Fancy Dress Hire Sart Up, HELP

[princessrebecca0501]

Hello

I'm thinking of setting up a fancy dress hire business from home and I don't know where to start. Can someone point me in the right direction when it comes to finance and regulations that may apply.

Thanks for your time

 

[RevaxMedia]

It would depend if you were making your own costumes or buying them from a supplier?

 

[iArtist]

Hello

I'm thinking of setting up a fancy dress hire business from home and I don't know where to start. Can someone point me in the right direction when it comes to finance and regulations that may apply.

Thanks for your time

Are you doing it online or are people coming to your home?

You'll need to be more specific re your plans

 

[princessrebecca0501]

Thanks for replying.

I will be doing the business from home and customers will come to my house to view and then hire out the costumes. I have already bought 500 costumes from someone who no longer wanted her business in fancy dress hire. I won't be doing anything online, it will just be for people in my local area to come and hire them, but Iwill need a website setting up??

Thanks

 

[kulture]

Before you do anything else, do you have planning permission for this kind of use of your home? It is one thing having an office at home, but to have customers coming and going, parking outside, etc etc. will definately need business/retail use planning permission.

Also you will need permission from your mortgage company, you will need to extend/change your insurance, and you would probably be advised to think about fire prevention for where you store the clothes.

 

[Run Around Flyers]

can i suggest maybe you delivering and then picking up the costumes, i woudnt want hords of customers coming and going from my home, get a small van or estate car and deliver will be much better and easier for customers also.

 

[raineshoe]

We are in entertainments and such like and I don't want to put you off, but will warn you that this is a highly competitive area. I tried it as an add on to what we already do, being a well established company, and it was really hard to get into the market successfully. We shelved it in the end.

If you go ahead good luck, but I think you might struggle with getting people coming to your home. People don't always like to call at private houses. Also, you have to be careful who you are allowing in these days. You would also need public liability insurance to cover people coming to your house and as someone else said the mortgage company etc etc....

 

[raineshoe]

Meant to say if you are serious about fancy dress there is a trade show at Birmingham I think its either in Feb/March or April. Can't remember without getting the stuff out, but probably worth a visit.

 

[iArtist]

Thanks for replying.

I will be doing the business from home and customers will come to my house to view and then hire out the costumes. I have already bought 500 costumes from someone who no longer wanted her business in fancy dress hire. I won't be doing anything online, it will just be for people in my local area to come and hire them, but Iwill need a website setting up??

Thanks

Given the replies above and the massive undertaking regarding having people come to your home, a website and van are the best ideas and an online hire service. I would avoid anyone other than your own friends and family coming to your home.

You could also perhaps do this via some type of party plan arranegment? Have a party at a 'hens' house for example before her hen doo so all her guests can sort out their outfits with you. I don't know if anyone else is doing this and if not then it's a new market for you to explore.