Self employed cleaner, driving/mileage help

[Gemma7899]

Hiiii,
I'm a self employed cleaner, I'm a subcontractor and work for a company but not employed by them. I have to travel 15 minutes to pick up linen and also other cleaners then 15mins to the houses to clean, then back again at the end of the day, but I don't get paid for this travel time or mileage, it's about 24miles per day/ half an hour driving each way. We only get paid for the hours cleaning. it's always been this way. When I've been on holiday another self employed cleaner has done the driving and picking up but she's has been paid an extra hours wage to cover this. Now I'm back from holiday and I'm asked to pick up other cleaners again I need some advise on:

1. Am entitled to ask for milage allowance or to be paid time driving other people if I'm self employed?
2. How do I ask my 'boss' to be paid extra if the other lady has been paid extra politely? It doesn't seam fair to me that I'm loosing 1hr each day driving about and not getting milage or pay, when other people do.

Many thanks.

Thanks

Why do you think you are Self Employed?

I'm registered as self employed, I'm a subcontractor.

Can you pick your own hours? If you didn’t want to work could you send someone in your place?

Ask for the extra time to cover your costs or say you can’t do it any more.

what in your agreed terms or contract? Are they paying a higher hourly rate to cover this?

Yes but what makes you SE?
Do you Choose whether to take the work or not? Use your own equipment? Can you send someone else?

Yes I can say what days I can or can't do but I need the work so I usually do whatever comes my way.

How do I ask my 'boss' to be paid extra if the other lady has been paid extra politely? It doesn't seam fair to me that I'm loosing 1hr each day driving about and not getting milage or pay, when other people do.

“Hi boss- I’ve realised I’m not getting paid for the extra hour I do with collecting linens & picking up X & Y. Could it be added to my wages from now on, please?”

Then if they say no, you bring up the fact that other people were paid to do it in your absence.

I get £1-1.50 more per hr than others. I don't have a contract.

I've asked this recently however he said no I cannot get paid time or fuel, the other lady did just because I was away. I think I just need to find a new job, was just looking for some advise first incase it was me being unreasonable or to see if it's normal for self employed people to not get paid for fuel etc.

Yep, slowly reduce your hours and do t be so available IMO, what would happen if you had no vehicle?

I’m self employed and invoice 45p a mile.

If your Contract (actual or assumed) does not allow for expenses then you probably won’t get paid expenses unfortunately

If you're self employed and y0u do not have a contract - then tell the company the conditions have changed and you will be charging for picking up other staff and the linen run. Tell then the sae price as the person that covered you.

If they don't like it they can find someone else to do that

do you do your own tax return in January every year?

Yes I do my own tax return.

Thankyou for all your responses.

so do you put in an invoice for the work you have completed?

Yes

So put an invoice in covering your time working and for milage. If they don't pay you don't continue to work and you put in another invoice in red and then take it further

if there someone above the person you are dealing with?

There is a lot of work about and you don't have to give away time for free

@ivykaty44 is absolutely right, you invoice for your time from leaving home to returning and mileage as you are picking up and transporting their equipment and another cleaner.

If you're submitting a tax return you can claim tax relief for the mileage at 45p a mile, or do you not earn enough to pay tax? I'm a carer with an agency and drive about 90 miles a week but don't get paid mileage. Hopefully I'll earn enough by April to pay tax and claw some back!

You're self-employed, so you set your contract terms.

I would email saying:

Dear Boss,

From <date> I will be invoicing you for travel between A and B at a cost of £x/hr, and mileage at xp/mile. Please can you confirm by <date> you are happy with this. If not, you will need to make alternative arrangements to ensure that this is covered.

And then stick to your guns, including invoicing them for that time.

I'd also start looking around for your own clients. Good cleaners are hard to find, and I suspect your boss is getting far more out of this arrangement than you are.

They should at least be paying you for mileage driven in your car. There something in the Gov website that states minimum expected