Changing personal mobile phone account to be in the name of my company

[northernladuk]

Actually makes me think, I'm on local payroll now, but I still use my mobile paid for by my sleeping Ltd, not dormant yet, just not operating.

I can use my Ltd for any days I work outside Denmark, usually 5/6 days a month. Most likely not worth it, as I'm only paying 30% tax on local payroll, doubt I'd save much by using ltd for non-DK days.

Better think about the Three account I have for my Ltd though, I shouldn't be using it wholly personally but it's a contract, I can't just cancel it can I?

But you aren't using it wholly personally... Over the term of the contract it's just a small blip where business use was down. There will be times it was the other way around so in the long run all is well I would have said.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

Just change the direct debit to your companies bank. That'll do.

No it won't. The contract needs to be between YourCo and the network otherwise it's a BIK (pecuniary liability principle).

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

Actually makes me think, I'm on local payroll now, but I still use my mobile paid for by my sleeping Ltd, not dormant yet, just not operating.

I can use my Ltd for any days I work outside Denmark, usually 5/6 days a month. Most likely not worth it, as I'm only paying 30% tax on local payroll, doubt I'd save much by using ltd for non-DK days.

Better think about the Three account I have for my Ltd though, I shouldn't be using it wholly personally but it's a contract, I can't just cancel it can I?

YourCo is allowed to pay for a contract (in its own name) for one phone that can be used for personal and/or business use and AFAIK it doesn't matter what the ratio is.

[booms]

Thanks guys,

My accountant thinks it doesn’t matter if it’s a personal account or business account as long as I can get the name of the company on it. That would make life a lot easier, if I can just call up EE and tell them to change the name. Does that sound sensible? I haven’t been able to find any HMRC edict saying it has to be a business account, but it’d be useful if someone knew otherwise.

Looking into business accounts has been so difficult I’m starting to think they just aren’t very common anyway. Three aren’t able to offer them instore, and they don’t detail them/spec them out on their website either.

[Lance]

Looking into business accounts has been so difficult I’m starting to think they just aren’t very common anyway. Three aren’t able to offer them instore, and they don’t detail them/spec them out on their website either.

they are't keen on limited liability

[northernladuk]

Thanks guys,

My accountant thinks it doesn’t matter if it’s a personal account or business account as long as I can get the name of the company on it. That would make life a lot easier, if I can just call up EE and tell them to change the name. Does that sound sensible? I haven’t been able to find any HMRC edict saying it has to be a business account, but it’d be useful if someone knew otherwise.

Did you even read the thread?

Looking into business accounts has been so difficult I’m starting to think they just aren’t very common anyway. Three aren’t able to offer them instore, and they don’t detail them/spec them out on their website either.

Utter rubbish. They make a fortune selling to businesses.

EE
http://ee.co.uk/business/small

Three
http://www.three.co.uk/business_mobiles

[missinggreenfields]

Thanks guys,

My accountant thinks it doesn’t matter if it’s a personal account or business account as long as I can get the name of the company on it. That would make life a lot easier, if I can just call up EE and tell them to change the name. Does that sound sensible? I haven’t been able to find any HMRC edict saying it has to be a business account, but it’d be useful if someone knew otherwise.

Looking into business accounts has been so difficult I’m starting to think they just aren’t very common anyway. Three aren’t able to offer them instore, and they don’t detail them/spec them out on their website either.

The exact wording is "No liability to income tax arises by virtue of Chapter 10 of Part 3 (taxable benefits: residual liability to charge) in respect of the provision for an employee or a member of the employee’s family or household of a mobile telephone without any transfer of property in it." (ITEPA 2003, s319)

So, you need to show that your company is providing the mobile phone contract. Personally, I don't think that just sticking a name on the account without changing the contract is enough - if I updated my address / name on the account to "Booms Ltd" that wouldn't be enough to show that your company is providing me with a mobile phone, for example.

As with many things, chances of getting caught are slim, but is it really worthwhile? The savings are likely to be negligible on a SIM only deal, and if they aren't then just do it properly and move to a business account - Vodafone had some good deals recently when I was looking, for example.

[pr1]

Thanks guys,

My accountant thinks it doesn’t matter if it’s a personal account or business account as long as I can get the name of the company on it. That would make life a lot easier, if I can just call up EE and tell them to change the name. Does that sound sensible? I haven’t been able to find any HMRC edict saying it has to be a business account, but it’d be useful if someone knew otherwise.

Looking into business accounts has been so difficult I’m starting to think they just aren’t very common anyway. Three aren’t able to offer them instore, and they don’t detail them/spec them out on their website either.

are your accountants (firms) initials CK?

[SueEllen]

Thanks guys,

My accountant thinks it doesn’t matter if it’s a personal account or business account as long as I can get the name of the company on it. That would make life a lot easier, if I can just call up EE and tell them to change the name. Does that sound sensible? I haven’t been able to find any HMRC edict saying it has to be a business account, but it’d be useful if someone knew otherwise.

Looking into business accounts has been so difficult I’m starting to think they just aren’t very common anyway. Three aren’t able to offer them instore, and they don’t detail them/spec them out on their website either.

EE definitely has business tariffs as they are one of the companies I tend to swap between. (What provider has the best tariffs depends on when your contact ends in the year, whether you are swapping provider etc)

Anyway all the major operators - EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three - have business tariffs. Three of them including EE definitely have sim-only business tariffs.

I've found you need to use Google (or another search engine) to find their current business tariffs. Then you need to go to the store and say exactly the business tariff you want as the staff will not know these. However as loads of staff in mobile phone shops display limited intellectual abilities e.g. say they don't know how to sell you a business tariff, it is often easier to phone the mobile provider up and order it.

[pr1]

EE definitely has business tariffs as they are one of the companies I tend to swap between. (What provider has the best tariffs depends on when your contact ends in the year, whether you are swapping provider etc)

Anyway all the major operators - EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three - have business tariffs. Three of them including EE definitely have sim-only business tariffs.

I've found you need to use Google (or another search engine) to find their current business tariffs. Then you need to go to the store and say exactly the business tariff you want as the staff will not know these. However as loads of staff in mobile phone shops display limited intellectual abilities e.g. say they don't know how to sell you a business tariff, it is often easier to phone the mobile provider up and order it.

with EE you can get double the advertised data pretty easily if you go in store