-
Further to the £25 van…
Not wishing to hijack Garrie’s thread…
When I first moved here from the U.K., one of the things that surprised me was that, in my area at least, EVERY business regardless of type, must be licenced by the City. It’s not a lot of money (£25 yearly) and easy to obtain but it does mean that there are precious few ‘cowboys’ around (I mean the business type – we actually have a lot of real cowboys!) If you advertise for business in the local press, the City will check to see if you have a licence and if not, will write to you. I realise in effect it’s another tax, but it does level the playing field.
So what do you guys back home think – could such a system work in the UK – and would it help?
-
16 Replies
-
it could potentialy be a good thing, for a few bob i’d do it, though the government would prob use it as a tax and bang the price into the hundreds.
it could be useful though, for example, the hundreds of ebay sellers, a registration number could have to be required before posting a listing, would stop alot of those who have no intention of paying taxes. i know we all start somewhere, and maybe do do some work before registering self employed, but there are those on ebay etc who have no intention of paying tax on their lucrative sideline, and little chance of being caught.
i forget how many times i’ve been asked to quote for mag signs, logo and two or three colours… yes mate.. that’ll be about £80-100 for the pair, only to be told a guy on ebay will do em for £20,
well of course, cheap mag material, cheap vinyl, no comeback and no taxes to deduct from his profit !
-
They are going down the license route here now. You’ll need it to get government work, or large contracts.
It is a huge tax here, plus 600 hrs of study before you qualify. Its basically a builders license unfortunately. You need a similar license to fit a screen door here.
All its done here is made it more of a closed shop for the big players, and because you don’t need a license to do small jobs, vehicles or such, all the sign shop cowboys are invading that market… the market me and a few very good operators have been concentrating on for years 🙁
I think it is a good idea though, but they have catered to the powerful big companies here, and given no thought to the smaller professional shop like mine that is a small operator with few employees.
Originally the idea was to that you had to be a sign association member (I was) and you’d qualify for an automatic license if you had been in the sign business more than 10 years (I have). When the labor government got the sign association on side, they changed the rules at the last minute, and now only a company that can afford a builder on staff, or someone who has access to a builders license qualifies. This narrows the field considerably. I can’t even dig a hole to put a sign in (over 3m in height), without technically needing a builders license.
To do a 4 year 600hr license course is just ludicrous.
But as I said, its more about tax here than anything else.
Rant over now 😕
-
Tell me about cowboys.
I got under cut by $1000 today on a $2000 job which included 3 vans, 1 ute and two trailers.
The funny thing was the person I quote for rang me to see if I’d lower my price. I kindly asked her to supply me with their number cause at that kinda money I’d get them to just cut and weed and ape tape and I’d apply all my other jobs 🙂
-
Shane,
I sympathise with the contractors licence situation – ouch!
What I was refering to here is basically a ‘permit to do business’. There are no specific requirements or ‘tests’ but naturally the City ensures you aren’t opening a pig farm in your living room or other such nonsense. Basically, if you run a business within the City you need a licence. As I said in my first post, it does mean there are almost no ‘fly by nights’ around – which has got to be a good thing, no?
-
Sorry but I would be against this.
We already have far too much bureaucracy in this country as it is. This just adds another layer and will not deter the "cowboy" element who will simply ignore it or pay up if the fee isn’t too high. I really don’t see how it would help.
I would simply view it as just another stealth tax, so don’t go giving them any more ideas 😕
-
I must be missing something
How does paying a fee – regardless of cost make you "proper" all we would have is licensed cowboys
John
-
John,
It doesn’t make you "proper". I guess it comes down to your definition of cowboy. A licence appears to at least give some point of contact – an address and a name – some accountability. Would it stop shoddy work being turned out, no of course not, but it might prevent or at least limit the no-name here-today-gone-tomorrow we-don’t-need-no-taxes guys?
In any case I agree it’s just another tax. I guess I’m fortunate to live in an area where the authorities don’t just see this sort of thing as a money-spinner – I remember things in the UK often aren’t so fair.
-
Just my view.
no matter how many laws, regulations and qualification standards are introduced. there will always be people starting of, and charging to little. They soon learn to find their own level, or disappear.
There will also be people who are con artists, and or rip off merchants, but they usually are short lived also.
I have no problem with competition, if it can be done better and cheaper than the next man, then that is the way we progress, to me it equates to innovation and entrepreneurship.
There are NO level playing fields in business, you should always be looking for the slope in your favour.Local councils (read my elected representative) are just bureaucrats trying to justify their existence by dreaming up new schemes, but do they need a permit to operate? or any qualifications?
There are also many trade associations in this country that appear to be assuring joe public, that if he uses one of their members, all will be fine.
Not always the case they are set up in favour of the trade, and not the consumer.Some orgs, like corgi, are needed, simply because gas is dangerous, and needs to be installed correctly. but sticking a bit of plastic on a van, dont know why or how you could regulate it….
the customer is the only one that can do that, he pays his money and takes his choice..
So to sum up, a local registration charge, would not help, just employ a few more bureaucrats to administer it….
A legit company either has premises or is otherwise accountable, eg vat registered, or has been established for a time.
the sign industry is not usually itinerant, like some block pavers, so a local license would mean nothing…
Peter
-
wot does itinerant mean Peter 😕
-
quote Phill:wot does itinerant mean Peter 😕
Dont Know Phill, never staid in one place long enough to find out….
Peter -
quote Phill:wot does itinerant mean Peter 😕Illiterate maybe?
-
quote :Dont Know Phill, never staid in one place long enough to find out….
😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀
-
quote gvp:Shane,
I sympathise with the contractors licence situation – ouch!
What I was refering to here is basically a ‘permit to do business’. There are no specific requirements or ‘tests’ but naturally the City ensures you aren’t opening a pig farm in your living room or other such nonsense. Basically, if you run a business within the City you need a licence. As I said in my first post, it does mean there are almost no ‘fly by nights’ around – which has got to be a good thing, no?
Sorry mate, got a bit off track with my last post 😳
We also have licenses required to operate a business here, if we operate from home like I do, I need a Home License. We also need business registration.
None of these things stop the cowboys tho. The home license would make it harder, but if I worked from inside my home, I’m exempt from a home license. As I work in a farm shed that is not connected to the house, although on the same block, I must have a home license. This license also restricts me from having more than 2 clients visiting at the one time, I can’t work outside normal trading hours, must have 1.8m fences around the property, and I must have my entry door in a way that my neigthbours can’t see inside if they are hanging out the washing, blah blah.. the list goes on…. None of this applies to anyone doing the same as me, but from a garage under their house (Read: the average cowboy) so in effect, I’m disadvantaged compared to the freedoms these wannabes have.
…. I love being self employed 🙄
-
quote Peter Normington:Just my view……..the sign industry is not usually itinerant, like some block pavers, so a local license would mean nothing…Peter
…we had some ‘itinerants’ that camped up next to our unit last year whilst they were strangely enough… tarring driveways :lol1:
Mind you – not sure they had any sort of itinerary – but they did have a collection of dogs, a pony and a certain penchant for untaxed vehicles…
-
I would be in favour of a license if it actually worked but it wont stop the people who are working for cash and not declaring anything as these people are always the first to find a way round something like this. The way things are at the moment it would just be another tax as Phill has said and another expense that legitimate businesses would have to pay
-
As is always the way with these sort of rule and regulations it’s the people operating honestly that pay and the dishonest one that get round them.
Why anyone in government thinks that another law will make the people breaking the current laws stop is beyond me, just fucking enforce the laws that are there already!
Ok I feel better now 🙂
Steve
Log in to reply.