[Alan Rowley]

For various reasons, far too complicated to discuss here, we are changing the structure of our company.

At the moment, I operate as a sole trader and my colleague in the business is classed as an employee. We run the business as a partnership but I have put all the money into the business, hence the sole trader classification.

We now wish to change to a partnership and I am interested to know how other partnerships have worked out. Also, what do we have to do legally? Do we need an official agreement? Can we do it ourselves or do we need a solicitor?

Any comments welcomed.

[Atlantic Cleaning]

Hi Alan

In my experience partnerships never work. I was involved in one several years back with 2 other people, both of which I had known for sevral years before and both I thought I could trust. How wrong was I, the partneship fell apart within a year due to 1 scamming the business and the other not wanting to work. That business (which I feel could have been very sucessfull) is no longer trading, I lost a lot of money and I lost 2 friends as well. I am yet to see a truly sucessfull partnership. Sorry to be negative just wanted to pass on my experiences. It may work for you. Good luck with what ever decision you come to...

Duncan

[Lesley J]

tried it twice it was a disaster. never again. same reasons as Duncan. Lesley J

[Cleaning Resource]

3 partnerships down the drain for me.......there can be only one boss

[Mrs Nicholls]

hi
we are a partnership business, although i dont think we run it as such, my business partner doesnt seem interested in half the workload of the running of the business and just does cleaning, i have had to push her to becoming the cleaning supervisor, so that she helps out the cleaners, and carries out the surveys for new clients. and i do all the rest of the admin side. doesnt work all the time because in the end it all comes back to me to do. Dont get me wrong, shes my mate and i love her to bits, but we fall out on a regular basis, specifically when she would rather waste money on a taxi than jump on the bus, drives me nuts lots of wasted money. (we dont drive, but the cleaners do)

it has its ups and downs, communication and good planning are the key i think.

[Bertie Boo]

Lisa

You could very well be talking about my friend and me, 'cos thats how it was when we started our cleaning service.

We cleaned together, she drove (in her car) i did EVERYTHING else. When it got to the point that i realised her heart wasnt in cleaning (rightly or wrongly) i knew that the sun had set on our partnership. Thankfully we'd only been working together for less than a month when we realised it wasnt gonna work...

Stephen

[clean team]

stay well away my last partner only wanted beer money he was a good worker and a good friend.but it was a nightmare. cost me £25,000 to get rid of him and i am still working at getting my buisness back to what it was.i bought everything cos he had no money and i took it of his wages.i was working all month with him and when i got ride i only had to work 10 days for the same money as working 20.now i am the boss and i do what i want.the money is better in your pocket trust me.
hope this helps

[Mrs Nicholls]

as i see it if she isnt doing any cleaning then she isnt making any money, she only has a 25% share anyway, daft me made it up to 50% with inland rev to share any tax, so in the eyes of the law we are 50/50, i wonder how much it would be to buy her out??? lol.

does anyone know how to price your biz?

[TVCS]

On the advice of the accountant I have just made the wife partner.  This workds out to our benefit tax wise etc

[TVCS]

LOL