To change my mind when he asked for payment in cash?

Yes this. It's such a PITA to have to go to the bank or post office to pay in the cash.

I am also self employed and request bank transfer specifically because my accounts are then done for me by the banking software and I don't need to worry.

It's frustrating when someone turns up with cash although I can understand it for 20 quid.
The other day someone gave my dh 600 in cash and I was like why??? So annoying. He offers card payment.

Tax dodging is everyone’s business, so you would not be unreasonable to want to pay another way. We always do that - taxes pay for our schools, roads, the NHS.

Considering carrying cash around town, you’re just being awkward.

My husband dislikes it when people pay cash as he then needs to go and pay it in. Customers often had him for a 'cash price' (he doesn't do this) so customers can be as bad as the tradespeople when it comes to tax avoidance!

I'll add here that I had an extension built by a contractor who was unhappy that I was paying by cheque. He wanted electronic transfers and I wasn't set up for electronic banking at the time - this was more than ten years ago. He reluctantly agreed that I could pay via cheque.

I was naive and didn't realise that a precise contract for stating when amounts were to be paid should have been set up in advance - either that, or pay at the end.

What would happen is that he'd suddenly send a request for more money "to keep the cash flowing" and I'd give him another cheque. There were problems which I won't go into here.

He then lied to his subcontractors that I hadn't paid him.

I actually forwarded emails to one contractor to show that I'd paid in full. He got his money, but I don't know about the rest. I was told that the contractor had form for withholding money for as long as possible.

I later heard from one of the other sub-contractors that the contractor had accidentally set his yard alight whilst burning records when he heard that he was getting a visit from the taxman.

Given the issues that I had with that contractor, never again would I use someone who balks at a normal method of payment. (Yes, I accept that cheques are disappearing and I now do use electronic banking.)

Not unreasonable at all. Wanting a deposit, too with no materials to buy?

I actively avoid people/places who only accept cash. It's inconvenient for me, plus many other reasons I don't like paying with cash.

Nobody who is honest with their tax affairs demands over £1000 in cash!

How many men does he claim he's using, and for how many hours? And why are his 'men' (subbies/actual staff?) being paid cash in hand?

It does sound a bit weird. But then again I have paid gardeners in cash before. But only when there's was just two of them and it was under £500.

Given how easy it is to open a bank account - it literally takes seconds - it could be that your cleaner claimed this to give you an explanation of why she wanted cash. Paypal would also have been an option.

Exactly.

This. There’s a huge hole in the government budget right now, and decisions are being made on whose services/support are being cut. It’s completely unreasonable for a group of working adults in society to decide, “Nah…I’d rather not pay tax.”

On a (major) house refurbishment dealing with a long sequence of trades, I always mentioned that DH was an accountant, and enquired specifically about VAT. Definitely had some potential tradesmen turn tail at that point.

Their loss - the respectable, upfront, on-top-of-the-paperwork workmen we acquired were excellent, trustworthy and all did a series of jobs for us over more than a decade.

I agree, evading tax seems the most likely reason for wanting cash. But there are lots of other reasons.

For example if he’s over his overdraft limit, he won’t be able to pay his man from the bank but he will be able to pay out of cash. Not exactly praiseworthy, but not your problem. This fits with what he said, although you could challenge him on it.

I used a cleaner who shared a bank account with her abusive husband. Payment to her bank account would fund his gambling. Cash funded her children.

Forget about the cash issue.

Any tradesman who publicly labels a potential customer a time waster, after one issue, is bullying and lacking in professionalism, and I wouldn't want him anywhere near my home or garden.

You've dodged a bullet.

Why should she pay him deposit for not doing the work? She's not the unreasonable one. She was going to pay the deposit when she hired him, then changed her mind about hiring him because he wanted the rest in cash. She hasn't screwed him over.

It’s hardly a huge amount. Massive over reaction on your part.

Round my way, it usually means precisely that.

I'm avoiding a certain firm because I need a guarantee for the work done. They wanted 'cash in hand' for a lower price.

I had another firm do work for me. They wanted to know whether it was "an insurance job" because "obviously, then, it [would] be dearer" than if I were paying them.

I had a plumber ask me for cash on completion once, it was only £1500 but I was acting on behalf of someone else with POA so I simply refused. He didn’t mention it when he quoted me or I would have said then obviously. He had no choice but to accept the bank transfer.

Used a garden clearance firm who wanted cash, it was fine. The tax issues are their concern.

You are not unreasonable about the cash.

My dh is a tradesperson and YBVVU about the deposit though. Honestly I wish my dh would take them. We get screwed all. the. time.

That's hardly a huge amount. He should've been clear it was a cash price upfront, but I don't see why you'd have an issue given its paid on completion

It's not a myth its a fact. But up to the person paying. Gardener should have been upfront about wanting cash before any deposit or agreement was made. If OP doesn't want to pay cash that's her right.

Do you not pay tax yourself? If you do are you happy to contribute more than your fair share so others don't have to?

OP I agree with those who say to leave a measured response saying you withdrew when he refused payment of the full sum in any form other than cash. And possibly leave your own review for him on any appropriate trade page.

This is as good as the tradesman who asked me for cash, at the same time as saying he can’t get a gp appt for a sick line.

Yeah it does. Not at all a myth.

And is he paying NI for his labourers? Are they paying tax? Are they working legally? Does he have the correct insurances?

These businesses are tax fraud situations