SMEs have faced multiple challenges for the past two years, but they might be forgiven for looking forward to better times, now all the lockdowns are behind us. Instead, a recent report shows that the cost of living crisis is creating a situation where more than two million SMEs are only just managing to break even. Why the Crisis? Many SMEs had a difficult time during the pandemic, but conditions haven’t impro
During the Covid lockdown, many businesses unable to trade or use their premises fell into arrears with their commercial rent. Although businesses are generally up and running again, many have found difficulties in catching up with these arrears. This has obviously also impacted on landlords’ finances, but the government’s Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Act 2022, which came into force on 24th March, has se
Most people would agree that the financial sector has been in dire need of more targeted regulation — and, on the whole, those companies that have always operated ethically would also agree. In a sector tarnished by everything from the LIBOR scandal to consumer scams, tougher regulations should allow firms already meeting or exceeding those standards to get a head-start. What’s the Background to the Strategy? S
You have a lot on your plate as a business owner, and keeping your accounts up to date might seem like something that can be put off till you have more time. This is unwise, even if nothing goes wrong, but there are circumstances when getting caught with your accounts undone could lead to disqualification as a Director. The Case of Mitchell Smith The government has recently announced the disqualification of Mitchell
It’s obvious to everyone now that we’re heading into recession. Energy and fuel costs spiralling and food prices rising are going to affect everyone on a personal level, but they could also have a knock-on effect on your business. Are you in a position to get through this? What’s Happening to the Economy? A number of factors have combined to create shortages (and therefore rising prices) across the
One of the few positive statistics from the first year of the Covid pandemic was a sharp drop in business insolvencies. This was driven by the various measures the government put in place to support businesses, in particular the furlough system. However, these measures have ended now, and the latest figures show that business insolvencies are climbing. What Do the Figures Show? The Insolvency Service has published th
Overdue payments are a fact of life in business, and unfortunately the situation only looks like getting worse. High inflation is going to squeeze everyone’s cashflow, and even if your customers are trying their best to keep up payments, they might be chasing bad debts themselves. So what strategies are available to you, if you want to chase money owed to you? Using Your Customer Relations When you have a probl
Contracts come in many different types. A contract can be a document to rival War and Peace in length and complexity, or it can be little more than a handshake. However, it’s a contract if it amounts to a provable agreement of how business is going to be conducted between two parties. So do you really need something formal, when an informal agreement serves the same purpose? What Is a Contract A contract is a l
Official inflation figures have just been released for December, and it won’t be a surprise to many people that the news is bad. The figure is 5.4% — the highest inflation since March 1992. This is clearly bad news for consumers, especially those on low income, but what is it likely to mean for your business? Inflation Squeezing Household Spending Much of the recent inflation, the highest this century, is obvio
Over twenty years experience in Debt Collection and Credit Control at your service. The worst thing you can do about collecting slow and overdue accounts is: "NOTHING"