Transport & automotive
MTD software for mobile mechanics.
Keep the engine running and the records in order.
Diagnostic visits, parts collections and roadside repairs leave paperwork scattered around the van. Avona helps you organise customer payments, motor-factor invoices and workshop-on-wheels costs as you go.
- Who it is for
- Mobile mechanics 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.
Parts supplied with a repair increase the total customer charge. Brake kits, batteries and clutches can make your sales much larger than the labour income you keep.
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 brake-repair job.
Bring the evidence into Avona, review the suggested categories and check the figures before submitting. These three examples show the records behind your brake-repair job, shared purchases and a wrongly supplied part returned to the merchant.
| What you bring | How you use Avona | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| £480 for your brake-repair job £185 spent on brake discs and pads | Connect your bank or import the payment, then upload the invoice or receipt for brake discs and pads. Review the income and the purchase as separate records. | Keep £480 as the sale and the £185 cost separately. The £295 left after this cost is not turnover. Check that the spending is eligible for your business. |
| £100 mixed purchase £80 for parts fitted to a customer's car; £20 for parts for your own private car | Upload the itemised receipt and review the suggested category. Identify parts fitted to a customer's car separately from parts for your own private car. | 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. |
| £30 supplier credit Linked to an earlier £120 purchase | Upload the original invoice and retain the credit note for a wrongly supplied part returned to the merchant. Review the refund or account credit alongside the purchase. | The documents now show £90 of net spending. Keep the original £120 and the £30 adjustment explainable, with timing matched to your accounting method; a supplier refund is not a new customer 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 mobile mechanics. Claim only eligible business costs; mixed use, equipment and your accounting method can change the treatment.
Motor-factor parts
Diagnostic subscriptions
Tool repairs
Business compressor costs
Waste-oil disposal
Protective gloves and equipment
One thing to watch
Returns and warranty credits change the picture
A replaced part may produce a later supplier refund. Keep credit notes with the original invoice and match the refund so parts costs are not overstated.
HMRC: keeping business records ↗Fit the admin around the work
A routine around your brake-repair job.
Capture parts invoices at collection, match customer payments and check trade-account credits before reviewing quarterly totals.
Capture the supporting documents
Upload receipts or invoices for brake discs and pads. Keep the date, supplier and amount legible, and distinguish parts fitted to a customer's car from parts for your own private car.
How document capture works →Reconcile your brake-repair job payments
Review each customer receipt against the work it covers. Keep the breakdown for a wrongly supplied part returned to the merchant 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 brake-repair job income is complete, and remove duplicate or personal spending. Keep the evidence for a wrongly supplied part returned to the merchant ready for your annual-return review too.
Before you get started
Questions from mobile mechanics.
Does MTD apply to everyone in this profession?
No. This page covers mobile mechanics 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.
Should I record only the labour left after buying parts?
No. Retain the full customer charge and record the parts purchase separately. Keeping both makes the job's sales and costs clear, even when the parts margin is small.
How do I record a wrongly supplied part returned to the merchant?
Example: £30 supplier credit (linked to an earlier £120 purchase). The documents now show £90 of net spending. Keep the original £120 and the £30 adjustment explainable, with timing matched to your accounting method; a supplier refund is not a new customer sale.
Which bookkeeping issue should I watch for?
Returns and warranty credits change the picture. A replaced part may produce a later supplier refund. Keep credit notes with the original invoice and match the refund so parts costs are not overstated.
Can I keep using my existing spreadsheet?
Yes. Bring your brake-repair job income records and evidence of brake discs and pads 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
Service your mobile mechanic 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.