AIBU to be furious with DH???

[DontCallMeMummyPig]

We've just moved to Manchrster from London. We needed our London house repainted quickly before our new tenants moved in. Our regular decorator was unavailable so we desperately asked round our friends if they knew anyone. One recommended a friend of his who would do the work cash in hand. They met DH at the house, DH paid him upfront. The work was done in time. Now though, this guy is claiming DH never paid him. DH is convinced he did. His bank records show he took out £300 cash that day. He says we should refuse to pay again. I say we need to, a) cos he's a friend of a friend, b) just to be decent, however annoying it is. DH is now fuming with me for supposedly not siding with him and presuming he's got it wrong over the money. I've just stormed off to bed. Would you pay...again, maybe...just to close the door on it?

He generally shies away from foreigners... WTAF?

• cash in hand work

DP's done a few jobs for friends over the years and has only ever asked for cash upfront in order to buy the materials he needs - he then hands over the receipt for what he's bought within 24 hours, does the job, then asks for the rest of the cash. Sounds v v dodgy to pay for the work in advance IMO, and for that reason I think your DH has paid already.

Is it possible that the decorator had several similar jobs on at the time and has forgotten who has already paid him?

Foreigners, doing cash in hand work probably a bit local, sorry

Well, during their meeting, the issue of money would have come up, wouldn't it? As in the decorator saying, "When will I get paid?" and "Oh, I've got it here." Why would the decorator start work without talking about the money? Even if he'd said, "So £300's okay for you?" then your husband would have remembered and paid up.

If your husband can't remember paying him, then assume he didn't pay him.

is 'foreigners' slang for 'cash in hand jobs'?

Oh Lovely I was hoping that was the world's worst autocorrect fail. Where does foreigner mean cash in hand because it don't in Saaaf Laaaandon?

Yes IAMBooyhoo, bit local I think, sorry to confuse

So if the decorator wanted the cash upfront in order to do the work, and he has done the work, surely that leads me to beleive he was given the cash. Surely if he wanted the cash before doing the work and did not receive the cash he would not have started the job?

doing a foreigner has always been known as doing a private job

I did some Googling and it seems that the term might come from the 17th Century. Comes from foreigners being working men who lived outside the City and weren't Guild workers.

I learn something every day.

i've never heard that one before. i've known it as doing a homer or an under the table job but never a foreigner. where about's are you lovely? (dont say if you dnt want)

Ay up Mrs Terry Pratchett. It is said in the outer reaches of the East Midlands. Try watching This is England and you will get the accent

Doing a 'foreigner' is an 'oooop North' term for a doing a cash-in-hand type job - at least it is around here.

Stop paying trades in cash,

It's very unfair on those of us that do pay our insurances and run honest business,

If you are having work done on your property, please check that the trade person has an up to date insurance policy, don't just look at the certificate, phone the insurance company, and check that the payments have been kept up, a lot of people take out the policy get the certificate and stop the payments,

If I or anyone who I employ works on your property you are insured for ten million, if you have any work done on your property and the contractor is not insured you own insurance company will consider your own policies null and void, in the event of anything going wrong.

We pay our tax, have never taken cash(in over twenty years of trading)and contribute to the economy, I do this because I'm honest , I enjoy healthcare,my children need an education and all other benefits that come with an organised society.

Every time you pay cash you put another honest contractor out of business.

It's been horrific in the building trade over the last few years, with redundancies , companies going out of business due none payment, bankruptcy.

I've lost count of the amount of marriages and relationships that have broken up, homes lost,with horrible consequences for all concerned,

there have been plenty suicides*, breakdowns , heart attacks and depression, I went to four funerals last year,

It's really depressing pricing against people who don't pay their tax and costly insurances.

We are in a privileged position of being fully booked for foreseeable future because we are specialist in a niche market, but I take calls from very desperate men* on a daily bases desperate for work, begging and pleading, Heart breaking and with hugely sad implications, terrified that their failure to provide will end in loss of family, relationships and home, It does.

I spend a lot of time trying to generate work, without over stretching ourselves, It's a horrible when I can't offer anything. I would double our work force tomorrow if we were on a level playing field, so would the other companies.

It's a massive problem trying to compete against the non tax and insurance avoiders.

stop adding to the misery, you have to live with the consequence.

This happened to an ex colleague. They had definitely paid, but as they had no proof basically had to pay again. That's why I never use cash in hand trades people - if they can't give me an invoice and a receipt, I'm not interested.

decorater sounds dodgy to me. like others have said why did he start work if he hadnt been paid when the arrangement was cash up front?

Good post Quoteunquote, hope your business continues to get the work in.

Look, this is too weird - NO ONE would forget paying! - we're British, we're awkward about money - we remember what room we're in, we remember counting it out, we remember offering the other person to count it.

If he can't remember, he hasn't paid and the idiot has left it in his jeans pocket somewhere.

Go through the chain of events with him.

I think if my DH was adamant that he had paid then I wouldn't be paying again, and I can't imagine not being very sure that I handed over 300 quid.

I think a country needs a little black economy, it is healthy for people to not be totally obedient. Mate's rates etc.

Of course dodginess is part of the 'cash in hand' arrangement, so you really do just have to suck it up if you decide to go that way.

doing a foreigner is commonly used both in North and Midlands.

No way could I forget paying over £300 - recently a friend did some electrical work (very minor job) - can clearly remember getting him the money and paying him - this was several weeks ago and a lot less than £300 !

oh and to add to quoteunquote

Sometimes you have to get a "cash in hand" in order to get someone to do job. As i posted earlier - recently needed a sparkie - it was a very minor job that no one would have wanted on legit basis - or if they had would have charged a massive amount. Because it was electrical my husband didn't want to risk doing it wrong, therefore asked his friend of a friend (who has done work for us before).

It only took him ?10 minutes - but because the wiring was "unusual" courtesy of previous occupants I was glad we asked him to do work as my husband may not have done it correctly leaving himself in danger.

I wish there were more tradespeople happy to do the small jobs around the house.

That said - currently planning major extension - problem with the planning application and sodding architect has gone awol - not amused at all

it's possible to pay cash, AND get a receipt, AND for the tradesman to be declaring everything and paying tax you know! Paying in cash does not automatically mean dodgy .