Any sole traders...

[RichA]

...have any thoughts on this question that I've just posted on the MSE forum?

After a working lifetime on PAYE I'm taking a relatively early retirement later this year. From April 2026 I'll be going self-employed as a sole trader and I'm just trying now to mentally get some ducks in a row.
I will be doing very local garden maintenance and lawn care. I can't fit a lawnmower, scarifier, strimmer, hedge trimmers and loads of garden waste in the back of my Golf hatchback so I'll need a van or pickup for the business 4 days a week.
Once a week I will continue to visit my elderly father 130 miles away.
Although the vehicle will be used 80/20 for business in terms of time and is an absolute necessity for the business, the mileage is going to be weighted 80/20 towards personal use.

So my question is, when it comes to getting some tax relief on the purchase and ongoing running costs, will I be screwed for the massive personal use even though I'm only getting the vehicle because I need it for the business?
I realise that I have to pay taxes in full for the personal mileage - I'm mostly wondering about eligibility for offsetting the vehicle purchase cost against profits and using my AIA.

 

[chico]

I would just get an accountant. For a small business like yourself they'll probably charge a couple of hundred quid a year.

 

[3 jabber]

We have a gardener and he uses a Golf with a towbar and one of those cage type trailers that can fit all his gear in. Would that be an option?

 

[3 jabber]

Something like this

cage trailer - Google Suche

 

[RichA]

We have a gardener and he uses a Golf with a towbar and one of those cage type trailers that can fit all his gear in. Would that be an option?

That might be the simple solution.
It did cross my mind before but I ruled it out for reasons of vanity. I've never reversed a trailer and didn't fancy embarrassing myself.

 

[3 jabber]

That might be the simple solution.
It did cross my mind before but I ruled it out for reasons of vanity. I've never reversed a trailer and didn't fancy embarrassing myself.

Reversing a trailer is not as difficult as chipping over a bunker from a bare lie

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I would suggest an accountant will be a little more than £200 a year.
If your business owns the van, you dont need to record mileage.
If you own the van and not the business, you need to record weekly mileage.
I would though take some official advice on how you progress, though I suspect as fuel use goes, you probably will be able to work it somehow
Good luck BTW

 

[chico]

I would suggest an accountant will be a little more than £200 a year.
If your business owns the van, you dont need to record mileage.
If you own the van and not the business, you need to record weekly mileage.
I would though take some official advice on how you progress, though I suspect as fuel use goes, you probably will be able to work it somehow
Good luck BTW

A sole trader hasn't much work to it. I pay mine £195.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

A sole trader hasn't much work to it. I pay mine £195.

Fair enough, I suppose it depends on how tidy your books are although using something like Quickbooks makes it so easy anyway.
Mine costs my business £213 a month, including QB license. But then I am Ltd and VAT registered, but she saves me more than her fee