Accounting and invoicing for expert witnesses and surveyors
Reports for courts, insurers and private clients, valuations, damage reports and evidence preservation: experts bill by the hour and flat fee and have clients with long payment terms. Saldiqo writes invoices with a case number, records travel and measuring devices and reminds on open items.
What comes up for expert witnesses and surveyors
Case number and proof
Invoices for courts and insurers carry a case number and a statement of hours.
Long payment terms
Public-sector clients and insurers pay late.
Site visits
Travel, measurements and photos belong to the report and the invoice.
How Saldiqo helps
- Invoice with case numberCase number in the description, hours as lines.
- Time trackingRecord hours per report.
- Record travelReceipts by phone photo.
- RemindersKeep open invoices in view.
Typical invoice lines
Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.
- Report case 2027-0412, hours
- Site visit, travel and duration
- Photo documentation, flat fee
- Typing costs as per receipt
- Measurement and evaluation
- Supplementary report by effort
Tax and invoicing in the UK
What applies to invoices in the UK, in short. As of October 2026.
- VAT
- Standard rate 20 %, reduced rate 5 % and zero rate 0 %. Saldiqo calculates each invoice line with the rate you pick.
- VAT registration
- You must register once your taxable turnover passes £90,000 over any 12 months, or you expect to pass it within the next 30 days. You can deregister below £88,000. Until you are registered, your invoices show no VAT, and Saldiqo adds up your 12-month turnover for you.
- What goes on an invoice
- If you are VAT registered: your VAT number, the tax point, unit prices and the VAT total in pounds. A limited company shows its registered name on every invoice, and its company number, registered office and part of the UK on letters, order forms and the website.
- E-invoicing
- There is no mandate today. From April 2029 e-invoicing is planned for all B2B and B2G sales that carry VAT, through Peppol. The exact date and standard are not yet in law, and the government’s roadmap follows with the Budget on 28 October 2026.
- VAT returns
- VAT returns go to HMRC through Making Tax Digital, usually quarterly, due one month and seven days after the period. Saldiqo shows sales and VAT per rate and exports CSV. It does not submit to HMRC, and for Making Tax Digital you need software recognised by HMRC.
- Record keeping
- Keep VAT records for 6 years.
- Late payment
- Statutory interest on late business payments is the Bank Rate (3.75 % in the second half of 2026) plus 8 points, so 11.75 %. On top comes fixed compensation of £40, £70 or £100, depending on the amount owed (under £1,000, from £1,000, from £10,000). Consumers have no statutory interest.
- Getting paid
- Your sort code and account number are on every invoice. Customers pay by Faster Payments or Bacs, and banks check the account name with Confirmation of Payee. There is no QR standard in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write an invoice for a report?
With the case number in the description and the hours and expenses as lines.
Are there special remuneration rules for court reports?
Yes, in many countries. Saldiqo does not calculate statutory remuneration. You enter the calculated amount.
Do expert witnesses and surveyors in the UK have to charge VAT?
Only once they are VAT registered. Registration is required when taxable turnover passes £90,000 over any 12 months, or is expected to within the next 30 days. Below that you may register voluntarily. If you are not registered, you must not show VAT on your invoices.
Do expert witnesses and surveyors in the UK need e-invoicing?
Not today. A mandate for B2B and B2G sales with VAT is planned from April 2029, and the details were still open as of October 2026. You can keep sending PDF invoices for now.
How long should expert witnesses and surveyors keep invoices?
Keep VAT records for 6 years. You can store receipts digitally in Saldiqo. The legal duty to keep records stays with you.
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Write invoices, match payments, collect receipts and send reminders: free and without a trial period.
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As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.