Overview
This page will give you all the detail you need so that you can submit the required paperwork to us and minimise delay and queries.
Time Period
The time period we require records for depends on your entity type and whether we undertake your vat return submissions. Generally speaking you will fall into one of these categories:
If Vat Registered:
Sole Traders & Partnerships
We require your records for the vat period we are currently working on. For confirmation please call us.
Limited Companies
We require the records for the vat period we are working on. If you need to confirm what dates this covers, please call us.
Not Vat Registered:
Landlords & Sole Traders
We require your paperwork, data & records from 1 April to 31 March for the relevant tax year. For instance the 20/21 tax year covers 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021.
Limited Companies
We require the records for your full financial year provided to us asap after the last day of your financial year. If you are not sure of what dates this covers please call us.
Vat Deadlines
If you are Vat registered and are required to submit vat returns every quarter then please click on the vat quarters that relate to your business. This will then display all relevant deadlines and payment dates.
Vat Period Ending: 31 Jan
- Your data to be with us by 5 Feb
- Submission deadline is 7 Mar
- Payment due (If by card payment) by 5 Mar
- Payment due (If by direct debit) by 12 Mar
Vat Period Ending: 30 Apr
- Your data to be with us by 5 May
- Submission deadline is 7 Jun
- Payment due (If by card payment) by 5 Jun
- Payment due (If by direct debit) by 12 Jun
Vat Period Ending: 31 Jul
- Your data to be with us by 5 Aug
- Submission deadline is 7 Sep
- Payment due (If by card payment) by 5 Sep
- Payment due (If by direct debit) by 12 Sep
Vat Period Ending: 30 Oct
- Your data to be with us by 5 Nov
- Submission deadline is 7 Dec
- Payment due (If by card payment) by 5 Dec
- Payment due (If by direct debit) by 12 Dec
Vat Period Ending: 28 Feb
- Your data to be with us by 5 Mar
- Submission deadline is 7 Apr
- Payment due (If by card payment) by 5 Apr
- Payment due (If by direct debit) by 12 Apr
Vat Period Ending: 31 May
- Your data to be with us by 5 Jun
- Submission deadline is 7 Jul
- Payment due (If by card payment) by 5 Jul
- Payment due (If by direct debit) by 12 Jul
Vat Period Ending: 31 Aug
- Your data to be with us by 5 Sep
- Submission deadline is 7 Oct
- Payment due (If by card payment) by 5 Oct
- Payment due (If by direct debit) by 12 Oct
Vat Period Ending: 31 Nov
- Your data to be with us by 5 Dec
- Submission deadline is 7 Jan
- Payment due (If by card payment) by 5 Jan
- Payment due (If by direct debit) by 12 Jan
Vat Period Ending: 31 Mar
- Your data to be with us by 5 Apr
- Submission deadline is 7 May
- Payment due (If by card payment) by 5 May
- Payment due (If by direct debit) by 12 May
Vat Period Ending: 30 Jun
- Your data to be with us by 5 Jul
- Submission deadline is 7 Aug
- Payment due (If by card payment) by 5 Aug
- Payment due (If by direct debit) by 12 Aug
Vat Period Ending: 30 Sep
- Your data to be with us by 5 Oct
- Submission deadline is 7 Nov
- Payment due (If by card payment) by 5 Nov
- Payment due (If by direct debit) by 12 Nov
Vat Period Ending: 31 Dec
- Your data to be with us by 5 Jan
- Submission deadline is 7 Feb
- Payment due (If by card payment) by 5 Feb
- Payment due (If by direct debit) by 12 Feb
Organising Your Paperwork
This section will give you detail on how to quickly and efficiently organise your paperwork for delivery to us. This keeps your fees down as it saves masses of our time!
In the sections below we detail the types of expenses we would expect to see paperwork for. (Generally speaking, all purchase and sales paperwork). Don't include letters, remittances etc.
Please ensure what you provide to us is relevant and that all letters are opened and envelopes etc discarded. This helps keep time down and your fees low.
If you can organise paperwork into "like types" that's all we ask. This means all petrol receipts together, all sales invoices together etc.
We don't need things organised on any sort of date basis, simply by income or expense type is enough.
All invoices should be in the business name, this is particularly necessary when you trade as a Ltd Co.
Invoices not in the correct entity name risk being dis-allowed due to HMRC rules.
Bank Statements
We require bank statements in "CSV" or "Spreadsheet" format (Not to be confused with "PDF" format). All online internet banking facilities offer the CSV option. This keeps your fees low and accuracy at the highest possible level.
The instructions for downloading this file are below. Click the "+" sign next to your bank for details on how to do the download.
Bank Of Scotland - Transaction Download (CSV)
These instructions relate to a desktop PC download (i.e the mobile app will be different).
- Once logged in, open relevant bank account, statement should now show.
- Scroll to the end of the statement (but above the footer area) and you will see the word "Export" (just beside "Print) click "Export".
- A small window will open up.
- Click the radio button beside "Date Range".
- Enter the dates (normally your vat period or financial year).
- The dropdown "Format" will default to "Internet banking text/spreadsheet (.CSV)".
- Click the "Export" button.
Notes
- Bank of Scotland limits you to downloading a maximum of 3 months of data at a time (or 150 transactions at a time max), therefore you may need to do multiple downloads. If possible, do overlapping dates to ensure all data is present, we can delete duplications this side.
Accessing The Download
- Whilst in your web browser, the download will be visible at the foot of the screen.
- You will see a file there with your bank account name, open it, save it to desktop.
- In your email program attach the file and email to us.
# If you don't see the file at the foot of the screen try holding down CTRL and then simultaneously press "J" (this opens the download folder). Drag the file to your desktop. This should then be easier to locate when attaching the file to an email.
Barclays - Transaction Download (CSV)
These instructions relate to a desktop PC download (i.e the mobile app will be different).
- Once logged in, on the relevant account click "Account Services"
- Select "View transactions".
- On the blue bar at the top select "Search".
- Enter the date range (normally your vat period or financial year)
- Press "Search"
- Using your mouse right-click "Download All (PDF)"
- Also select the option "Export As" and then "Spreadsheet…Excel".
Notes
The reason we ask for both the CSV file and the PDF for the same period is that the CSV file is imported directly into our system, but there is a niggle with Barclays CSV files in that they don’t have a running balance, which we need for verification, so the PDF file is used to cross verify the balances.
Accessing The Download
- Whilst in your web browser, the download will be visible at the foot of the screen.
- You will see a file there with your bank account name, open it, save it to desktop.
- In your email program attach the file and email to us.
# If you don't see the file at the foot of the screen try holding down CTRL and then simultaneously press "J" (this opens the download folder). Drag the file to your desktop. This should then be easier to locate when attaching the file to an email.
Clydesdale - Transaction Download (CSV)
These instructions relate to a desktop PC download (i.e the mobile app will be different).
- Log into your banking
- Select "Transaction history" on the left tab.
- Select ‘Show filter’ button at the top of the screen.
- Select dates at the ‘For period’ (normally your vat period or financial year).
- Select the red "Display" button.
- Select the grey "More" button at the bottom of the displayed transactions.
- Select the ‘Export’ button at the top of the screen.
- This will take you to a new screen.
- Click the spreadsheet tick box.
Accessing The Download
- Whilst in your web browser, the download will be visible at the foot of the screen.
- You will see a file there with your bank account name, open it, save it to desktop.
- In your email program attach the file and email to us.
# If you don't see the file at the foot of the screen try holding down CTRL and then simultaneously press "J" (this opens the download folder). Drag the file to your desktop. This should then be easier to locate when attaching the file to an email.
Co-Operative Bank - Transaction Download (CSV)
These instructions relate to a desktop PC download (i.e the mobile app will be different).
- Log in & select the account number
- Using the date selectors, chose the "From" and "To" dates (normally your vat period or financial year).
- Click "Go" to see the transactions.
- Click on "Reports" on the bottom right hand side.
- There will be 3 options, "XML", "CSV" and "PDF", select "CSV" and click "Generate Report".
- The report will now be downloaded to your web browser download folder.
Accessing The Download
- Whilst in your web browser, the download will be visible at the foot of the screen.
- You will see a file there with your bank account name, open it, save it to desktop.
- In your email program attach the file and email to us.
# If you don't see the file at the foot of the screen try holding down CTRL and then simultaneously press "J" (this opens the download folder). Drag the file to your desktop. This should then be easier to locate when attaching the file to an email.
Lloyds - Transaction Download (CSV)
These instructions relate to a desktop PC download (i.e the mobile app will be different).
- Once logged in go to statement tab.
- Scroll to foot of page.
- After the last line of transactions click "Export Data".
- (Note: There's a maximum of 150 transactions for each download, so you may need to repeat the process to export all of the entries in your chosen range).
- Enter the date range (normally your vat period or financial year).
- In the dropdown box under "Format" select "Internet Banking Taxt/Spreadsheet (.CSV)".
- Click "Export".
- After a while a box will appear prompting you to save the file. Save to desktop.
Accessing The Download
- Whilst in your web browser, the download will be visible at the foot of the screen.
- You will see a file there with your bank account name, open it, save it to desktop.
- In your email program attach the file and email to us.
# If you don't see the file at the foot of the screen try holding down CTRL and then simultaneously press "J" (this opens the download folder). Drag the file to your desktop. This should then be easier to locate when attaching the file to an email.
Royal Bank Of Scotland - Transaction Download (CSV)
These instructions relate to a desktop PC download (i.e the mobile app will be different).
- Log in & select "Statements" on left hand side.
- On the page, under the heading "Download/Export Transactions" select the green button "Download/Export Transactions"
- A page called "Download Your Transactions" will now appear.
- Under the "Select Period" choose a period that covers the above dates (normally your vat period or financial year). Alternatively select "Historic Transactions".
- Under the section "Download Package" the dropdown called "Download To" should be set to "Microsoft Excel…"
- Click "Next" Button (If you selected "Historic Transactions" you will now be prompted to input the above dates)
- Click "Next" Button
- Click "Download Transactions"
Accessing The Download
- Whilst in your web browser, the download will be visible at the foot of the screen.
- You will see a file there with your bank account name, open it, save it to desktop.
- In your email program attach the file and email to us.
# If you don't see the file at the foot of the screen try holding down CTRL and then simultaneously press "J" (this opens the download folder). Drag the file to your desktop. This should then be easier to locate when attaching the file to an email.
Santander - Transaction Download (CSV)
These instructions relate to a desktop PC download (i.e the mobile app will be different).
- Log in & open the relevant bank account.
- On the main page, to the right above the statement there is a link "Download Transactions", click this button.
- On the next screen enter the dates (normally your vat period or financial year).
- The "Download To" dropdown should be set to "Microsoft Excel (XLS)".
- Click the Download Button.
Accessing The Download
- Whilst in your web browser, the download will be visible at the foot of the screen.
- You will see a file there with your bank account name, open it, save it to desktop.
- In your email program attach the file and email to us.
# If you don't see the file at the foot of the screen try holding down CTRL and then simultaneously press "J" (this opens the download folder). Drag the file to your desktop. This should then be easier to locate when attaching the file to an email.
Income
To learn more about the income details we require regarding your Limited Company or Sole Trader, click the "+" sign to the beside each item.
Either a spreadsheet listing all your sales invoices/takings or copies of the paper invoices themselves.
If you have sales and no costs and less than 10 invoices you can email these to us). If you are in a trade then your cis vouchers or statements provided to you.
If you have gaps in your invoice numbering please provide full explanations as a double check that none are missing.
If you recharge expenses (travel & accommodation being the most common), make sure these are included on your sales invoice and VAT applied to these (if appropriate).
If you cancelled any sales invoices or issued credits against them, please provide the detail.
Cost Of Sales
To learn more about the cost of sales detail we require regarding your Limited Company or Sole Trader, click the "+" sign beside each item.
If you are in the business of buying/selling stock please provide the opening valuation, that is the cost to you excluding vat. The opening stock valuation should be the same as the closing valuation from the prior year.
All items bought for resale. HMRC will not allow the use of statements so please ensure all invoices are present.
Provide details of all stock that is redundant and written off / disposed of other than by sales.
Please provide details of work that was in progress at year end.
All invoices from sub-contractors or hired in professional independent persons. If CIS Subcontractors have been used then we require the CIS deduction certificates.
All tool invoices. If this is extensive we will most likely capitalise these instead of entering them into cost of sales.
Please provide a valuation, that is to say the cost to you of the stock (excluding vat) as at close of business for the end of the accounting period.
If you have taken goods/services from the business for your own personal use please list these.
(i.e if you are a food business then we require details on the food taken for personal use).
Staff Costs
To learn more about the staff costs detail we require regarding your Limited Company or Sole Trader, click the "+" sign beside each item.
Detail of all payments to employees (casual or permanent). This will normally be in the form of a payroll report or spreadsheet. If we undertake your payrolls then we will already havethis data.
If you have casual employees who are not on the payroll please provide full details of each one and payments made.
Any costs associated with putting staff through training courses.
Receipt for this event plus details of all staff present.
If you pay for an HR policy such as Peninsula make sure to include this invoice.
Office Costs
To learn more about the office costs detail we require regarding your Limited Company or Sole Trader, click the "+" sign beside each item.
Rent invoices covering the entire accounting period. If not available then a copy of your lease.
Please provide the rates bill for the accounting period.
All electricity, gas, oil invoices
The insurance document that confirms the annual charge. (Business insurance & Public Liability Insurance)
Home phone if used for business, mobile phone, broadband.
All relevant invoices
All relevant invoices. This can include SEO costs.
If you have a commercial office then you will likely be very familiar with all the related costs and will provide the paperwork for these as a matter of course. If on the other hand you have a home office remember to include some of the lesser items you may have purchased that related to home office costs.
Vehicle Costs
To learn more about the vehicle costs detail we require regarding your Limited Company or Sole Trader, click the "+" sign beside each item.
All fuel receipts. HMRC will not allow the use of card payment receipts so please ensure you have the actual invoice/till receipt. One idea might be to have a fuel card instead of paying with a bank card at each fillup. The benefit is that fuel card providers will send you a monthly statement detailing all transactions. This cuts down on paperwork admin for you and us and therefore keeps your accountign fees down.
The insurance document that confirms the annual charge for vehicle insurance. If you had any excess to payout, provide that too as it is tax deductible. Also required is the document proving any payment of road licence fees.
All invoices for repairs & servicing. this also includes the annual breakdown cover invoice from AA/RAC etc.
If you hired a vehicle, please provide the invoice. (This includes vehicles on HP)
If you have a vehicle used for business purposes please provide:
Vehicles Acquired
- Make & Model
- Registration number
- Date bought
- Details of any trade-in against it
- Purchase price
- Related loan document
- Details of % business use or business miles
Vehicles Disposed Of
- Date disposed of
- Amount you received on disposal
- How this was received i.e cash/bank/trade-in value
Travel Costs
To learn more about the travel costs detail we require regarding your Limited Company or Sole Trader, click the "+" sign beside each item.
If you claim your vehicle costs via the mileage method please provide the total business miles covered. (Do not provide any other vehicle costs if using this method).
To be compliant with HMRC, each journey should be separately logged in full detail. Our free App (See App store) will do this for you via GPS.
Invoices for any accommodation incurred whilst on business, make sure to note on the invoice the customer/client you were working for at the time.
Details of all meals and the staff present at the meal. If only yourself, please ensure that your claim is in line with HMRC rules. (Please ask for full detail)
Entertainment is not tax deductible but can be a business expense.
Taking existing/potential clients out for meals is classed as entertainment. (Please ask for further detail if this concerns you)
Finance Costs
To learn more about the finance costs detail we require regarding your Limited Company or Sole Trader, click the "+" sign beside each item.
Loan statement must cover the entire accounting period.
If you use credit cards in the business please provide all statements covering the entire accounting period.
If you used HP or loan facilities please provide the agreement(s).
Professional Fees
To learn more about the professional fees detail we require regarding your Limited Company or Sole Trader, click the "+" sign beside each item.
Invoices from accountant/book-keeper. Any fees paid to Companies House. Note all HMRC fines are not tax deductible.
Any solicitors fees incurred in the course of your work.
Invoices from any specialist hired in.
Assets
To learn more about the assets detail we require regarding your Limited Company or Sole Trader, click the "+" sign beside each item.
Details of all vehicles bought, sold, scrapped, traded in and otherwise disposed of. This must include registration number, purchase price, disposal price, acquisition date and disposal date.
Details of all fixtures & fittings bought, sold, scrapped, traded in and otherwise disposed of. This must include serial or ID number, purchase price, disposal price, acquisition date and disposal date.
Details of all plant & machinery bought, sold, scrapped, traded in and otherwise disposed of. This must include serial or ID number, purchase price, disposal price, acquisition date and disposal date.
Details of all office equipment bought, sold, scrapped, traded in and otherwise disposed of. This must include serial or ID number, purchase price, disposal price, acquisition date and disposal date.
Misc Costs
To learn more about the misc detail we require regarding your Limited Company or Sole Trader, click the "+" sign beside each item.
Bonds, investments, pension P60, bank & building society interest, state benefits and any other income.
Any expense relating to employment, self-employment or your business.
State the amount of unbanked cash that you had at close of business at the end of the accounting period.
A copy of any lease agreement that was operative during the accounting period.
A copy of any loan agreement that was operative during the accounting period.
Detail of any personal funds you put into the business.
Personal Costs
To learn more about the personal detail we require regarding your Limited Company or Sole Trader, click the "+" sign beside each item.
For any Directors or Shareholders whose tax returns we undertake, we shall also require the following;
This details your gross income and any income tax paid and is required in order to compute your final tax position.
Details of any expenses and benefits provided by an employer. This could realtes to a company car, private health care, employer loans etc.
Details of any student loan repayments made or if any student loan is outstanding.
Any incomes from investments, shares, dividends, bank interest and any other income received.
Details of any state benefit received (Jobseekers allowance, incapacity & any other state pension/benefit).
Landlords
To learn more about the detail we require from landlords, click the "+" sign beside each item.
For each property your rent please provide:
- The full postal address
- Whether supplied furnished or unfurnished
- Classify whether it is a regular rental property or a furnished holiday let
Ownership
We also need to know for each property:
- Whose name(s) are on the title deeds
- Whose name(s) are on the mortgage
- Who effectively "controls" or "administers" the property
To establish the rental income you received please detail separetly for each property:
- Regular rental income
- Amounts received to cover damages
- Any forfeited deposits
Mortgage interest is being phased out as a trax deductible expense for individuals (but not for Ltd Co's that own property). until then please provide:
- A mortgage statement detailing the interest paid within the relevant tax year
- Detail of any new mortgages entered into and the related product fees & legal costs
- If you raised finance through the remortgage of your own home to fund a BTL, please provide full details
If you used the proceeds of a loan (in part or full) or perhaps a credit card to fund any substantial improvements please include these statements along with detail of what property related expense was funded by this loan.
If you used a letting agent please provide detail of their costs. Also if you advertised for tenants on any websites etc, the costs fo those adverts.
Please provide any invoices you have for repairs, maintenance, replacement boilers, utility insurance, roof repairs, damp-proofing etc of the rental property. Remember to include costs such as gardener, window cleaner, bin cleaning etc.
If you travel to and from the property to do things such as collect rent, inspect the premises, oversee tradesmen etc then provide a mileage log to us (i.e date, miles travelled, journey purpose).
If you paid any utility bills (heat & light, oil, gas, electric etc) during the year, please provide these.
There are a myriad of property related costs that can possibly occur. Be sure to provide detail of everything to us as this allows us to minimise your tax bill.
If you are about to sell a rental property you need to speak to us before you put it on the market. The reason for this is that in order to notify HMRC of the Capital Gain on time and also to ensure your CGT bill is as low as possible, we may need to review your file and plan accordingly. Do not leave this too late!
Remember to also give us any detail of employment income, dividend income and any other tax declarable matter.
Other Info
Please be sure to tell us about ALL of your taxable activities, some of these are:
- All income as a sole trader, partnership or via a Ltd Co
- All employment income, employment expenses and employment benefits including P11d
- Dividends, bank interest, student loans
- All rental income, rent a room and commercial lettings
- Payments into private pensions
- Payments from private pensions
- Foreign income
- Foreign rental properties
- CIS tax paid
- Any other item requiring to be declared to HMRC
Note: The list of things we can ask for is literally endless, so please give thought to all items that are declarable to HMRC.