Are you wondering about the cost and legal requirements to start as a Virtual Assistant (VA) and whether it’s free to begin your VA business?
Long story short, starting as a VA is not free. There are several key things you need to have in place before working with your first client, including meeting a legal requirement in the UK.
At the time of writing, it will cost you around £300-£350 minimum to set up as a Virtual Assistant. Let’s break down the costs for you. However, there’s good news: as an affiliate, I have discount codes for Virtual Assistant (contracts) terms of business from KoffeeKlatch, as well as a discount for Virtual Assistant insurance with Policy Bee.
Terms of Business (Contracts):
First, and very briefly, I want to talk about why you even need terms of business (contract) and a booking form. It may surprise you to know that having terms of business or a contract, whatever you want to call it, is not mandatory.
But there are some very important reasons why you should have them in place.
If you risk it, there’s no comeback other than a massive, massive stress fest. They help to set boundaries. Things like payment terms and working hours. It shows professionalism, it shows that they’re safe with you because you’ve got those things in place. It ensures you get paid. I mean without somebody signing something to say they’re going to pay you to do X, Y, Z, where’s the proof that you are not working for free? It outlines the work you’re going to do so there’s no miscommunication there.
I’ve had a client once say ‘I didn’t ask you to do it that way’ and I could’ve sworn they had but it was all on a call and I’d not confirmed it in writing, so I lost money there.
So it’s a must for confirming what tasks are going to be undertaken.
But the biggest issue can be; if you don’t get contracts signed your insurance may not be valid. Do check that with your insurers if you’re not going to use contracts.
KoffeeKlatch offers terms of business that comes with an excellent booking form that covers various aspects such as boundaries, costs, time frames, preferred communication methods, and more. Beware of downloading contracts from Google or Etsy, or accepting them from non-legally trained individuals, as they may not hold up in a UK court.
There are three tiers to choose from. Here’s the difference between them:
- Cheapest at £60 plus VAT. Limitations: The booking form and terms of business has the KoffeeKlatch logo on and you can’t change it. You get 6 months support with your purchase in a private FB group.
- Slightly more expensive at £100 plus VAT. You can change the logo (this is the one I use) and you get 12 months support in their FB group.
- Most expensive at £250 plus VAT. You can change the logo and you can amend the contract wording, which is not something I have ever done because you really do need to know what you’re doing when you muck about with legal stuff and I don’t. You get 18 months support in their private FB group support.
Lots of new VAs worry about how to complete their terms of business and booking form, but I promise you it’s really easy. It just seems daunting because it’s legal. I’ve done a full breakdown on how to complete it in my Enquiry to Onboarding training.
Get your VA Terms of Business here from KoffeeKlatch with a 10% discount using code CATH10.
Website:
Having a website for your VA business is essential if you want to get clients. It helps establish your online presence and credibility. Contrary to what some may say, creating a website is more affordable than you might think. I have a course which teaches you how to build your own WordPress website (which is an incredible skill to have as a small business owner).
Read this short blog here to find out why and your options.
GDPR Registration:
GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is crucial for data protection responsibilities as a business owner. Understanding the requirements can be challenging, and seeking help from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) may not be fruitful.
Take the short questionnaire on the ICO website to confirm whether you need to be GDPR registered. Spoiler alert… you do!
Currently, the registration cost is £47 per year if you set up a direct debit, or £52 if you don’t. While you don’t receive anything other than a registration number in return for registering, it is a legal requirement, and non-compliance can lead to trouble. Think of it as an unfair relationship; they could at least send us a Parker pen, couldn’t they. Gits.
Laptop:
Since you’ll be working from home, you’ll need a reliable laptop. A PC might be inconvenient, occupying space and making it harder to switch off.
Here are my two recommendations for what laptop to get as a Virtual Assistant:
- Stick with the operating system you’re comfortable with, whether it’s Windows or macOS.
- Ensure your laptop has at least 8GB of memory to avoid slowing down and encountering delays, which could impact your efficiency and earnings.
Insurance:
While most clients are great to work with, there can be instances when a difficult client causes stress and dissatisfaction. Having insurance in place can provide support during such situations. I recommend Policy Bee for business insurance, and the cost will depend on the coverage you choose.
For professional indemnity insurance, which is a minimum requirement for your VA business, the cost can be as low as £10 per month using my special affiliate link.
Mention my name, Catherine Gladwyn, if you phone Policy Bee for the discount to be applied.