Construction & trades
MTD software for handypeople and property maintenance workers.
Small repairs. Less paperwork to put right.
From fixing a gate to refreshing a rental between tenants, maintenance work brings lots of small jobs and scattered receipts. Keep customer payments and materials together with Avona, so the admin does not follow you into every evening.
- Who it is for
- Handypeople and property maintenance workers working as sole traders, managing their own business records and MTD for Income Tax updates.
- Available now
- Digital records, bank feeds, statement imports, transaction categorisation and quarterly self-employment updates. Pro adds customer invoicing, VAT accounting and reporting.
- Monthly price
- From £15/month for Lite. Pro is £20/month.
- Free trial
- Full access for 7 days. No credit card required.
- Annual-return limitations
- Quarterly updates do not replace your annual tax return. HMRC lists annual-return items including PAYE income, interest, dividends and pensions as in development. Check the listing and confirm support for your income sources before relying on Avona for your annual return.
Making Tax Digital
It’s what comes in.
Before costs go out.
A landlord’s payment may cover fittings, paint and your time. Keep the full job income visible alongside what you spent, rather than recording only the amount you kept.
Understand Making Tax Digital →When does MTD apply?
Combined qualifying self-employment and property income, before expenses:
- Over £50,000 in 2024/25
- From 6 April 2026
- Over £30,000 in 2025/26
- From 6 April 2027
- Over £20,000 in 2026/27
- From 6 April 2028
Eligibility and exemptions matter. These are income thresholds, not tax-free allowances.
Check HMRC’s eligibility guidance ↗From the work to your records
Clear records for your property-maintenance visit.
Bring the evidence into Avona, review the suggested categories and check the figures before submitting. These three examples show the records behind your property-maintenance visit, shared purchases and cash from a small maintenance job.
| What you bring | How you use Avona | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| £380 for your property-maintenance visit £105 spent on replacement fittings and fixings | Connect your bank or import the payment, then upload the invoice or receipt for replacement fittings and fixings. Review the income and the purchase as separate records. | Keep £380 as the sale and the £105 cost separately. The £275 left after this cost is not turnover. Check that the spending is eligible for your business. |
| £100 mixed purchase £80 for supplies for a landlord's repair; £20 for materials for your own home | Upload the itemised receipt and review the suggested category. Identify supplies for a landlord's repair separately from materials for your own home. | Only the eligible £80 business portion belongs in business costs. Exclude the £20 personal purchase, and check that importing both the bank transaction and the receipt has not counted the spending twice. |
| £300 cash takings; £40 spent £260 left to bank after a business purchase | Record cash from a small maintenance job and retain the receipt for the £40 of business supplies. Reconcile the cash movement with the later bank deposit. | The £260 bank deposit is not the full income. Keep £300 of takings and the £40 purchase separately recorded, and treat banking that same cash as a transfer rather than another sale. |
Keep supporting documents alongside your figures, review business use and apply your accounting method consistently. HMRC: keeping business records ↗
The costs behind your work
Six expenses worth
keeping records for.
Examples for handypeople and property maintenance workers. Claim only eligible business costs; mixed use, equipment and your accounting method can change the treatment.
Replacement fittings
Fixings and adhesives
Power-tool repairs
Business travel
Work gloves and protective equipment
Business liability insurance
One thing to watch
Separate the customer’s materials from your own
A DIY-store basket can contain a client’s door handles and supplies for your own home. Mark the business items on the receipt while you can still remember which job they belong to.
HMRC: allowable business expenses ↗Fit the admin around the work
A routine around your property-maintenance visit.
Upload the hardware receipt after each visit, record any cash payments and review the week’s small jobs together.
Capture the supporting documents
Upload receipts or invoices for replacement fittings and fixings. Keep the date, supplier and amount legible, and distinguish supplies for a landlord's repair from materials for your own home.
How document capture works →Reconcile your property-maintenance visit payments
Review each customer receipt against the work it covers. Keep the breakdown for cash from a small maintenance job available alongside the bank entry, so fees, refunds or timing differences can be explained.
How bank review works →Review before you submit
Review Avona AI’s suggested categories, check that your property-maintenance visit income is complete, and remove duplicate or personal spending. Keep the evidence for cash from a small maintenance job ready for your annual-return review too.
Before you get started
Questions from handypeople and property maintenance workers.
Does MTD apply to everyone in this profession?
No. This page covers handypeople and property maintenance workers working as sole traders. Your start date depends on combined qualifying self-employment and property income before expenses, and any exemptions. Employment and limited-company work have different reporting arrangements.
What if one landlord pays for repairs at several properties?
Retain the job breakdown and reconcile the transfer against each visit. A single payment can settle several invoices, so check that no individual job is omitted or counted twice.
How do I record cash from a small maintenance job?
Example: £300 cash takings; £40 spent (£260 left to bank after a business purchase). The £260 bank deposit is not the full income. Keep £300 of takings and the £40 purchase separately recorded, and treat banking that same cash as a transfer rather than another sale.
Which bookkeeping issue should I watch for?
Separate the customer’s materials from your own. A DIY-store basket can contain a client’s door handles and supplies for your own home. Mark the business items on the receipt while you can still remember which job they belong to.
Can I keep using my existing spreadsheet?
Yes. Bring your property-maintenance visit income records and evidence of replacement fittings and fixings into Avona using supported spreadsheet uploads. Check dates, categories, personal spending and duplicates against the original documents before you approve the records.
Do quarterly updates complete my annual tax return?
No. You still need the annual tax return and any relevant adjustments or other income. HMRC currently lists annual-return items including PAYE income, interest, dividends and pensions as in development for Avona. Confirm support for your own income sources and circumstances before relying on Avona for the annual return.
Built for the way you earn
Get your maintenance paperwork in order.
Choosing Avona
Your questions, answered.
Can I create customer invoices?
Yes. You can create customer invoices with Avona Pro.
What if I am VAT-registered?
Full VAT accounting is available with Avona Pro, so you can manage your VAT-registered business with Avona.
Can my accountant review my records?
Yes. You can connect your Avona account to your bookkeeper or accountant so they can review your records.
Can I use my phone on site?
Yes. Every feature has a mobile-friendly version, so you can manage your accounts from your phone while you are on the move.
Can I keep using my personal bank account?
Yes. Avona supports Open Banking connections and PDF bank statement uploads. You can clearly separate personal and business transactions to keep your business records organised.