To the self employed - are you worried?

Our gardener didn't want to continue themselves. Yes, it is two of them who do it :p Last time was I think 3 weeks ago, was the first time of the season, and they were even hesitant about accepting their tea and biscuits. They value their health more than a bit of money. Same with all the other services we use to help run our home. Even if we wanted to keep supporting the continuation of services, the trades just won't do it. We wanted to get our bathrooms done, it takes many months in our area to book someone in, and even now out of work, and leading up to it many wouldn't do it.

So even when wanting to keep the economy running as some are making very good money at the moment, the money can't be spent. It seems to be a self-fulfilling prophecy leading to a huge division.
 
I'm a gardener. Director/employee so no help but we've got savings we can use and also my winter business savings in the hope that we have a harsh few months and I reduce my winter hours (didn't see a single snowflake this year :( ). Although I'm home schooling 3 days in the week whilst the wfe works I can still get out a couple of days and one day at the weekend. My wife works for the NHS and with her carers leave allowance and a few days holiday she could stay away until the end of April (offered by her boss) on full pay to allow me to work. That obviously wasn't a route we wanted to go down. Not doing a huge amount of gardening when I'm out as I'm picking up and dropping off food and prescriptions for isolators and my more elderly customers. Some of them confuse me, they're sticking to their lock in but when I turn up or arrive to drop off they try to invite me in for coffee and a chat :confused:

One customer (a day a week) has already paid me in full for Apr, May and Jun and told me not to come in. Three or four others have said they'll pay me regardless of whether I make it in so we've left all monthly payments in place for anyone who's self employed, cleaner, martial arts, singing, swimming instructor etc. If things don't change we'll be able to keep that in place and with the amount of money not leaving our accounts at present we'll hopefully come out of this in roughly the same position as we went in. Everything just seems to have scaled down for us.

My mate's just left his firm to go self employed as a plumber. He qualifies for zero help so he's just taken a temp job at Sainsburys to get him through. We've got a great group of friends though so him and his family will come out the other side ok.

Weird, weird times. Stay safe everyone and wash your fudgeing hands!
 
How's the Self Employed people been going for the last few weeks?

1) My design work has slowed down big time. Probably 30-50% normal each week. Nothing this week.
Even when this lock down finishes it will take a long time for new projects to filter through.
2) Clients are holding back payments.
One is only paying me half what they should have paid this month and the other half next month. The payments for next month after will not happen they are being pushed to the month after that. Who knows after that.
Reason they give is one of their big clients owes them £2000000 and they have pushed back that payment for another two months.
3) Getting feedback from my clients that new projects from their clients are being cancelled or moved to next year.

So all in all the outlook for the next year at least is not looking good.

Decided to get my accounts done this week to keep busy.
Also sort out new phone/broadband/utilities contracts to save as much money as possible.

Anyway chin up and keep trucking.
 
I'm receiving JSA now (about £300 a month) and I've applied for four development jobs that I'm more than qualified for and heard nothing in return. I contemplated fruit picking, but I'd rather use my skills.

As a self-employed photographer I have three weddings booked this year, hopefully they will just get rearranged - otherwise I'll have to refund the deposits.

My main clientele are schools who will be there for me when things get back to normal, but I can't imagine being booked for work whilst there's any sort of social distancing. So not expecting great things from this year..
 
I'm a director/employee, so no government help other than the backstop of universal credit. I've got projects to keep me busy for the next two to three weeks—work that was started or booked before the pandemic—but have nothing beyond that. I have quite a few clients who run restaurants, bars and operations involving large events, so they are all suffering badly and putting spending on hold. Unfortunately I was financially stressed before the pandemic due to a significant change in personal circumstances, so it's definitely 'bread and water' times for me. I've cancelled all but essential outgoings.
 
Phone completely stopped.
Turnover gone from low 5 figures to £0, no personal income for 6 weeks. Just asked for payment break on motor vehicles, credit cards unpaid. The business was a new venture after taking a PAYE for just over 12 months to support myself post divorce. Needed to leave PAYE due to limited access to my children due to working hrs, construction is not very well known for family friendly practices. Plus the pay is crap. Shouldn't be a choice between children or work.

Hoping for a bounce back if restrictions and confidence are restored, if not insolvency it will be, can't stop it. Or a light version a DMP. So gone from buying a house to ruin in a couple of months. I'll be too old once the insolvency/DMP restrictions are lifted to be put on a mortgage. What a mess. Fed up today.
Upside is degree should in the future bring me out of the current grind to something less physically taxing with less jeopardy.

Girlfriends income covers her bills and food, so we're not starving.
 
Phone completely stopped.
Turnover gone from low 5 figures to £0, no personal income for 6 weeks. Just asked for payment break on motor vehicles, credit cards unpaid. The business was a new venture after taking a PAYE for just over 12 months to support myself post divorce. Needed to leave PAYE due to limited access to my children due to working hrs, construction is not very well known for family friendly practices. Plus the pay is crap. Shouldn't be a choice between children or work.

Hoping for a bounce back if restrictions and confidence are restored, if not insolvency it will be, can't stop it. Or a light version a DMP. So gone from buying a house to ruin in a couple of months. I'll be too old once the insolvency/DMP restrictions are lifted to be put on a mortgage. What a mess. Fed up today.
Upside is degree should in the future bring me out of the current grind to something less physically taxing with less jeopardy.

Girlfriends income covers her bills and food, so we're not starving.

Really sorry to hear this. You sound a little like me. I've gone through a recent separation and basically lost my home and the small amount of financial security I had. 20 years of working and climbing up the property ladder down the toilet in five minutes. On the upside, pre-pandemic, I didn't think things could get any worse...so this crisis has almost washed over me 🤪

I know it's no help right now, but things really will get better. It's incredibly important to stay positive and try not to worry about things that a) are too far in the future, and b) you can't control. I'm literally only thinking about today now. There's little point looking forward to, or worrying about, anything. I'm also writing down all the things I'm grateful for...even small things like the bluebells I spotted on the lane this morning. It helps at the end of the day to realise it's not all complete s**te. Keep your mind occupied with books, study and exercise, if you can. Chin up 🙂
 
I'm receiving JSA now (about £300 a month) and I've applied for four development jobs that I'm more than qualified for and heard nothing in return. I contemplated fruit picking, but I'd rather use my skills.

As a self-employed photographer I have three weddings booked this year, hopefully they will just get rearranged - otherwise I'll have to refund the deposits.

My main clientele are schools who will be there for me when things get back to normal, but I can't imagine being booked for work whilst there's any sort of social distancing. So not expecting great things from this year..

Frustrating and rude when you apply for jobs and get no comeback at all.
With luck the weddings won't be cancelled and just rearranged.

I suppose you can try to be positive and think in lock-down more people have decided to tie the knot and maybe...... maybe there will be a glut of work in the future.
 
I suppose you can try to be positive and think in lock-down more people have decided to tie the knot and maybe...... maybe there will be a glut of work in the future.

Probably a rise in divorces/fall outs :D
 
I'm a director/employee, so no government help other than the backstop of universal credit. I've got projects to keep me busy for the next two to three weeks—work that was started or booked before the pandemic—but have nothing beyond that. I have quite a few clients who run restaurants, bars and operations involving large events, so they are all suffering badly and putting spending on hold. Unfortunately I was financially stressed before the pandemic due to a significant change in personal circumstances, so it's definitely 'bread and water' times for me. I've cancelled all but essential outgoings.

Same here, not even bothering claiming from the Goverment as I will not get it except UC most likely. Got zero work, was actually on holiday when i got my flight cancelled, stuck in Texas since. Not complaining as I have enough money in the business account to pay myself for 6-9 months
 
As a self-employed photographer I have three weddings booked this year, hopefully they will just get rearranged - otherwise I'll have to refund the deposits.
Yes and no, I'm a self employed photographer too (I can't do anything else as I'm home schooling and we have someone terminally ill living with us sadly). This came directly from a lawyer:

Coronavirus is an on going event at the moment, not a one off. Which means that postponement is inevitable.

1. If your clients cancel you, because they have cancelled the wedding, not giving a date to postpone to, they are cancelling you’re contract, so your t’s & c’s apply.

2. If your client moves to a date which you cannot do, they are not working with you, for you to be able to transfer the booking to another date, therefore they are in breach of contract. You do not have to refund.

3. If your client moves the wedding date and to another venue which you cannot do; as the venue is out of your travel distance, again, they are in breach of contract. You do not have to refund.

They have advised me not to contact the clients, I am to wait for them to contact me. I must make it clear that I am willing to transfer to a new date. Any changes are to be emailed to the client, DO NOT write up a new contract. I have put a post on Facebook saying I am willing to transfer dates at no extra cost, subject to my availability.

As a “frustrated contract” is where BOTH parties cannot fulfil the contract, you are able to fulfil it on another date. It therefore falls on them to find a date you can do. If they can’t, then it is they who are in breach of the contract.


I suspect in the real world, you need to weigh up what is personally the right thing to do for you regarding deposits. I had 45 weddings to shoot this year, I've now have 34 with non now until August (and I suspect those will re-arrange dates over the following weeks). I'm waiting for the self employed help I can apply for and a bounce back loan, which hopefully I won't need to use.
 
Yes and no, I'm a self employed photographer too (I can't do anything else as I'm home schooling and we have someone terminally ill living with us sadly). This came directly from a lawyer:

Coronavirus is an on going event at the moment, not a one off. Which means that postponement is inevitable.

1. If your clients cancel you, because they have cancelled the wedding, not giving a date to postpone to, they are cancelling you’re contract, so your t’s & c’s apply.

2. If your client moves to a date which you cannot do, they are not working with you, for you to be able to transfer the booking to another date, therefore they are in breach of contract. You do not have to refund.

3. If your client moves the wedding date and to another venue which you cannot do; as the venue is out of your travel distance, again, they are in breach of contract. You do not have to refund.

They have advised me not to contact the clients, I am to wait for them to contact me. I must make it clear that I am willing to transfer to a new date. Any changes are to be emailed to the client, DO NOT write up a new contract. I have put a post on Facebook saying I am willing to transfer dates at no extra cost, subject to my availability.

As a “frustrated contract” is where BOTH parties cannot fulfil the contract, you are able to fulfil it on another date. It therefore falls on them to find a date you can do. If they can’t, then it is they who are in breach of the contract.


I suspect in the real world, you need to weigh up what is personally the right thing to do for you regarding deposits. I had 45 weddings to shoot this year, I've now have 34 with non now until August (and I suspect those will re-arrange dates over the following weeks). I'm waiting for the self employed help I can apply for and a bounce back loan, which hopefully I won't need to use.

Martin Lewis went through this. You may want to catch up on which episode it was. You can probably download it - it was within the last few weeks. Pretty sure he touched on many suppliers think the contract is binding regardless of circumstances.
In fact he mentioned it in one episode but said that it needed further investigation before he could say more, next episode it had been been fully verified and he explained in full.

Basically if the events happening (virus in this case - government advice) stop the service of the supplier (like church's, reception and so on are not allowed) regardless of the contract you will have to pay the deposit back and they don't need to pay the full amount. So say there is no wedding due to government advice this trumps the contracts for the services you may have booked. You are entitled to a refund.

Obviously as we move out of the restrictions the contract will be valid again.
 
Martin Lewis went through this. You may want to catch up on which episode it was. You can probably download it - it was within the last few weeks. Pretty sure he touched on many suppliers think the contract is binding regardless of circumstances.
In fact he mentioned it in one episode but said that it needed further investigation before he could say more, next episode it had been been fully verified and he explained in full.

Basically if the events happening (virus in this case - government advice) stop the service of the supplier (like church's, reception and so on are not allowed) regardless of the contract you will have to pay the deposit back and they don't need to pay the full amount. So say there is no wedding due to government advice this trumps the contracts for the services you may have booked. You are entitled to a refund.

Obviously as we move out of the restrictions the contract will be valid again.
I guess like everyone it's who you listen to. I only take a small percentage as a reservation fee and I can justify that amount against meetings / admin work already undertaken. Some venues where I think the original problem came from taking 5k - 10k deposits will be on sticky ground justifying anything!
 

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