Before-and-after photos that sell the next visit
Two photos taken on the visit do more for a garden maintenance business than any leaflet. Here is how to take them, file them and send them so the next visit sells itself.
Blog
All articles
Practical guides, product news and stories from the trades we build for.
Latest articles
How UK tradespeople get paid the same day (pay links, cards, Direct Debit)
A pay link by text, a card on the doorstep, a Direct Debit for the regulars. The three ways UK trades get paid the same day, and when to use each.
Chasing late payments the polite way (and your rights when polite fails)
A reminder ladder that keeps customers, the automation that gets you paid weeks sooner, and exactly what the Late Payment Act lets you charge when a business ignores you.
The morning email every trade business should get: who owes me
One email before the first job: every customer who owes you, how overdue, and a link they can pay from. Why it works and what changes after a week of it.
Making Tax Digital for VAT, in plain English
What MTD for VAT actually asks of a VAT-registered trade business: digital records, the nine boxes, obligations, and a guided filing that talks to HMRC for you.
MTD for Income Tax from April 2026: what sole traders need to do
The thresholds, the dates, the quarterly updates and the first-year soft landing on penalties, in one page a self-employed tradesperson can act on.
Xero, QuickBooks or FreeAgent for a trade business?
Which bookkeeping package fits a sole trader, a small team or a business with an accountant, what syncing from your job app really means, and why read-back matters.
Receipts in the van: capture, OCR and the accountant file
The receipt is only a problem if it reaches the glovebox. Photograph it on the forecourt, let the app read it, attach it to the job, and the accountant file writes itself.
The landlord gas safety record: every 12 months, copy within 28 days
The landlord gas safety record is the most predictable repeat work in the gas trade. Here are the rules, the two-month window, and how to turn the date into a booking.
EICR every five years: turning a legal duty into repeat work
Private landlords in England must have an EICR at least every five years. That is a rebooking you can date on the day you issue the certificate.
The MCS certificate, explained for installers and their customers
The MCS certificate is what proves a solar install was done to the scheme's standards, and it is what unlocks the Smart Export Guarantee for your customer. Here is what it is, what MCS needs from you, and what goes in the handover pack.
G98 vs G99: DNO applications without the wait
G98 means install then notify the DNO within 28 days. G99 means apply and get approval before you commission. Here is the threshold, the paperwork, and how to stop the wait stalling the job.