Minimum Distance for Overnight Accommodation?

**SueEllen** · 28 April 2015, 21:39

HMRC would laugh.

There are government offices in the SE you know.

**northernladuk** · 28 April 2015, 22:36

Remember all but 20% or so comes out of your pocket in the end. It's not free. Wouldn't catch me wasting my cash for no reason.

Seriously though.. An hour???
Pack of growsum required at checkout one please.

**tarbera** · 29 April 2015, 00:10

Convincing your wife/girlfriend will be harder than HMRC that you want a dirty stop out once a week with the DBA of loose morals

**psychocandy** · 29 April 2015, 08:44

Im 90 mins away door to door from client. I occasionally stay over if I've got to work late or something.

No point rushing nuts off getting home at 10pm when kids are in bed anyway.

But as others have pointed out, its 80% of the cost met by you in effect. The trick is finding a decent place to stay for cheap. Staying in a tulipehole will just stress u even worse.

**Batcher** · 29 April 2015, 10:55

I've done it a few times in the past where I was only an hour's drive away but working until 7pm or so then due back for maybe an early 8am meeting.

Certainly less stressed staying over.

There were times ClientCo would pay for me to stay because they wanted me to have a game of golf and then dinner with a 3rd party they were trying to win business from. It was at a lovely 4 star country house hotel with it's own golf course. The whisky trolley used to get tanned in the evening

**Sausage Surprise** · 29 April 2015, 15:05

Stay overnight whenever you want. After all, it's your company and you will be paying for it.

**supersteamer** · 30 April 2015, 11:17

OK, I was probably being a bit hypothetical here: I can't really see myself staying over to save a 2-hour round trip (though it might possibly happen if I have a very late finish and early start as occasionally happens).

Previously I've either worked very close to home or very far away from home and the situation was clear cut. So I just wandered if the middle ground (say 2-5 hours/day travel) was covered by any strict rules. As nobody has quoted any rulebook, I presume then it's just a subjective decision about how far away is too far to travel, and if you want to claim relief with HMRC you must be prepared to back it up if it looks like you are being silly about it.

(And yes, I appreciate that you still have to pay for the accommodation!)

**psychocandy** · 30 April 2015, 14:35

Originally posted by supersteamer View Post

OK, I was probably being a bit hypothetical here: I can't really see myself staying over to save a 2-hour round trip (though it might possibly happen if I have a very late finish and early start as occasionally happens).

Previously I've either worked very close to home or very far away from home and the situation was clear cut. So I just wandered if the middle ground (say 2-5 hours/day travel) was covered by any strict rules. As nobody has quoted any rulebook, I presume then it's just a subjective decision about how far away is too far to travel, and if you want to claim relief with HMRC you must be prepared to back it up if it looks like you are being silly about it.

(And yes, I appreciate that you still have to pay for the accommodation!)

Dont see how HMRC can be that fussy. As long as you're not blatantly tryin it on (i.e. 5 star hotel saturday night nowhere near client) then its up to you.

If you can't be arsed to drive home one day then stay. HMRC dont get the right to tell you how to run your business.

**LisaContractorUmbrella** · 30 April 2015, 14:47

Originally posted by psychocandy View Post

Dont see how HMRC can be that fussy. As long as you're not blatantly tryin it on (i.e. 5 star hotel saturday night nowhere near client) then its up to you.

If you can't be arsed to drive home one day then stay. HMRC dont get the right to tell you how to run your business.

This. HMRC wouldn't have an issue unless your expensed hotel stay was obviously a jolly and nothing to do with the contract.

Minimum Distance for Overnight Accommodation?