Can a tradesperson insist on being paid in cash?

[LegoTherapy]

They have been found via Checkatrade but I can't find anything about this on their website. The job is around £500 and they have asked to be paid in cash. I'm reluctant not to have a proveable payment history after being burnt with the previous tradespeople. I am using checkatrade to try and avoid cowboys. Do I have to pay cash? TIA.

You can ask for a receipt to keep as proof.

I imagine they can ask for the form of payment they want, I always ask in advance if they will accept a bank transfer, they might give you a personal account number but at least you have a record of the payment.

I can't remember the last time I paid cash.

You could ask for a receipt ?

Id rather not have to get cash out, but legally as long as the payment and work is receipted it doesn't afaik make any difference legally.

Just ask for a receipt

And tbh any good professional business should give you one anyway

I give receipts when get paid in cash

My invoice says bacs or cash

You have a choice not to use them.

I wouldn't pay £500 in cash- a legal business doesn't want cash, it costs considerably more to bank.

And Check a Trade isn't all that. Any review company where you pay to be a member should require a cautious attitude when it comes to believing reviews .

Don't do this, I paid someone from checkatrade in cash and he did a runner after half a day without completing the job. The website doesn't let you leave negative reviews easily.

You don't have to use them.
They can state what type of payment they accept.

Checkatrade doesn’t protect against cowboys. I’ve used it once, got a cowboy, never again.

people can insist on cash - it can be their terms of business. You can refuse to engage in business with them thought. You could ask for a receipt. Sounds like the guy is evading tax though.

Of course they can. But the cost of accepting cash and the inconvenience of banking it now makes it unlikely that a genuine business would prefer £500 cash.

Check-a-trade is useless for avoiding cowboys. The tradespeople pay the fees, they are the real customers, the site exists to help them to find mugs to exploit. They are allowed to delete negative reviews so you never find out who the crap ones are.

We've just spend nearly 3 yrs renovating a derelict property. We had dozens of trades- bricklayers, roofers, plumber, electrician, tiler, plasterer etc. Not ONE is on checkatrade! I would actively AVOID anyone advertising on there. It might be different in some areas, but I thought checkatrade was full of cowboys! Anyone I know that has used them has been stung.

We currently have an active case against one tradesperson from there and checkatrade have been great is sorting out the issue.
With no bank locally to me I can't withdraw the cash easily either and would normally pay by bacs. I like a paper trail of transactions.

It depends largely on the job. For example, we wanted 3 fence panels and 4 fence posts putting up a few months back, and the guy said £475 - or £315 in cash, and we'll come and do it next Saturday, because it's only a small job.

I'm willing to guess that taking it in cash, and saying I will 'do it on a Saturday' means that he will go and get the fence panels and posts for maybe £120 in total, and then pocket the other £200 ... and won't put it through the business/the books.

We went for the second option - cash in hand, and got the job done for one third less than what it would have been if you went through the books. Suits me ... It's up to him what he does with his money and how he dishes it out. It's not my problem if he's dodging tax.

If it was a big job though, like you know, multiple thousands, then definitely no. It would have to go through the books properly. Basically I would just be thinking about myself and my well-being first. I wouldn't risk a job that cost multiple thousands being paid in cash, but I would if it was a small-ish job (mid 3 figures,) and the price was lower.

Your first mistake is using check a trade. I've only ever known scammers and time wasters on there.

No cash points nearby?

But I’d be a bit wary of someone who requested only cash.

Messaging him to say we will pay by bank transfer has resulted in him adding £200 to the cost to make it "above board" 😱 Cheeky bastard.

They’re not paying tax (and potentially also avoiding CMS). I assume they haven’t provided a contract or anything like that.

Personally I would insist on bank transfer.

Just seen your update.

Forget the extra charge – I’d be transferring the agreed amount and nothing more. He’s basically admitting to tax fraud. Not your problem.

Have they already completed the job? If not just go somewhere else. If they have, they can’t just change the price.

Paying in cash leaves you with zero protection if there’s some issue with the work.

That'll be to pay for his tax as he will now have to declare it,

Doesn't cost me anything to bank cash

Sometimes it's more of a pain to have cash as have to go to the bank as need it in there for bills etx

People do ask if I give a discount for cash

I say no as still need it in my bank account

£500 cash, or "to keep above board" suppose they mean put it through the books, add Vat 20%. Would be £100 more, not £200. So no. Find someone else.

It doesn't cost a penny to bank cash, unless you're counting the five minutes it takes me to queue at the post office once a week.

My OH is a plumber & co-owns his company so their jobs are paid legit through their accounts for the tax man, that's no to say he doesn't do other jobs for cash as a side hustle (sorry tax man!) so I wouldn't be too wary about this...he could be fine but by all means do not pay him until the job is completed, there's some absolute scammers & cowboys out there

As a business bank account?

I'm not saying there are none out there, but banks are business of course they want to make money out of other businesses.

@Blondeshavemorefun

Oh. No mine just goes into a normal account