What do I need to do legally to work from home?
Apart from Insurance, Tax and obviously qualifications, what else do I need to legally work from home as an Armatherapist and Reflexologist in Ireland?
I hear talk of having to apply for planning permission to the local council?
I don't know about Ireland, I work in England, and do the majority of my work at home. My business advisor gave me some simple advice which seems to work:
1) Don't upset the neighbours! Make sure your clients park responsibly, etc. Most problems come from
neighbour complaints. All my neighbours are aware of what I do and fully support me.
2) Don't make any permanent structural changes to your home or put up any business signs outside the
house. If you are planning a separate building on your property then you are looking at a different
scenario and would have to involve the council.
3) Make sure the room you are using is capable of easily being turned back into a bedroom, etc. My
room doubles as a bedroom for my boyfriend's daughter once a week or for guests or us on occasions
when we are decorating our bedroom! I keep the bedding in the wardrobe in the room and there is a
bed setee in there that doubles as a seat for my clients. All items in the room, ie shelves, etc,
can be used for any purpose.
The most important things I found when setting up were my CThA registration and insurance and keeping things right with the tax man with my self assessment form.
Hope this helps! And good luck!
