Accommodation (locums)

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Clive Ansell — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 12:49:05 GMT

[quote user="David Mills"]Odd. Why do people get taxed on cars then? And, indeed, rcvs remuneration are taxed in many companies as such, and they are essential. [/quote]

Not odd.

Basic principles are the same; if self-employed or Ltd Co, and something is necessary for work then it is tax deductible, in that the cost is not liable to tax and any VAT can be reclaimed (if one is VAT registered). That could be car (purchase, maintenance and running) use, hotel or B&B accommodation, professional fees and subscriptions, computers, work clothes, tools or equipment.

If something is used partly for work, a percentage can be offset against tax. Cars, Laptops, etc

It's a little more complicated for cars, as there are tax incentives for low CO2 emissions, electric and some hybrid cars. Don't know the finer detail I'm afraid.

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 21:00:45 GMT

[quote user="David Mills"]Why do people get taxed on cars then?[/quote]

It is only used for work, such as a pool car left at work or a commercial vehicle, then it would be tax free. Personal car rules are valid considering years ago 'company car' rules were being abused to avoid a large chunk of tax!

As Neil has said, professional subs, organisation/magazine subscriptions etc do to be do have to be declared on your P11D but are then tax free.

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Neil Wheadon — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 19:37:17 GMT

RCVS fees are tax deductibl. If you are employed you could have them added to your personal allowance. I think BVA are on the HMRC list as well??

Neil

RE: Accommodation (locums)

David Mills — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 18:57:31 GMT

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]

Accountants advice: If the accommodation is necessary to do the job, or to do the job better, it is not a benefit in kind . Living too far away to reasonably commute would make it a necessity.

[/quote]

Odd. Why do people get taxed on cars then? And, indeed, rcvs remuneration are taxed in many companies as such, and they are essential.

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Clive Ansell — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 17:43:02 GMT

Accountants advice: If the accommodation is necessary to do the job, or to do the job better, it is not a benefit in kind . Living too far away to reasonably commute would make it a necessity.

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Roland Bulkyn-Rackowe — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 15:39:49 GMT

As they're not employees and this accommodation is not a permanent home (presumably most locums have their own home) it's not a benefit, more a necessity. In the same way that if you paid for accommodation for CPD etc it would be an expense and so tax deductable.

RE: Accommodation (locums)

David Mills — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 18:53:35 GMT

Do locums who accept free accommodation have to declare it in their tax as a benefit in kind?

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Clive Ansell — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 11:34:48 GMT

Swings and roundabouts

It seems the traditional working model is that accommodation is provided for locums as needed. Most of the locums I do where I need it, it is provided by the practice in addition to my daily fee.

On the odd occasion (only 3 times in 18 years) where I source my own accommodation, I uplift my daily rate to include the cost of it. Similarly, if a locum involved more travel, the agreed rates will reflect this. In fact, If I source my own hotel or B&B I can reclaim the VAT, so would be of a small financial benefit to me.

Always take my own bedding and towels, fan, DVD player, basic kitchen kit, cafetiere for filter coffee.

I have twice refused to stay in accommodation; one was a sh1t hole B&B with wet mould rooms and shower. the other was practice where I was shown a vetbed on the lab floor and no facilities to bath or shower.

In one of my regular practices in the summer it gets so hot in the flat under a flat black felted roof, that I drag a mattress downstairs to the air conditioned kennel room (my choice)

Much prefer a flat above the practice, I don't like B&B's or hotels and having to buy evening meals out really.

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Yantha Smyth — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 10:38:21 GMT

As a general rule I always require accommodation for the locums I do since virtually none are ever within commuting distance and many are weeks/months in duration rather than the odd day. I expect the accommodation to be provided in addition to my daily rate (would not be cost effective if not), but do not pass on travel expenses at all. I only consider locum roles that are able to provide accommodation, given my circumstances and location, and there still seem to be a fair few that still have 'flat above' or similar that do not need to do BnB or hotel arrangements. I prefer not to do BnB/hotel since I like to have a kitchen and eat properly rather than rely on eating out for weeks on end. I recently had 6 wks in a travelodge which must have cost the practice a small fortune, but managed to kit myself out to eat well and only resorted to 2 visits to the Toby Carvery in the 6 weeks!

I just accept that the accommodation will be of variable quality; I bring some cleaning products and expect to need to spruce it up a bit before I settle in (pleasant surprise if not needed), bring my own bedding, and things like sharp knives and a coffee plunger, and mobile internet. As a general rule I leave the place in a better state than I found it.

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Andreas Ege — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 20:53:16 GMT

[quote user="David Mills"]

[quote user="Neil Wheadon"]most locums don't live within 5 miles of the practice [/quote]

With the greatest respect, that is hardly the practice's fault. Being a locum is a choice like any other. Any locum wanting accommodation on top of their daily fee

[/quote]

Well, I guess it boils down to demand and supply, doesn't it? And on how much they are willing to pay as well. I'd be much more inclined organizing my own accommodation for a night at £500 than at £250...

Besides, as mentioned in another post in this thread, a lot of practices have own accommodation available that doesn't cost them in addition. If only for that reason I would always check. Another 2 reasons: I would suspect (though I don't know, admittedly) they might get a better deal than me and and probably have more revenue to claim back from tax than the average locum. And considering that a lot of practices offer accommodation as part of the salary package I have absolutely no scruples asking for accommodation. In the end, they can always say no, can't they?

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Alistair Graham-Evans — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 09:43:17 GMT

I was a locum for 7 years in Australia. I either stayed in the vet’s house while they were away or other decent accommodation was provided. All paid a fair daily rate and reimbursed travel ( air fares ) as location varied from Melbourne to Alice Springs to Townsville and many places in between. All positions that involved flights provided a car and fuel. I was employed in two places when returning to the UK for a visit and both arranged and paid for comfortable bed and breakfast accommodation.

I know there are a wide variety of opinions of locums expressed on this site. They provide an important role, in particular for smaller clinics when vets require a break or have an unexpected staff shortage. Trust me, experienced full time locums have a variety of opinions of clinics in which they have worked!

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Nicola Cole — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 07:41:36 GMT

I’m not a travelling locum but all the practices I’ve worked at have always had a flat above the practice and would put locums up there-varying quality, but a bed, kitchen and bathroom is all you really need. Definite step up from a campbed in theatre () but at no extra cost to the practice. Maybe that’s an old fashioned idea now?

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Neil Wheadon — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 00:16:19 GMT

[quote user="David Mills"]With the greatest respect, that is hardly the practice's fault. Being a locum is a choice like any other. Any locum wanting accommodation on top of their daily fee [/quote]

I've stayed over maybe 4 times in 7 years locum work.

Three times at Cardiff YHA as a practice in Wales like me enough to pay for that and it takes two and a half hours to get there

Once at a practice where I stayed because I was on call.

I can't speak for others, but I actively avoid it, and rarely charge for mileage (maybe one practice)

Tick Tock Boris (see other thread on Brexit)

Neil

RE: Accommodation (locums)

David Mills — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 00:09:41 GMT

[quote user="Neil Wheadon"]most locums don't live within 5 miles of the practice [/quote]

With the greatest respect, that is hardly the practice's fault. Being a locum is a choice like any other. Any locum wanting accommodation on top of their daily fee

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Neil Wheadon — Sat, 24 Aug 2019 23:54:48 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]It does seem odd that locums expect the practice to provide accommodation on top of their professional fees for working. If I go on CPD I don't expect them to provide me a bed for the night.[/quote]

Believe me, most? would rather not stay at the practice.

However most locums don't live within 5 miles of the practice and with many practices operating a 10.5 hour day, add travel in and it leads to a very long day. I guess you could refuse to provide accommodation, but your choice of decent locums will be somewhat reduced.

Neil

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Michael Woodhouse — Sat, 24 Aug 2019 23:43:10 GMT

David was joking. Keep your knickers on (maybe best if sleeping in a publicly accessible area).

I don't know what you've experienced but in recent years we've started locking the surgery at night and never let the public in our operating theatre........

It does seem odd that locums expect the practice to provide accommodation on top of their professional fees for working. If I go on CPD I don't expect them to provide me a bed for the night.

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Sylvia P — Sat, 24 Aug 2019 13:03:46 GMT

And why might that be? The locums would so not miss that, I can assure you. So, do tell us, why you would miss having unconscious locums asleep in a publicly accessible practice place with no privacy? Just cannot imagine what that awful and exploitative thing would be "missed". Fill us all in....

I have passed on your logged practice details to my locum agency by the way.

RE: Accommodation (locums)

George Cooper — Fri, 24 May 2019 20:21:26 GMT

When I did locum work to "keep my hand in" about 20 years ago - I loved the variability of accommodation - from a 14 foot caravan in the lane by the B&B tat was the usual 'put-me-up', to a converted school into a 'flat', though the very best was a locum job that allowed me to "visit" parents, yet remain at arms length, where I was ensconced in a 5 star Hotel in Kinross!! Cannot recall any others, as I did NOT enjoy doing the locum thing at all!!

RE: Accommodation (locums)

David Mills — Fri, 24 May 2019 18:51:10 GMT

I miss the days of locums being given a campbed in theatre.

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Andreas Ege — Fri, 24 May 2019 16:15:13 GMT

I frequently spent days to a whole week away from home, usually involving night work or on call. So far I have always gotten the respective practice to arrange accommodation on top of my fee. Quality has been variable but never had anything really bad. Ranged from flat above surgery, shared house nearby, motel, to b&b, even one with it's own annex.

Tonight I got the joy of a permanent mobile home up on the hill with spectacular views. Just hope it's gonna stay quiet enough I can actually enjoy them as well as getting some sleep. :-)

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Thomas Johnson — Tue, 21 May 2019 09:09:48 GMT

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]I think the YHA lost direction a few years back. The last one I stayed in (Inverness) was dreadful; greatly overpriced and full of youngsters moaning about slow wi-fi speeds. I was stuck in a dormitory with people pratting around with mobile telephones all night. For a similar price I could have checked into a reasonable B&B or hotel, with the privacy of my own room. [/quote]

Hostelling Scotland https://www.hostellingscotland.org.uk/ is a separate organisation to the Youth Hostel Association https://www.yha.org.uk/ that covers England and Wales. I've stayed in a few youth hostels in England and Wales over the past few years, most recently Liverpool 2 years ago, and have generally been very impressed. They now all seem to have a lot of smaller 4-6 bed rooms and you can normally book either the whole room, even if you are not using all of the beds, or an individual bed in a shared room.

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Andreia Dias — Mon, 20 May 2019 23:34:14 GMT

I clearly do not know much about hostels in the UK! xD I always commuted when I did locum and now I get accommodation included with my stay :p But I never charged for it... However I know a friend that had pretty horrible B&B arranged by an agency when she did two weeks of locum, so curious to hear about others...

Truly appreciate your feedback on this! :D

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Clive Ansell — Mon, 20 May 2019 22:06:16 GMT

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]When I was using Youth Hostels, you were turned away if you arrived by car. Ah me, autre temps, autre moeurs. [/quote]

I don't know if it is still the case, but fairly recently it was still in their charter that folk arriving on foot or on a bicycle be given priority, and anyone arriving by car could, in theory at least, be directed to the next/nearest one with availability.

I think the YHA lost direction a few years back. The last one I stayed in (Inverness) was dreadful; greatly overpriced and full of youngsters moaning about slow wi-fi speeds. I was stuck in a dormitory with people pratting around with mobile telephones all night. For a similar price I could have checked into a reasonable B&B or hotel, with the privacy of my own room.

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Mon, 20 May 2019 18:41:02 GMT

[quote user="Neil Wheadon"]

Cardiff YHA has a more secure car park for my Porsche (round the back)

Neil

[/quote]

When I was using Youth Hostels, you were turned away if you arrived by car. Ah me, autre temps, autre moeurs.

RE: Accommodation (locums)

Francisco Gomez — Mon, 20 May 2019 18:37:06 GMT

[quote user="David Mills"]

I thought most locums could afford to stay at the Hilton, or at a push a Four Seasons?

[/quote]

You forgot the joking emoji.