Recovering the debt If it's time to go down the formal legal route, use this checklist to help weigh up your options and explain what's involved in attempting to recover your money. Read more
How to arrange cover Finding the right source to arrange your insurance is an important part of the process. You can either go direct to the insurance company or through an intermediary. Read more
Data protection and your website If your website collects personal data (information about a living person which enables them to be identified), then it must comply with the Data Protection Act 1998. Use this checklist as a guide to
ensure that you don't fall foul of the Act. Read more
Internet marketing Marketing your business using a website is all about generating good publicity to increase your customer base. However, legislation is in place to govern what you can and can't do. Use this checklist
to ensure that your business markets things in the right way and stays on the right side of the law. Read more
E-commerce terms and conditions Having the right terms and conditions in place is an essential part of any successful e-commerce business. Use this checklist to make sure yours are up to scratch. Read more
Internet selling It's a myth that selling anything in cyberspace is unregulated. It is actually highly regulated. Use this checklist to make sure your site is fully compliant and that any contracts made are legally
binding. Read more
Reporting accidents There's a legal obligation to report certain types of accident. Additionally, because accidents are a fact of life, as a business, it's important to have the correct paperwork and proper procedures
in place to deal with them. Read more
Maternity It's important to be fully aware of a pregnant employee's rights and to be able to handle things properly and correctly. Use this checklist to work through what's required of you. Read more
What to do if your claim is rejected Don't just assume that your insurance company will pay out. It's not unknown for claims to be rejected. However, if this happens, all's not lost. Read more
How to make a complaint and get compensation Ultimately, the Adjudicator's Office handles all complaints about the Taxman. However, the adjudicator will only examine a complaint if the right people in HMRC have seen it first. If you feel you
have been unfairly treated by the Taxman, you need to explore the avenues of complaint. Read more
How to amend a tax return What happens at the end of an enquiry?If the Taxman finds nothing wrong with your return, he should advise you of this and write to say so (in a closure notice). That is then the end of the matter.
If he considers that there's something wrong, but does not think you have been negligent, he will normally... Read more
How to chase a repayment Most tax districts deal with taxpayers in strict alphabetical order. So if your surname begins with "T" you'll have quite a wait for any repayment due to you. How can you speed up the process? Read more
Dealing with a notice of enquiry letter An enquiry is an examination of a self-assessment return to check that it is correct and complete. Your involvement in an enquiry usually begins when you receive a letter asking you to send further
information. The letter is the Taxman's opening shot, so how should you handle it? Read more
Challenging the Taxman's calculations Can you challenge the Taxman's calculations?With self-assessment, there's an emphasis from the Taxman on records which seek to displace the profits shown in your accounts with an estimate based on a
business economics exercise (BEN). How do you go about challenging a BEN? Read more
Reviewing your tax return before filing Before filing your tax return, it's a good idea to carry out health checks on it with a view to reducing the chances of being selected for an enquiry. Read more
How to get an enquiry closed down If you believe you've given the Taxman all the information he's requested, you may ask him to close the enquiry. If he refuses, it might be because he's on a fishing expedition or does not have the
courage to close down the investigation. What steps should you then take to get closure? Read more
Enquiries - what if HMRC wants to see you? What if HMRC wants to see you?There is no statutory obligation to attend an interview and some advisors advocate non-attendance. However, if you decide to attend an interview, how should you react to
HMRC's questions? Read more
Forming a company How do we form a company?It's never been easier to form a company and to start trading immediately. But as always there's an element of you get what you pay for. So what are the pros and cons of each
option? Read more
Enforcing the judgment OK, you've now got your judgment. But enforcing it is often the tricky bit and how successful you are will determine whether you get paid or not. Use this checklist to run through the various
options. Read more
How to discipline an employee From time-to-time, you will need to discipline members of staff. There is a right and a wrong way of going about this. Use this checklist to ensure you do things the right way. Read more
Preventing discrimination and harassment claims These are to be avoided at all costs. Quite apart from generating adverse publicity, they can be very costly as there's no cap on the amount of compensation that can be awarded. This checklist will
help avoid such claims. Read more
PAYE and National Insurance As an employer you are responsible for deducting both income tax and National Insurance contributions (NIC) from your employee's salary. Failure to do so could result in you being fined as well as
being liable for any unpaid tax or NIC. Read more
Designs and how to protect them There are four different types of design rights that you need to be aware of. This checklist will guide you in the right direction and offer protection if you're looking beyond the UK. Read more
IP, employees and third parties You need to be clear who owns the IP rights - you or your employees. Use this checklist to ensure there are no costly and protracted disputes over ownership. Read more
Service charges What's a service charge?Service charges can be punitive. But the good news is that the landlord can't charge them unless the lease allows it. Use this checklist to be sure of your position. Read more
What can be copyrighted ? Copyright applies to written and musical works etc. But make sure that whatever you have in mind for copyright protection is an original. Read more
Looking for property Where do we start looking? These days there are countless places to look for property. This checklist should help ensure you don't waste too much time on the process. Read more
How leases work How does a lease work?A leasehold agreement is a contract. However, as it relates to land, it will often contain unfamiliar language and all sorts of traps for the unwary. This checklist will help
you stay out of trouble. Read more
Health and safety policy checklist Health and safety policyThis must be the bedrock of your health and safety culture. It's a legal requirement in any event if you employ five or more staff, and it involves you putting together a
written statement to set out how you will manage health and safety. Read more
Pregnancy and health and safety According to research, 97% of pregnancy-related tribunal claims involve a failure to carry out a risk assessment. To make sure you don't fall into that category, use this checklist to keep your
business out of tribunal. Read more
How to protect your company name How do we protect our company name?To ensure maximum protection for your company's name, you need to take a proactive approach - include it on all business correspondence and check the register at
Companies House from time to time. Read more
General fire safety Following a change in the law on April 1 2006, fire certificates were abolished. Now you are responsible for carrying out a fire risk assessment in order to ensure your premises are safe. Use
his checklist to help you take the necessary precautions. Read more
Hours of work, rest breaks and holidays All these areas are covered by legislation known as the Working Time Directive (WTD). Make sure you know what the WTD says and that you keep proper records so as to avoid getting into problems and
disputes with any of your employees. Read more
Planning and building regulations How should we deal with planning and building regulations?Planning and building regulations are a fact of life and may serve to limit what you can do with your property. Work through this
checklist to flag up the most important considerations. Read more
Getting your publicity right You are legally required to ensure your website sets out certain details about your business. Use this checklist to make sure the publicity on your site is right up-to-date. Read more
How to protect a trade mark There are various hoops you have to pass through to ensure your trade mark (TM) is properly protected. Use this checklist to avoid any problems. Read more
First aid at work You're under a legal obligation to provide workplace first aid for your employees. Use this checklist to help you to meet your requirements under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. Read more
Display screen equipment (DSE) Display screen equipmentThe Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 lay down clear guidelines for workstations. Use this checklist to ensure you are fully compliant with the
Regulations. Read more
Insurance What's the position on insurance?You can't assume that the landlord will take care of all the insurance for the building. If you do, you might find yourself on the end of a claim that you have
to pay yourself. Read more
How to make a claim What, where and how do you make a claim if an insured event occurs? The events in the immediate aftermath of a claim can be crucial and the steps you take can be very significant should your claim be
disputed. Read more
Contents insurance Your stock, machinery and equipment are valuable items and integral to the business. It's a good idea, therefore, to check that these items are properly insured, so that your business can continue to
function in the event of an emergency. Read more
Anything else to remember ?A final checklist to help ensure you haven't overlooked anything - something that's easy to do when there are so many things to consider. Read more
Buildings insurance If you either own or rent premises, having an adequate buildings insurance policy is essential. Don't be tempted to underinsure in order to save money. It could prove to be a false economy. Read more
Problems with landlords What if we have problems with the landlord?For the most part, landlords want to get on well with their tenants. But sometimes the relationship breaks down. Use this checklist for pointers on how to
deal with such a problem. Read more
Selecting and managing your it supplier To be able to get the maximum benefit from your website, you will need to have a robust IT system in place. Use this checklist to ensure you ask the necessary questions of your IT supplier. Read more
Choosing a domain name If you're going to be involved in e-commerce, getting the right domain name and keeping it is one of the most important things to get right. Read more
Database rights and protection When you create a new database a protective right arises automatically. Keep careful records of when the database is made; protection lasts for 15 years. Read more
Recruitment The task of recruiting the right person for your business is not to be underestimated. There are various ways of going about this. Make sure you are clear before you start the process about what you
want and who you're looking for. Read more
Trading options What are our options? It's important to understand the different trading options - some will be more suitable than others. Pay particular attention to the issue of personal liability. Read more
Compulsory and optional insurance What's compulsory and what's optional? You're legally required to have some types of insurance. Failure to comply will be a criminal offence. It could also mean that if a claim is made, the business
itself will have to pay out compensation to meet it. However, many types of insurance are an optional... Read more
Dos and dont's with clients and customers Dos and don'ts with clients and customersThe customer is always right! Actually, they're not. But following our basic dos and don'ts should help ensure a trouble-free relationship. Read more
Appraisals Meaningful appraisals are all about reviewing your employees' performance and potential. It should be a two-way process. To ensure your appraisals achieve their objectives, use this checklist as
a guide. Read more
Choosing the right policy All businesses require insurance cover. Getting the right type of cover at the right price is, and could be, very beneficial to your company. Read more
Contracts of employment Not only are they essential so that both you and the employee know where you stand but also the legislation insists upon you giving certain basic terms. Use this checklist to make sure you're fully
compliant. Read more
Dealing with your bank Banks are solely in the business of making money so make sure you're aware of their charges. Check statements carefully. Read more
Funding the purchase How should we fund the purchase?How you fund the purchase will depend on a variety of factors. Use this checklist to consider the basic options. If nothing else, it might help to eliminate
them. Read more
Prevention In an ideal world you'd want to be paid on time by every customer. Of course, there's no guarantee that you will achieve this, but use this checklist as a precaution to ensure you are not saddled
with having to chase up too many slow or non-payers. Read more
How to factor your debts Debt factoring can be a convenient way of improving cash flow and removing risk. But it's not always straightforward so use this checklist to ensure you get the best deal. Read more
Dividends All shareholders will expect to receive a dividend. Can they be paid out at any time, irrespective of the financial standing of the company? This checklist will keep you on the straight and narrow. Read more
Interviewing Interviewing candidates is your opportunity to get to know them and to assess whether or not they are going to be suitable for the business. To ensure you choose the right candidate, use this
checklist to remind yourself what's involved and what you should be looking for. Read more
How to handle complaints Effective complaint handling is essential to ensure a good business reputation and a strong order book. Done well, it can even lead to fresh sales. Read more
Chasing the non-payer If you've a customer who simply won't pay, use this checklist to try to persuade them to settle your overdue account without the need to take them to court. Read more
Options What are the options?When it comes to choosing suitable premises for your business, the options are fairly limited. For complete control, you might opt for freehold but for more flexibility,
something like serviced accommodation might fit the bill. Read more
Selecting a hosting contract A website needs to be hosted on a web server in order for it to be available on the Internet. As your website is the public face of the business, use this checklist to ensure that you're
able to find a cost-effective, fast and reliable service to host your site. Read more
Choosing a supplier It might sound obvious, but it's vital you choose the right supplier - otherwise you might be stuck in an agreement that you can't get out of. Read more
Business plan What is a business plan and what should it contain?A business plan can play a vital role in the success of any business - but what are its key constituents? Read more
Premises safety check It goes without saying that most accidents will happen in the workplace. To minimise the risk of this occurring, and to avoid any claims, use this checklist to ensure that your premises are a
reasonably safe environment for both staff and visitors. Read more
Shareholders' meetings Thanks to the popularity of written resolutions, shareholders' meetings are less common. However, they are still sometimes necessary. Use our summary to check that you follow the rules and ensure
your company's decisions are valid. Read more
Asbestos in the workplace Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006, you are under a legal duty to identify whether or not there is any asbestos present in your premises. The Health and Safety Executive is increasing the
number of spot checks, so use this checklist to help ensure you're not caught out. Read more
Public liability insurance (PLI) Public liability insuranceIf you have premises where members of the public, clients and/or customers visit, it would be very prudent to ensure you've got this type of insurance in place. It will also
cover the scenario where you or an employee visit a third party's premises and have an accident, injuring... Read more
Removing a director Things haven't worked out and you need to get rid of a fellow director. Will showing them the door suffice? Or do you need to follow a set procedure? Read more
Contracts There's so much confusion surrounding the legal status of a contract - in fact, there are four essential elements to any contract. This checklist shows you how to form contracts that won't leave you
wanting. Read more
Employers' Liability insurance (ELI) Employers' Liability insuranceIf you employ one or more employees, then you must have Employers' Liability insurance (ELI) in place. You must be insured for at least £5m and have the policy displayed
where your employees can see it. Read more
Personal protection Personal protective equipment (PPE) is all about making sure your employees are wearing the right type of equipment to protect them against risks to their health or safety. Use this checklist to
ensure your PPE remains effective. Read more
What should your terms and conditions include ? This checklist includes all the essentials of a contract (needed to protect your position) and several that you can include to suit the needs of your business. Read more
Rent How much rent should we pay?No one in business wants to pay any more rent than they have to. You need to check the leasehold agreement to see what the landlord can get away with. Read more
How to deal with late payment Late payment is the bane of any business. Whilst you can't physically force your customers to pay on time you can at least make life easy for them and be sure of your own position. Read more
Carrying out a risk assessment All employers are required to carry out risk assessments. Use this checklist to guide you through what they should cover. Read more
Using external help For various reasons, you've decided not to go it alone. Where else can you turn to for help and assistance in trying to recover the debt? Use this checklist to run through your options. Read more
Leasehold premises Why should we consider leasehold premises?A leasehold premises can offer many advantages over a freehold - but there are pitfalls too. You need to be aware of them all to be able to make a
balanced decision. Read more
Manual handling You are legally required to assess the risks employees face when lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling objects. This should form part of your general risk assessment. Use this checklist to make sure
this s fully addressed in your risk assessment. Read more
Publicity The law requires you to display certain information about your business in a variety of places. You need to take care here as directors can become personally liable. Read more
How companies work How do companies work? Companies are governed by their own set of rules and regulations that you need to be aware of and comply with. Read more
What to pay your employee You are quite at liberty to pay your employees whatever you like, subject to complying with the National Minimum Wage. However, to retain your best staff, you might need to pay above the going market
rate, provided your business can afford to do so. Read more
Directors' liability Limited liability should mean that a director cannot be personally liable for the actions of the company. But it's not always so straightforward - use this checklist to see why. Read more
Chasing the slow payer It's essential to get the money in on time. Use this checklist to go about things the right way when it comes to getting your slow payers to cough up. Read more
What can be trade marked ? Make sure you know what protection is available before you embark on what might be an expensive and time consuming exercise. Read more
Leavers and the exit interview When you lose staff, make sure that any departure is handled as smoothly and as professionally as possible, including carrying out an exit interview. Read more
What are intellectual property rights ?Intellectual property (IP) can allow you to own things you create in a similar way to owning physical property. You can control the use of your IP, and use it to gain reward. This encourages further
innovation and creativity. There are five main areas to consider. Read more
How to protect copyright How do we protect our copyright? This checklist will help ensure you follow all the steps necessary to protect your copyright, e.g. not disclosing your idea to a third party without them first having
signed a copyright agreement. Read more
What a patent is and how it is protected What is a patent and how is it protected? Patents exist to protect things you've designed or made. Using this checklist will help ensure that all your hard work doesn't end up in someone else's
hands. Read more
Driving at work Just because some of your employees are out on the road, doesn't mean you're not responsible for their safety. Make sure you still operate a safe system of work. Use this checklist to help achieve
this. Read more
Board meetings Effective board meetings are necessary in any successful company. How should you run yours for maximum effect and in line with legal requirements? Read more
How to invoice Make a mistake with an invoice and it might give a customer all the ammunition they need to avoid paying. Use this checklist to ensure you don't miss out unnecessarily. Read more
Redundancy Making employees redundant is a task your business may never have to undertake. However, if you do have to perform this unpleasant task, you need to understand that it's procedure driven and getting
it wrong could lead to a claim for unfair dismissal. Read more
Inducting your new employee Inducting someone into the workplace is all about introducing them to the business, meeting their colleagues and clients and generally helping them settle in as quickly as possible to make them feel
welcome. It's all about creating the right impression, so use this checklist to guide you through the... Read more
Directors and Officers insurance (D and O) Directors' and Officers' insuranceAre you a director of a limited company? If so, long gone are the days when you could safely hide behind your company's shield and avoid liability if anything went
wrong. Increasingly, company directors are in the firing line and Directors' and Officers' cover is a must. Read more
Making an offer and taking up references Having identified the successful candidate, an offer needs to be made and the potential employee must be checked out by taking up references to ensure that everything is in order. Read more
Motor insurance If you or any of your employees drive a vehicle on the road for business purposes, then by law you must ensure that, as a bare minimum, the business has a third party policy in place. Read more
Buy or rent Should we buy or rent?That's the $64,000 question. There are pros and cons to both options. Use the checklist to work through them. Read more