Author Topic: Commission  (Read 18750 times)

  • Offline zpyder

  • Posts: 6,946
  • Hero Member
Re: Commission
Reply #15 on: March 10, 2013, 14:16:37 PM
This has made me wonder,  should I register my silversmithing stuff? I'm guessing I could claim back vat on all my materials and tools. This could help quite a lot!

Re: Commission
Reply #16 on: March 10, 2013, 15:58:11 PM
but then you'd have to charge 20% vat on everything you sell...

in the long run, you're better off not being vat registered if you don't have to be

(unless what you sell wouldn't have vat on it anyway like food etc..)


it's "value added tax" so essentially it just takes away 20% of your profit
Last Edit: March 11, 2013, 09:05:42 AM by knighty #187;

Re: Commission
Reply #17 on: March 10, 2013, 16:37:08 PM
you won;t need to pay any tax on it

each year when you send your self assessment off, just make sure you put some of your gear down as costs, and make the costs add up to more than you earn from the photos

that way you never make a profit, so never pay tax
(on the photos anyway)

and if you put something expensive down, so you make a big loss, you can carry that loss forwards to the next year ;)

you can put stuff like fuel down too... (to go take the photos) but it's probably not worth the making it that complicated ;)

Handy tips, especially when chances you'll have bought something that could be put towards the costs.

Re: Commission
Reply #18 on: March 11, 2013, 06:22:57 AM
This has made me wonder,  should I register my silversmithing stuff? I'm guessing I could claim back vat on all my materials and tools. This could help quite a lot!

You can only claim back vat if you're vat registered. What knighty is saying is you can offset your profit and losses for your income tax bill

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

  • Offline zpyder

  • Posts: 6,946
  • Hero Member
Re: Commission
Reply #19 on: March 19, 2013, 07:30:03 AM
Spoke to them yesterday, apparently going and photographing a sign for media and marketing purposes is covered under the section of 'any other duties'  of my contract,  so they won't pay me.

She flinched a bit when I mentioned solicitors... :D

Re: Commission
Reply #20 on: March 19, 2013, 07:48:17 AM
id stuff the job & go for constructive dismissal

  • Offline zpyder

  • Posts: 6,946
  • Hero Member
Re: Commission
Reply #21 on: March 19, 2013, 08:43:56 AM
It's probably not worth the agro, I'll need a reference from them when I hopefully move this year. I am tempted though to just say "OK, then I'll have the photo back I took in my own time with my own equipment and you can pay me to go out there and do it again during office hours with office equipment".

Re: Commission
Reply #22 on: March 19, 2013, 14:13:15 PM
It's probably not worth the agro, I'll need a reference from them when I hopefully move this year. I am tempted though to just say "OK, then I'll have the photo back I took in my own time with my own equipment and you can pay me to go out there and do it again during office hours with office equipment".

thats what I would do - then email her link to your own business site where you sell photos, where you happen to have the photo on display for £400.

  • Offline zpyder

  • Posts: 6,946
  • Hero Member
Re: Commission
Reply #23 on: March 19, 2013, 14:46:09 PM
Well I apparently need to also declare my "photography business" as a potential "Conflict of interests". Just as I did that I received an email from the Professor who is in charge of the project the photo was needed for, asking if I'd been paid yet.

She'll be speaking to the deputy dean (Person who said they won't pay me) and if he won't budge, has said she'll take it to the Dean. So the show isn't over till the fat lady sings apparently.

(Neither of them are fat btw)

Re: Commission
Reply #24 on: March 19, 2013, 15:15:11 PM
Well I apparently need to also declare my "photography business" as a potential "Conflict of interests". Just as I did that I received an email from the Professor who is in charge of the project the photo was needed for, asking if I'd been paid yet.

She'll be speaking to the deputy dean (Person who said they won't pay me) and if he won't budge, has said she'll take it to the Dean. So the show isn't over till the fat lady sings apparently.

(Neither of them are fat btw)

she sounds like she needs a kick in the sponge.

  • Offline zpyder

  • Posts: 6,946
  • Hero Member
Re: Commission
Reply #25 on: March 19, 2013, 15:50:29 PM
Quote
9.      Exclusivity of Service

9.1    You are required to devote your full time, attention and abilities to your duties during working hours and to act in the best interests of the University at all times.  Full time staff may not hold any other paid appointment nor enter into an obligation to undertake any external work without the prior approval in writing of the University.  Before you enter into an obligation to undertake any paid external work, including consultancy, you must inform the University through the person to whom you are accountable.  The University will then decide (within 5 working days or whatever other period may be agreed as being reasonable in all the circumstances) if that work will

         a)    interfere with the performance of your professional/managerial responsibilities, or

b)    compete or conflict with the interests of the University. 

If either a) or b) apply, the University may at its sole discretion require you not to undertake the work.  Such a requirement will not be made unreasonably, will be subject to full consultation with yourself and, if made, will be accompanied by full written reasons for it.

9.2    Where it is intended to use the facilities of the University in connection with external work, then prior approval of the University is required in accordance with procedures as set out in the Staff Handbook.

So at the very least I can request the full written reasons, which'd be good, I'll wait and see what happens with the Professors chasing it. It's bad timing as the Deputy-Dean has had a loss in the family this week so it's a delicate time for kicking up a fuss!

Re: Commission
Reply #26 on: March 19, 2013, 20:12:50 PM
sounds like it'll all get sorted out to me, once you kick something far enough up the food chain it just takes someone with a bit of common sense to say "yeah that's fine" and then it'll trickle down and all get sorted out

even better when the Professor who wants it is the one asking about it

  • Offline Dave

  • Posts: 3,467
  • Hero Member
Re: Commission
Reply #27 on: March 20, 2013, 21:17:10 PM
Quote
Full time staff may not hold any other paid appointment nor enter into an obligation to undertake any external work without the prior approval in writing of the University. Before you enter into an obligation to undertake any paid external work, including consultancy, you must inform the University through the person to whom you are accountable. 

Surely since the university was the client for your external work they've implicitly given their agreement for you to undertake it anyway. Was the person who agreed to pay you for the photo also the person you report to - that would seemingly tick that box?

Re: Commission
Reply #28 on: March 21, 2013, 00:30:28 AM
I don't think you'll get paid for the photo I do think you could argue for the overtime.

Its not external work but then it is internal which would be within your duties... Only difference is that you did it in your own time which equates to overtime.

If they refuse overtime payment. You refuse them the right to use your photograph.

Though to sell your photographs on a stock photography site would require the permission of the university due to your contract but in worse case you're in breech of contract so the uni can do what exactly? fire you?

Now you're down to calling their bluff.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2


  • Offline zpyder

  • Posts: 6,946
  • Hero Member
Re: Commission
Reply #29 on: March 21, 2013, 08:35:31 AM
Yeah it's internal, it's not within my duties, but is covered under "Any other duties as required". Though yes I do use a camera on occasion in my role, the subject and context of the photo is such that I don't think it's that much different than if they'd asked the Dean of the school to do it. It'd be any other duties for her too.

Worst case scenario I take a day off work in lieu of overtime.

When it comes to the stock photos, I've been very careful the last few years. Pretty much all the ones I sell are taken in my own time with my own equipment. I was made aware of the contract that any photos taken during working hours, no matter what the subject etc, are joint copyright with the university.

I'm not fussed about calling their bluff, though the professor who wanted me to take the photos talked to me yesterday and sounds pretty gobsmacked about how the school is handling it. As she said, they needed the photo at short notice as they were falling behind the "in house" media team (basically a consultancy from the media school) would have charged thousands for it. I saved the school a lot of money and got the job done in half the time it would have taken had they gone down the apparent "preferred" route.

Just yet another example of the crazy inner workings I guess. Another good one is that we were told we couldn't buy a piece of equipment because it cost £500, we didn't have enough money to buy it so we'd need to find one that cost over £1000 so it could go through a different purchasing system  :dunno:

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.