Reply to: Mobile phones

[Archangel]

Anyone had any expericance of using the Business orientated services from the mobil phone co's rather then the normal individual service. I'm trying to decide if it's worth getting a new phone via the Ltd co. or stick to doing it as a private individual.

If you get the phone in the Ltd company name the company can pay the rental and for all calls whether personal or business with no BIK implications. My company mobile is with T-Mobile, they didn't ask for any proof that the company existed.

[Bumfluff]

Unfortunatley you can't claim the money back as the calls didn't cost you anything.

Mmm true but I pay the line rental. Will try and make the calls from a land line then so I can account for them.

[SueEllen]

Hi, I get 800mins free on my contract and of those use 400 amonth on work dialing into conf calls. As these free minutes are part of my standard line rental does that mean I cant claim them back at all ?

Unfortunatley you can't claim the money back as the calls didn't cost you anything.

[Bumfluff]

Hi, I get 800mins free on my contract and of those use 400 amonth on work dialing into conf calls. As these free minutes are part of my standard line rental does that mean I cant claim them back at all ?

[YOYO]

Mobile Phones

Dave

In terms of documentation they ask for my Ltd Company Certificate of Incorporation and yes they will do a credit check depending on the package you are going for. I hope this helps.

[stacks]

I was advised by my accountant to take out a normal personal contract but to make sure that my Ltd company name was shown as the first line of the address on the monthly bill and it can then be put through as an expense.

Anyone find fault in this approach?

[DaveB]

Yoyo, what did they want from you in terms of business documentation? Any kind of proof of credit wortheyness or did they not care?

Looks like I'm going for the business phone rather than personal.

[tim123]

You can put through the cost of the calls that you incur wholly as a business expense, and the equivalent proportion of the line rental.

No, you cannot apportion the rental. You would have this personal expense whether you used the phone for business or not so it cannot be a business expense.

OTOH, if you have a business phone which you use for personal use there is no longer a BIK charge. Gordo abolished this some years ago.

Tim

[YOYO]

Business Mobile Phones

I think it an excellent idea - recently went on a business contract using my Ltd Company. They gave me an option of 12 to 24 months contract including free handset, 1500 free minutes per month much cheaper than my personal mobile.

If you guys are interested contact sean; [email protected] .

[boredsenseless]

So if I have a phone on a monthly contract can I put that contract cost through as a monthly expense through my Ltd?

Yes and No!

You can put through the cost of the calls that you incur wholly as a business expense, and the equivalent proportion of the line rental.

The personal calls are not expensable. If the company pays these they are a P11D item, and you will be taxed on a benefit in kind.

The simplest solution is to have a company phone, and a personal one, only use the company one for calls you incur as part of your work, and if staying away I believe you can also put through calls up to the IR incidental expenses limit.

Have another phone for yourself that you use for personal calls.

It gets rather grey if you can for instance prove that if you have a company phone with 400 minutes free you still are paying charges on the business calls but if you upped it to 1000 mins you actually saved money but could now cover your private calls in the allowance.

You'd need to be able to prove that the above was correct however and even then it may not be permissible.

[stacks]

So if I have a phone on a monthly contract can I put that contract cost through as a monthly expense through my Ltd?

[n5gooner]

BT provide 2 business lines to us - one is purley for business incoming and outgoing calls - the other is a "backup" line. Both go into a DECT 15 way telephone excahange.

[Mustang]

I do simply so I don't have to go through the process of apportioning calls for business & personal. Naturally all the calls on my business phone are strictly business....!

[DaveB]

On a related note, do most peolpe have a seperate land line at home for business use?

[Mustang]

If it is a personal one that is charged to the company, then the charges are deemed to be a benefit in kind (P11D) unless you certify that they are wholly for business use. Gets more complicated.....

I am trying to switch my account over but not had luck yet. As I am only just completing my first year of trading the Newbury based operator has requested I send them a purchase order (amongst other things). As I dont have one I have to put one together.......! More time!!