regarded as 'running a business from home'.

Probably just some busy-body complaining, and then the council hoping they could get some extra cash from you - say for a planning application for a change of use.

Personally I'd just ignore it.

 

[endecotp]

See:

https://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/workingfromhome/

Edit: actually, if it's for council tax vs business rates purposes rather than planning permission, see:

http://www.voa.gov.uk/corporate/Publications/workingFromHome.html

 

[cjard]

Don't forget to see if you can apply for an income tax break on the part of your home that is used for business purposes, if the complaint relates to this

 

[angelboy]

The above link option three would be my guess.