Rude store manager?! Take my money elsewhere

My was great on the day.
A few months later the stair carpet bagged. So dangerous. I got him back in... He banged it back in but clearly wasn't interested.
He was experienced but the nipper that fitted the stairs wasn't. He also fitted laminate that has come apart/up.
It will be such a pain getting them back in to fix it I'm living with it until I can afford to have it redone. I don't want them back frankly.

We’ve paid the fitters cash on the day in the past, but much more recently were told that a bank transfer on the day would be fine. Same big chain carpet shop.

So you’d be happy for schooling, health, libraries, social care, roads etc etc etc all to stop being free to use?
You’re not bothered by funding or lack thereof?

YABU.

Is this Tapi? We recently did this. They outsource the fitting and they are perfectly good at their job. You just need to pay cash as they don’t have the other payment facilities.

This

Yeah. I don’t really care what tax people pay. If I could get away with not paying tax I’d do the same

Exactly this ^ it’s a pretty straightforward thing and you just need to inspect the work and confirm you’re happy. How much were you being asked to pay in cash? I think if it’s less than £200 that’s a reasonable amount to ask for in cash.

It’s very common for kitchen installers/builders etc to use a decorator/gas engineer or whatever, who you will be asked to pay separately as they are all self-employed tradesmen. Fairly common to be asked for this payment in cash. If you’re really stressed about having a paper trail, just say you’ll need a receipt, and they’ll probably give you a hand written receipt on the day.

This most definitely and I'd always want an invoice of some sort even if they did want cash. Obviously, you want trades people who put stuff through their books.

And you’re fine with that, all these people not paying their fair share of tax?

They get away with it because you the customer allow them to.

I didn’t pay my roofer or plasterer cash.

I don’t think it’s acceptable in this day and age to insist on cash, even if most posters say that’s the norm. We had flooring done last year and did have to pay the fitters on the day but we paid them via bank transfer which was instant. Other trades I’ve used recently accepted bank transfer or had a card machine. It’s 2025, insisting on cash is ridiculous!

What is it with carpet stores?

I went into the local independent with my mother to order some new bathroom flooring. Chose and ordered it.

It was delivered and fitted fine. After they left I rang up and paid for it on my card.

The receipt arrived a few days later addressed to my husband.I have no idea where they go that from unless it was from a previous order.

The rest of the flooring I will be buying elsewhere and I have told them so.

I don’t know why you are making such a big deal out of this, cash is legal tender, you’re not being asked to pay with the blood of young virgins. Ask for a receipt when the work is done.
Although it sounds like you’ve strangely burned your bridges with that shop when you decided to start dictating how you would be paying for something.

As everyone said it’s normal. I’d go so far to say it’s normal to pay all trades in cash. Just paid a roofer £1000 cash to fix my roof. Paid a builder in cash for a garage conversion. Paid carpet fitters cash. Plasterer etc. Cash is always their preference. I imagine some would accept BACS if requested but they all ask for cash. Probably because not all of it makes it through the books

"It's the normal way everywhere"

So what? Norms change over time. Increasingly people don't have cash on hand and don't want to withdraw hundreds of pounds and have it lying around the house, it's a perfectly reasonable view especially as easy alternative payment methods exist (albeit without the same scope for tax evasion).

Either businesses keep up with what the customers want, or they'll find that more forward thinking businesses spring up who are happy to take their customers. That's probably why the guy was so quick to anger, maybe he's had lots of similar requests and is panicking as he's seen the writing on the wall.

Why do you need a digital receipt?
Why is a normal receipt not enough for you?
It's always been standard round here to pay fitters this way and I've always had a receipt

This is standard practice. I’ve had loads of renovations done recently and even big items like kitchens and bathrooms you pay the fitter cash. Didn’t bother me. I just want to keep them on side and doing a good job and if cash is their preference, that’s fine.

Are the fitters part of the company? The local company I use the fitters are self employed so you pay for the carpet then they just have a few cards for those they recommend and I've always paid cash for the fitters

Like I said, I’ve been self employed. I did the job, sent in an invoice and was paid into my bank account.

Yes - I could and I do.

Providing an invoice is the norm. Bank transfer for larger sums as invoiced is also popular.

But those aren’t the large amounts that the OP is talking about and they are unlikely to need the extra protection that credit card payments provide

Most small trades people have card machines or can digitally invoice through quick books etc. Cash in hand without an invoice is not the norm.

Carpet shops often use independent fitters, even John Lewis etc. but some handle the money side in one place and some don't.

You could say that about all sorts of services that only accept cash? Butchers, takeaways, car cleaners, mobile hairdressers, the large local market, my sister a beautician only accepts cash as the card charges were ridiculous. Do we assume all these businesses are fiddling taxes? I assure you my sister doesn’t.

I’m surprised that so many people are fine with being part of allowing people to fiddle their taxes. What’s being self employed got to do with it? I’ve been self employed, I wasn’t paid in cash and I did self assessment every year.

I don’t pay my window cleaner cash, it’s a bank transfer.

What’s so special about carpet fitters?

Him being so aggressive is not ok, completely odd behaviour.

I do think you were unreasonable trying to make your own rules up in his shop. This most likely got his back up.

Ive always paid carpet fitters in cash on the day. I can’t understand why you don’t want to do this? You check the job, when you’re happy you pay? Whats the issue?