Construction & trades
MTD software for locksmiths.
Handle the callout. Capture the paperwork while it is fresh.
Emergency lockouts and hardware replacements create a stream of small payments. Avona helps mobile locksmiths organise card receipts, stock purchases and business travel between jobs.
- Who it is for
- Locksmiths 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.
Callout fees and replacement locks both contribute to your business sales. Frequent small transactions can build substantial turnover even after hardware and vehicle costs.
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 lock replacement callout.
Bring the evidence into Avona, review the suggested categories and check the figures before submitting. These three examples show the records behind your lock replacement callout, shared purchases and cash received after an emergency callout.
| What you bring | How you use Avona | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| £240 for your lock replacement callout £65 spent on replacement cylinders and fixings | Connect your bank or import the payment, then upload the invoice or receipt for replacement cylinders and fixings. Review the income and the purchase as separate records. | Keep £240 as the sale and the £65 cost separately. The £175 left after this cost is not turnover. Check that the spending is eligible for your business. |
| £100 mixed purchase £80 for cylinders fitted for customers; £20 for a lock for your own front door | Upload the itemised receipt and review the suggested category. Identify cylinders fitted for customers separately from a lock for your own front door. | 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 received after an emergency callout 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 locksmiths. Claim only eligible business costs; mixed use, equipment and your accounting method can change the treatment.
Lock cylinders
Key blanks
Key-cutting machine servicing
Picks and specialist tools
Business vehicle tracker fees
Card processing fees
One thing to watch
Card payouts can hide your full sales
A payment provider may deduct its fee before paying your bank. Reconcile the gross customer sale and separate fee rather than recording only the smaller settlement.
HMRC: keeping business records ↗Fit the admin around the work
A routine around your lock replacement callout.
Keep the callout receipt, review card-provider settlements against your bank feed and attach lock-stock invoices so sales and supplies remain traceable.
Capture the supporting documents
Upload receipts or invoices for replacement cylinders and fixings. Keep the date, supplier and amount legible, and distinguish cylinders fitted for customers from a lock for your own front door.
How document capture works →Reconcile your lock replacement callout payments
Review each customer receipt against the work it covers. Keep the breakdown for cash received after an emergency callout 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 lock replacement callout income is complete, and remove duplicate or personal spending. Keep the evidence for cash received after an emergency callout ready for your annual-return review too.
Before you get started
Questions from locksmiths.
Does MTD apply to everyone in this profession?
No. This page covers locksmiths 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.
Do I record a callout and replacement lock separately?
Keep enough detail to explain both on the customer invoice. The full customer payment is income, with the replacement cylinder purchase retained separately as evidence of cost.
How do I record cash received after an emergency callout?
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?
Card payouts can hide your full sales. A payment provider may deduct its fee before paying your bank. Reconcile the gross customer sale and separate fee rather than recording only the smaller settlement.
Can I keep using my existing spreadsheet?
Yes. Bring your lock replacement callout income records and evidence of replacement cylinders 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
Unlock simpler locksmith records.
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.