Members Club Fees as allowable expenses?

[wapperer]

Hello,



I run a small tech advisory business and was using a co-working subscription that was £400 per month. I recently decided to end this contract as it was far to high for my uses. I decided to join a private members club who encourages its daytime use for business use.

I spend most of the week working from the club doing work admin and meeting potential and exisiting clients for the consultations.

My question is, despite there being the possibility of personal benefit from the club can this be apportioned as with other expenses such as telecoms etc. (i.e broadband could be 70% apportioned to a business and the rest for personal use). The club membership joing fee was £250 and the monthly payments are £58 which is a massive saving on what I was paying before.

Is there any way a portion of this can be submitted as a legitimate business expense for the purpose of avoiding a higher cost?



Many thanks for your perspectives.

[northernladuk]

What does you accountant say?

This is not a "general public" forum, but one for contractors to talk to other contractors.

[northernladuk]

It's mentioned on this page but oddly enough I didn't think it warranted being on here to be honest. Maybe they've mixed in a different type of members club.

Weird and wonderful expense claims | Exchequer Solutions

Membership fees for golf clubs, private members clubs and other sports memberships. Even if you are negotiating your next contract on the golf course!

Another question on the same forum you posted on first but from an accountant this time.

Private club membership with mixed use | AccountingWEB

The first post seems very pertinent so need check the T&C's first?

[wapperer]

What does you accountant say?

This is not a "general public" forum, but one for contractors to talk to other contractors.

Haaaa. Eagle Eyes!! - I am my accountant. lol

[wapperer]

It's mentioned on this page but oddly enough I didn't think it warranted being on here to be honest. Maybe they've mixed in a different type of members club.

Weird and wonderful expense claims | Exchequer Solutions



Another question on the same forum you posted on first but from an accountant this time.

Private club membership with mixed use | AccountingWEB

The first post seems very pertinent so need check the T&C's first?

Unfortunately not very helpful answers on that post :/

[Lance]

Unfortunately not very helpful answers on that post :/

Probably because it’s a question that’s very open to interpretation and your attitude to risk.

IMO if you never use it for personal use and you can justify it for your business then you can claim it 100%. But my risk attitude is not everyone’s.

[northernladuk]

Haaaa. Eagle Eyes!! - I am my accountant. lol

You need to sack yourself and get a proper one then

Well the first response shows the T&C's for the establishment in that question doesn't condone business meetings so you need to check where ever you go does. I'd guess at those prices it's not very high brow so you might be OK. The T&C's in the Manchester ones talk about guests so not sure that means business guests and one of them has a mobile phones restrictions which is hardly conducive to business.

The T&C's might preclude you from using it as you really want.

Then the second one says there are other stuff to do so it ceases to become wholly and exclusively so kinda answers your question.

[wapperer]

Probably because it’s a question that’s very open to interpretation and your attitude to risk.

IMO if you never use it for personal use and you can justify it for your business then you can claim it 100%. But my risk attitude is not everyone’s.

I like your risk attitude. I really very rarely go there for private use as Im there for work so much its kind of the last place I want to be for fun!

[northernladuk]

I like your risk attitude. I really very rarely go there for private use as Im there for work so much its kind of the last place I want to be for fun!

But you do so technically....

[wapperer]

You need to sack yourself and get a proper one then

Well the first response shows the T&C's for the establishment in that question doesn't condone business meetings so you need to check where ever you go does. I'd guess at those prices it's not very high brow so you might be OK. The T&C's in the Manchester ones talk about guests so not sure that means business guests and one of them has a mobile phones restrictions which is hardly conducive to business.

The T&C's might preclude you from using it as you really want.

Then the second one says there are other stuff to do so it ceases to become wholly and exclusively so kinda answers your question.

The club itself actively asks if you would like to use for business use in the application and encourages via newsletters etc to use the space to meet clients (and buy them drinks of course - not tax deductible I know!)

The confusion comes in that many other expenses can be apportioned and not necessarily wholly for business use. in my use case the use of the club actually significantly reduces the expense amount compared to when I was using a made-for-business working space (that was rubbish and 4 times the cost).