Do you need to issue an invoice?
Q. I’m a painter and decorator, working mainly for individual householders. I only give out an invoice for work done if my customer asks for one. Is this acceptable to the Taxman? I’m not VAT registered.
A. As you are not VAT registered there is no legal requirement to issue invoices for every sale, but it is good business practice. If you accurately record the money you receive from customers, and those amounts can be tied up to the cash and cheques you bank, the Taxman should not have a problem with your business records. However, if the Taxman suspects that you have been under-recording your sales, because you receive many payments in cash which are not immediately banked, you may have a problem. We can help you set up a system which will accurately record your sales, and keep the Taxman happy.
