Business Phone Account - did I do this right?

[Contreras]

I have bought a new phone that I paid for via my company. I also bought a Three sim 12-month conract. The contract is in my name, but using the business bank account. There is no mention of my business on my contract.

To allow me to expense the phone bill through my company, did I do this right?

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So whaddya reckon... did you do it right?

[The Spartan]

You should've just purchased a handset for the company and wanged in a PAYG sim, I've taken this approach I pay for the credit on the sim not the company but I wanted a different phone/number so that I don't always have agents etc ringing my personal number.

[Batcher]

Three have said their business division only deals with companies who want >=2 lines. They have offered to either cancel or add my business name to the first line of my address. My accountant said this 'should be fine'. She hasn't filled me with confidence.

I'm tempted to return the phone and re-buy the phone and contract personally - and not business.

Well that's rubbish for a start as I only have the one number on my business account.

Sockie alert

[vwdan]

Well that's rubbish for a start as I only have the one number on my business account.

Sockie alert

Actually, Three were exceptionally difficult with me and I, too, wound up simply renaming my personal contract on renewal and going from there. There's only so much time I'm willing to spend talking to an Indian call centre.

[heyya99]

I just cancelled by Three personal account. I'm thinking of returning my iPhone and buying it personally.

Yours,
Sock

[Batcher]

Actually, Three were exceptionally difficult with me and I, too, wound up simply renaming my personal contract on renewal and going from there. There's only so much time I'm willing to spend talking to an Indian call centre.

Dealing with Three personal contracts on the phone sees you talking to offshore call centres but their business call centre is in the UK (Greenock or Glasgow I think). You get a different number to call for business support and they are very efficient.

[heyya99]

Dealing with Three personal contracts on the phone sees you talking to offshore call centres but their business call centre is in the UK (Greenock or Glasgow I think). You get a different number to call for business support and they are very efficient.

You seem to be suspiciously defensive of Three... sockie!

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

I have bought a new phone that I paid for via my company. I also bought a Three sim 12-month conract. The contract is in my name, but using the business bank account. There is no mention of my business on my contract.

To allow me to expense the phone bill through my company, did I do this right?

I'm sure after 3 pages somebody has answered this for you, but you could put the phone through the company books as either an expense or capital purchase. The SIM contract is not allowable as its not in the company name. Claim your business calls or get a business account (a personal account might be cheaper even without tax relief).

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

I bought my iPhone via the Apple website. I bought it in my name but used the business bank account. Does this mean I messed up that also? Can one buy a phone from Apple in a business name?

Invoice really ought to have been in the company name and if you're on standard VAT scheme and wanted to reclaim it, I'd say its an absolute necessity. If no VAT reclaim, then I wouldn't worry too much about it personally and would still put the handset through the business. You might even be able to get Apple to re-issue invoice in company name.

FWIW, you can just create a company Apple Store account. Company name and billing address + use of company debit card is IMO sufficient to show its a business purchase, particularly where the rules about company provided phones are reasonably clear.

[SimonMac]

I tried and Three told me that this is the way it's done. They didn't understand the concept of opening an account in a business name - they said they needed a persons name. I will go back to them.

Three don't offer business contracts to one man bands, open an account with O2, you will pay slightly more than with three but you can have it completely in the company name so depends how big your bills are to say if its worth while