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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask if you would report this

117 replies

sweetsweetlovin · 09/04/2018 21:32

My neighbour is an electrician. He isn't self employed and works for a company.

Anyway, I know his wife and she makes a joke out the fact that he earns a fortune doing homers and gets away with paying no tax. He earns decent money in his job but can do a couple of rewires a month as well as odd jobs. This can net him a few thousand extra per month. He has bought a van so he can do these homers on the side.

She jokes that the taxman will never find out and it affords them holidays, designer clothes and for her to be a sahm.

Now I have a really good job that I enjoy and my DH also has a good job. I know it shouldn't but it riles me that I am taxed at source on all my earnings and she's boasting about her husband dodging the taxman.

I can see why people would say stay well away and not report and I can see why others would report it.

WWYD?

Btw I have name changed for this.

OP posts:

Dontletthebastardsgrindyoudown · 10/04/2018 14:57

Op I'm sure you have or know someone who has used someone for a homer. Gardening, plumbing, hairdressing, joinery and never blinked an eye. You're not reporting because you think it's wrong, you're reporting because you're jealous.

DesignedForLife · 10/04/2018 15:23

Can't believe how many people are saying it's fine. It's not fine, but I don't know if I'd report it.

Original poster

sweetsweetlovin · 10/04/2018 16:12

I'm going to report them.

On the basis that folk are ridiculous enough to think I'm jealous of people breaking the law.

OP posts:

Allthewaves · 10/04/2018 16:17

All tradesmen i know do homers, as most are on not great wage.

MoistCantaloupe · 10/04/2018 16:18

Yes, do report them.

"TBH it's none of your business" is a ridiculous response. Of course is it - we live in a society. Agree with everything MinisterforCheekyFuckery has said.

Allthewaves · 10/04/2018 16:18

And tbh I don't know any homers that earn the trademans thousands.

GirlsBlouse17 · 10/04/2018 16:22

I think you should report it. Our services are struggling with funding cuts due to austerity and it doesn't help if people are evading tax. We all need to contribute to the system to make it work. It is unfair on those law abiding people who do pay tax and contribute when there are others who don't contribute. So yes, report him!

PattiStanger · 10/04/2018 16:26

Am I the only one who's never heard of a homer?

They might get caught anyway, I saw a news article earlier today about a drug dealer who was found out because his girlfriend posted online about their lavish lifestyle

GREATAUNT1 · 10/04/2018 16:44

I’ve never heard of a homer either, must get out more. We used to call them foreigners.

Why change your name op? I think if you’re going to report someone you should be prepared to be named. Or even confront them first.

Mrsx79 · 10/04/2018 17:00

And there's no way he is doing a couple of rewires a month on top of working full time unless he's working every weekend flat out... they take time. Especially if he's on his own...i think it took my electrician 4 days to do ours. She's probably just exaggerating.

MelvinThePenguin · 10/04/2018 17:33

I think if you’re going to report someone you should be prepared to be named. Or even confront them first.

Why should the OP put herself in harm’s way? Whether that be accusations of jealousy on MN or actual physical violence from the neighbour. What good would that do and what difference does it make? Should we all handle other types of crime ourselves?

BrownTurkey · 10/04/2018 17:35

Well all the trades among my social circle have a better house and higher disposable income than other professionals.

BlackeyedSusan · 10/04/2018 17:37

excellent. if he payed tax maybe my child would not have to wait two years for a referal letter, never mind the first fecking appointment. are the epople saying it is not our business going to pay for dd to go private? thought not.

LizzieDarcy1907 · 10/04/2018 17:44

We've had tradesmen offer to do jobs for cash, when they are very small ie rewiring a lightswitch/fixing a washer on a tap that just involves time and not purchases/stock. I don't have an issue with that, but few tradesmen are able to carry out larger jobs without creating a papertrail. Your neighbour would have to be cooking the books pretty well to be earning thousands each month without declaring it................

Butterymuffin · 10/04/2018 17:48

I'd report it, just as I would report someone I knew was stealing money from the safe or till in their workplace. No difference.

Original poster

sweetsweetlovin · 10/04/2018 17:49

Well here's an example...

His wife was annoyed that he completed a full rewire on a property and the owner needed a receipt for various reasons and her DH refused. She couldn't understand why people might need a receipt.

OP posts:

chandlersfraud · 10/04/2018 17:50

Is it just me who has literally never heard the word 'homers' before?

taratill · 10/04/2018 17:54

Only on mumsnet would people say mind your own business.

it is absolutely my business. As others have said this is not a victimless crime.

The state of the country's public services and this is OK? Really?

Tiredtomybones · 10/04/2018 17:58

Never head the word "homer" either.
Report op, yanbu.

silverbirches · 10/04/2018 18:00

When someone's paid in cash, I don't know how the Inland Revenue could ever know what you're earning

There are ways and means. A tenner here or there won't show up but when they investigate, they know what patterns to look for.

Pemba · 10/04/2018 18:01

Never heard of the word homer. Homer to me is Mr Simpson!

I can't work out the meaning from the context either so please do explain, I am curious.

formerbabe · 10/04/2018 18:01

Only on mumsnet would people say mind your own business

What?! These boards are full of posts from busy bodies wanting to report everyone around them for every possible reason you could think of.

Sprinklesinmyelbow · 10/04/2018 18:08

Its really common. I wouldn’t dream of getting involved really. It’s up to the revenue to find things like this and they literally couldn’t cope with containing it all anyway. There are leaks everywhere in the tax system and all sorts of people benefit (although the general public seem to get most upset when it’s the working classes )

The other thing I always think is what if they do investigate on your say so? What if he does end up bankrupt, losing the house, lost his day job. The whole family suffering. And you knew you were the reason the revenue took action (not the reason it happened obviously) but despite the fact he did the crime, I really it takes a certain type of person to cause the punishment themselves in real life.
Despite what people tell you on Internet forums- be aware most of them wouldn’t do it themselves either

LeighaJ · 10/04/2018 18:11

It's not smart that she boasts about it but your motive for turning them in sounds like petty jealousy rather than wanting to do the right thing.

Joey7t8 · 10/04/2018 18:15

There are ways and means. A tenner here or there won't show up but when they investigate, they know what patterns to look for.

Most definitely. They will look into bank accounts and will want explanations as to where an extra couple of thousand a month is coming from. Drug dealers set up complex money laundering operations for this very reason.

I agree with those who say that it is very much your business as a tax payer to report your suspicions to HMRC. I hope you do, OP.

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