tax question

[debbie]

how much can i put through accounts for a front door and window. i've just had these replaced old door had a single lock and couldn't be locked with a key and window in back room that i use for minding had a crack through glass and no locking facilaty. so obviously these had to be replaced. i need to get this sorted so account can have my tax return form to do the work he needs to as also have a property that is rented out. also i see some have mentioned about the mortgage interest how far can this be back dated as didn't know you could do this my youngest leaves school in a few months after exams. sorry so long winded but would be grateful for help thanks xx

[rickysmiths]

I wouldn't have thought you would be able to claim anything to be honest because it sounds as if the work needed doing anyway. You don't have to have a lock on a window in a room that you use for minding.

With regard to the door do you mean it only had a yale lock at the top? Again you don't have to have a front door with two locks on just one so the children can't escape and in 18 years although I have a chubb lock on my wooden front door as well as a yale lock the lock is never locked when we are in the house because it is a main escape route, for this reason my windows are not locked when we are in the house.

[debbie]

the front door only had a single lock that could not be locked from inside. ofsted picked up on this in feb and marked me down because the handle is reachable for children. she also wanted to know why there was no lock on window. it's a first for me in 11 years of minding and 30 years of childcare.

[rickysmiths]

the front door only had a single lock that could not be locked from inside. ofsted picked up on this in feb and marked me down because the handle is reachable for children. she also wanted to know why there was no lock on window. it's a first for me in 11 years of minding and 30 years of childcare.

Oh I can perhaps see about the front door but you could have perhaps fitted a simple bolt at the top of the frame.

I would have questioned the window lock, personally I think and the Fire Brigade commented that it is not good practice to be in the house with the windows locked.

I have never had a child, in 18 years open a window, most of them even the older ones would find it hard to turn the handle anyway even if they could get near enough to reach it. I think the more important safety feature to have would be a limiter on the window so if a child by some miracle did open it it wouldn't open far enough for them to fall out.

You need to include in your Risk Assessments how this dangers are managed.

I still don't think you will be able to claim anything on your expenses as replacing an old door and a broken window I suspect would come under wear and tear but they are also improvements to your house that you may have made or would have to have made at some point even if you weren't childminding.

[Bridey]

I think you could have claimed to have additional locks or bolts fitted but not replacement door and window, that seems a bit extreme and not really childminding related.

[MrAnchovy]

If you have an accountant you should be asking him these questions - that is what you are paying him for!

IF you go down the route of claiming a proportion of household expenses based on part-time exclusive use (which is what you need to do to claim mortgage interest) then you should be able to claim the same proportion of the door and window costs, again your accountant should be able to advise on this.

[aly]

i would go for buying a lock too isnteaqd of a door...very extreme

[debbie]

the door was completely glass not safety and the side panels either side were all glass. for me this falls into safety but thanks for the advise have recently got an accountant so will speak to him. thank you