Self employed / blagging it?

[ColJack]

I got a start on a new job monday for a company doing "social housing" jobs doing the electrics on the kitchens and bathrooms..

I'm now bricking it because I sort of blagged it in the "interview" on the phone..

I told them I didn't have social housing experience, but did say I'd done bathrooms and kitchens before, which I have but not extensively..
3 total rewires, my own kitchen, several workmates kitchens and bathrooms over the years, and a lot of hotel rooms and a block of flats..
I know what I'm doing but it's not like I've done domestic every day for the past 14 years, I was mainly industrial...

They've also said I need to go self employed and get a UTR..
it's been about 6 years since I was last SE and it's all changed since then..
do I still need to register as CIS? does it even still exist?

obviously I still need to keep all my recipts and get an accountant for the end of year return..

what will I be expected to bring with me to the job?
I hope that they don't expect me to provide my own parts...
I wonder if it includes a van, or will I have to get one since it won't be great turning up in a car to rewire someones house...
I used to have one but it died..

Do I really want to go SE before monday in case I don't measure up or I don't like it..?

 

[Alarm]

Are you on drugs?

 

[ColJack]

rather an odd response...
nothing stronger than coffee, why?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

My guess is that self-employed means self-employed, and that you do jobs for them and bill them just like you would any other one, so yes, own van, own tools, and unless they have their own stores (how big are they? How many properties do they own?) you supply materials and invoice them etc.

They'll want to spec the materials, I expect, or set a maximum budget for them, to stop you going mad with MK Edge everywhere, for example.

Have they told you what to do 1st thing Monday?

Sit at home waiting for them to phone?

Go to their premises and sit drinking tea with their plumbers?

Go to Number 11 Railway Terrace and fix Mrs Miggins' lights?

 

[ColJack]

go to their unit and do an induction..
I suspect all my questions will be answered there as well as a lot of theirs asked.. which is why I'm loath to register SE until after the first week to make sure I don't screw myself up for Jobseekers if it falls through..


I don't mind getting a van again, but it will be a while until I can get some cash together.. even part-ex'ing my car..

The structure is a little confusing..

I'm through an agency to one company who is sub contract to another company who is contracting to the LABC ( social housing = council house ).. but I can't tell the 3rd company that I'm agency, as far as they need to know, I'm working for the second company..

need to shop for a hi-vis, mines way too massive on me now, and my hi-vis t-shirts would be too cold this time of year..

hard hat too... damn it...

 

[ColJack]

there's no mention of I&T on the job advert either, so do you think I'll have to get my meter calibrated or will their own guys come out to test? it's never been done since I've had it..

 

[ericmark]

I have used my car and used company van. Problem with car I was not insured to carry materials so company had to provide a van when I moved site. Also could not carry (Officially) any other employee however since apprentice at that time was my son not really a problem.

I would not go self employed used an agency because of the tax problems. To be self employed either one has to charge by the job or be doing work for a number of people.

My son went self employed but means you have to agree on a price for every job can't be paid by the hour.

As to tools insurance is the problem. If tools are not yours then your insurance may not cover and vice versa. Hiring is OK but if for example a hammer head came off who's insurance would cover? Again that was one reason I did not go self employed as of course you need insurance and only worth doing for a long job.

The building regulations is another problem. If the job is already under LABC then OK but if not then for big jobs great but small jobs with LABC wanting their cut really you do need to be a member of a scheme. And the scheme operators will require you to have test equipment and a selection of books. All which will cost.

So if you need to pay out for test gear, insurance, PPE etc. Then you need a contract for at least three months to get that money back. My wife also worked for an agency OK they took a cut but they did all the insurance, tax etc. Don't forget holidays. Many want self employed so they can get away with not paying holidays.

In the main self employed is a scam so they can lay you off when they like without notice, not pay holidays, or even insurance so be careful.

 

[Wontdothatagain]

If you had a UTR, you still have a UTR.

As a self employed sole trader, you will almost certainly have to go through a CIS company to get your money. I think it is illegal to be paid directly now unless you are VAT registered.

You can work for 16 hours without it effecting your payments, so you could go along to the induction and see what they are like, but if the jobcenter get wind that you were offered a job and did not take it, you will loose everything.

If you have been unemployed for longer than a year, you are entitled to a one off payment from the job center, sorry cant remember what it is off hand.

Mrs WDTA

 

[Adam_151]

Coljack, drop me a PM, depending on who the main contractor is, I might be able to give you some information on what to expect (though I expect that most of these are run on a similar format anyway)

 

[ColJack]

not sure if I had a UTR or not.. my accountant dealt with my returns and I has a CIS card..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

go to their unit and do an induction..
I suspect all my questions will be answered there as well as a lot of theirs asked.. which is why I'm loath to register SE until after the first week to make sure I don't screw myself up for Jobseekers if it falls through..

Tell them that the phone interview was the first stage and then next week is the second one.

 

[flameport]

not sure if I had a UTR or not.. my accountant dealt with my returns and I has a CIS card..

In that case you almost certainly have got one - it should be on your old tax returns or other documents.
There are no CIS cards any more, you can register by phone and then all you need to do is give your UTR to whoever is paying you, they will deduct the required percentage from the labour element of what you are to be paid.

Info here: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cis/subcontractors/index.htm

 

[ColJack]

would this UTR be the 10 digit number / letter combination that is on a recent tax refund letter I got from the HMRC?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

CJ what are the payment arrangements, do you invoice and have to wait 30 days for payment?
Did they ask for public liability insurance docs.?

 

[ColJack]

aw crap, i forgot about that.. PL insurance.. should never have cancelled it..
never asked about the arrangements either.. assumed they would send me the details..
I was just happy to have a job again, but now it's sounding like more hassle than it's worth..