What’s my occupation?

[SecretSarahBeeny]

Recently, for a number of reasons, people have begun asking me, “What do you do?”

Other school gate parents have jobs their children can easily describe. Electrician, teacher, doctor etc.

I haven’t helped myself by being vague about what I do. In the past I’ve told most people I was a SAHM, but now our children are older I can sense a certain disdain from other parents at the school gates. I’ve had a couple of occasions of being patronised by my very young GP recently, too. I think there’s an assumption that I must be poorly educated or just poor. I’m neither. I paid six figures in tax last year.

I would feel a massive knob calling myself Company Director, which is how my accountant describes me on my Companies House listing.

I have income from BTL. The capital came from a previous career, not an inheritance or marriage.
I have income from managing BTL for others.
I renovate a house (not the one we live in) every other year, rolling forward the capital but not drawing an income. The capital for this came from remortgaging my first BTL, and my mortgage broker described me as a professional residential landlord.

I’m ashamed of caring what other people think of me, but I really don’t want to say I’m a landlord. I’m not a big enough cheese to say I’m a property developer. I would quite like to have a nice easy response to this common question. Do you have any ideas?

You're a property developer. You e just been showing off about how much tax you pay so I find this false modesty a bit odd.

If I could be a bit less self-deprecating and a bit more professional though, I’m fairly sure our school gates would be a good place to hustle up more business.

Just say you’re self-employed, or you run your own business, in property, if anyone asks.

I wasn’t showing off. I did say the bulk of taxes was one-offs. I made the point because I’m not dealing in small numbers or flipping little studio flats. I’m making a pretty decent living and yet for some reason I can’t own it.

@Literallynoidea

You're a property developer. You e just been showing off about how much tax you pay so I find this false modesty a bit odd.

Agreed. I really don't get all this angst to be honest.

I made the point because I’m not dealing in small numbers or flipping little studio flats. I’m making a pretty decent living and yet for some reason I can’t own it.

Seems a little contrived if I'm honest. I can empathise with the struggle of not feeling worthy due to not having a socially acceptable life plan (and what your GP said wasn't acceptable by any means) but you've asked for options and shot the vast majority down. What would make you happy to say you did?

Say I have a small property company

I understand your dilemma, and I do think it matters, it’s about your identity, who you are and how you appear in the world.

‘I have a small property business’ ?
‘I do up and manage a number of properties’?

I don’t think I would say ‘I’m in property development’, it has a different connotation to me than what you describe. If I used that term I’d probably qualify it: ‘you could say I’m in property development... relatively small scale but keeps the wolf from the door’ or something.

Dh does the same job. As he's around a lot for school runs and during the day, I think some people think he's a drug dealer or just a bum

He also doesn't like saying landlord or company director so usually says he is a letting agent. People don't tend to ask much more.

I’d say you have a property business.
You can always elaborate if you want.

@Yika Thank you. You’ve articulated exactly what I was struggling with.

@instanthistoryy I’m being driven demented by letting agents so I won’t be going with that .

Who actually cares what you work as? Are your school mums that even bothered? Fgs op first world problems.

Self employed.

Then if they ask again say, property.

[quote SecretSarahBeeny]@berrygirlie CGT is not much of a boast . If I were really a property developer I would have found some way to avoid it.[/quote]
Er........a property developer pays income tax (up to 45%) not capital gains tax (up to 28%).

If by 'rolling the capital forward' you mean that you sell, pay CGT, then reinvest the proceeds in more property then you are underpaying tax. You may therefore be avoiding income tax without realising it.

See Section 6 ITTOIA 2005 and Part 9A ITA 2007.

What's my occupation?

Just say you work in property but don't say you are a Landlord

You’re a Professional Biennial. 🙂

@Manolinette

What's my occupation?

Same as mine by the sound of it lol , I love a wee bit of technical pedantry

Just say you have a property portfolio or as my dad says "I have some rentals."

To anyone judging you for being a SAHM tell them you have your own business and to back off, not that there is anything wrong with being a SAHM I just hate the judginess of it.

Being a "property manager" these days is technically a field of chartered surveyors so whilst you may 'manage property' you aren't a"property manager" just to add to the confusion.

I get it, people like things in neat boxes and when it doesn't fit they get confused.

@Mydogmylife
Oui, let's hope the OP's facts are muddled and they have not been buying property with the intention to sell. Otherwise, I fear reaching out to locate a more competent adviser followed by a grovel to HMRC may be in order.

The only answer is

Crazy rhyming.

I'm finding you hard work op.
Who overthinks like this?
You make your money from property.
If people want to know more they will ask.
You said you want to encourage conversation.
What's so hard?

For goodness sake just say you own a small property company. I’m a company director and own my own company and you are really over thinking this.
Also I agree with the previous person who stated you wanted to highlight the six figures you paid in tax. You then go onto say you’re not selling small studio flats but larger property. Just accept what you are a property developer. There are micro companies, small companies, medium companies, large companies and multi nationals. It’s not a one size fits all.

I truly don’t understand the point of your post. Otherwise just say you’re self employed and work in property.

[quote Manolinette]@Mydogmylife
Oui, let's hope the OP's facts are muddled and they have not been buying property with the intention to sell. Otherwise, I fear reaching out to locate a more competent adviser followed by a grovel to HMRC may be in order.[/quote]
Wait for it, op will ask for the thread to be taken down cos it's outing- lesson here don't talk about your tax arrangements unless you're on solid ground .

Yes, it sounds like it. There are so many getting tax wrong with property, mainly because they hear it down the pub, or have an incompetent adviser, or come on MN for advice...c'est la vie.