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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Rude store manager?! Take my money elsewhere

188 replies

Sellotapeandlime · 28/02/2025 20:08

Hello everyone,

Had a bit of a shit day but I want to know if AIBU.

I have been to three carpet stores and have been comparing quotes and have decided to (of course) go for the cheapest quote. I get there and I'm ready to pay for my deposit. However, the manager said that I need to pay the rest of the money in cash to pay the fitters on the day of the carpet. I told him "no" that I prefer to pay the rest of the money by debit/bank transfer on the day so that I have a digital record of the payment. I said I was happy to put down a higher amount for the deposit- but it would be too much money to cash out and due to the large amount, I prefer to pay the rest of the balance by card.

All of a sudden he got very angry, face red, shaking and said "NO! You pay all of the money upfront or half on the day in cash or nothing at all". I replied to him "Well, I can see that you are angry and I don't feel comfortable with the way you are behaving, so I'm going to leave and look elsewhere. Then he said "Bye!", and I left.

I mean what the hell???? Can anyone please tell me if AIBU?? Was I wrong to request that I would like to pay the rest by card?

Also! I'm now stuck as my only option is to pay for the expensive carpet place who are known to do a very good job but are very expensive. We need to move into our new home within three weeks. What should I do????????

OP posts:
Changepassword · 28/02/2025 20:34

They're not often employed by the carpet shop, they're normally subbies, therefore self employed

0psiedasiy · 28/02/2025 20:36

@BobbyBiscuits paid in cash as they are cheapest as op said in her post and in my experience probably working ‘under the table’ ie not paying tax so they can offer it cheap…

there is a local drive where I live for small businesses not to take card, only cash as banks where taking a raised amount for card purchases, ‘cash is king’ signs everywhere

PrincessofWells · 28/02/2025 20:39

Solmum1964 · 28/02/2025 20:30

You only have to pay a small amount by credit card to get the protection on the purchase.

Show quote history

£100.

But if you pay the shop by credit card just for the supply, unless the fitters are employed by the shop you will not be covered by the s75 should they mess up the fitting.

Justme2023123 · 28/02/2025 20:50

What do you think could go wrong on the day that you need protection for? You pay the fitters at the end of the job, once the carpet is down and you can see how well it's been done. If you're not happy, you don't pay for it.

Potsofpetals · 28/02/2025 20:54

Sellotapeandlime · 28/02/2025 20:25

I was happy to pay the fitters on the day but not in cash.

That's fine but there's a respectful way to go about it.

Show quote history

The fitters are self employed. This is their wages.

Do you whip out a card machine to get paid? No? Thought not. Stop being difficult.

latetothefisting · 28/02/2025 20:57

I'm pretty sure I paid the fitters in cash last time I had carpets fitted, but it wasn't that much, certainly less than half the cost of the carpet.

If he did get that worked up that is of course unreasonable and if the ONLY option was to pay by cash that is also UR (and potentially dodgy!) but you say he did actually give you the option to pay the whole amount upfront?

At the end of the day, if you were buying pretty much anything else, you'd expect to pay the whole amount before you were in possession of it (obviously excluding any sort of lease deal/mortgage etc whereby you'd pay back monthly), so that sounds fair enough tbh, don't know why you didn't take him up on that, as you'd have your credit card protection if the fitters didn't turn up or whatever.

B1indEye · 28/02/2025 21:05

Moier · 28/02/2025 20:21

Happens here all the time... in cheap places...that aren't big well known companies.
Cash to the fitters.. so it doesn't go through the books.. the fitters are probably self employed.. / not paying enough tax etc..or even money laundering.

How does paying a carpet fitting in cash turn into money laundering?

I had a new carpet recently and there was no mention of paying the fitters separately or in cash. I paid the shop and they sorted it all out

bunnypenny · 28/02/2025 21:08

Sellotapeandlime · 28/02/2025 20:27

I can understand that but it's not worth the risk (personally) just incase anything goes wrong. I need to have a digital receipt of the payment.

Show quote history

But why did you need a digital receipt? Surely you could have asked for a paper record/receipt of the amount being handed over? Take a photo of that or a selfie of you handing cash over to the fitters if you need something digital. Every time I’ve paid in cash I’ve asked for and been given a paper receipt.

Coralsunset · 28/02/2025 21:10

It’s standard to pay the fitters cash on the day.

Hankunamatata · 28/02/2025 21:11

Totally normal to pay fitters separately as usually self employed as carpets stores use several different fitters. Most want paid in cash as it straight forward

Happierthaneverr · 28/02/2025 21:12

Absolutely standard to pay fitters cash on the day.

BetterWithPockets · 28/02/2025 21:20

Changepassword · 28/02/2025 20:32

But he told you that you pay the fitter cash on the day, there was no other option, you told him you wanted something that wasn't on offer.

Show quote history

This!

Ellmau · 28/02/2025 21:25

OP, what will you do if the expensive shop also wants their fitters paid cash?

OnTheBoardwalk · 28/02/2025 21:26

I had new carpets couple months ago. The only thing I paid the fitters cash for was the metal strips that go under the doors (can’t remember what they are called!)

this was only £10 to £15 quid a strip (is that what they are called?)

if you did have issues with the fitters who would be accountable if you paid cash direct? The carpet shop would say it wasn’t them. Avoid at a higher cost for a better form

LadyGaGasPokerFace · 28/02/2025 21:29

Is this the first carpet you’ve ever had fitted? I’ve always had to pay the fitter separately with cash.

IDoWhateverItTakes · 28/02/2025 21:31

Sounds like they're not declaring all their earnings and paying taxes at the real rate they're doing business. Hence the lower prices to undercut their competitors...

PassingStranger · 28/02/2025 21:33

My local carpet shop couldn't.make up.their mind when i visited.
One said all the money up front, one said on the day.
Good way to run a business when your not singing from the same hymn sheet.

OnTheBoardwalk · 28/02/2025 21:36

Oh I did have my bathroom done last year where I did pay the fitter direct but there was one overall invoice and paid them both by debit card after paying the deposit by credit card in bathroom shop.

There was no issue with this. You don’t get the same protection paying by bank transfer

FieldInWhichFucksAreGrownIsBarren · 28/02/2025 21:42

Never paid cash to carpet fitters, ever.
It's not even about being covered, it's about convenience.
It's absolutely about tax dodging too.

FlutteryButterfly · 28/02/2025 21:44

I've very recently had my whole upstairs carpeted ( bar the bathrooms of course 🤪) we paid the fitter separately via bank transfer.

FlutteryButterfly · 28/02/2025 21:48

Potsofpetals · 28/02/2025 20:54

The fitters are self employed. This is their wages.

Do you whip out a card machine to get paid? No? Thought not. Stop being difficult.

Show quote history

All types of self employed trades people do have card machines these days! My husband can use his mobile as one.... so not so daft

HÆLTHEPAIN · 28/02/2025 21:50

PrincessofWells · 28/02/2025 20:39

£100.

But if you pay the shop by credit card just for the supply, unless the fitters are employed by the shop you will not be covered by the s75 should they mess up the fitting.

Show quote history

It actually has to be over £100. Even £100.01 would do it.

Whenever we’ve had carpets fitted we have been given an invoice/receipt from the shop that included the cost of fitting with the amount to be paid to the fitter on the day itemised. Once this is paid, regardless of how it’s paid, the receipt from the shop is all you need in terms of consumer rights. Even though the fitters are self employed they are agents of the shop so any issues and the store would be obliged to rectify.

Wakeywake · 28/02/2025 21:53

Normal to pay the fitters separately. You could have asked if they take bank transfer for example rather than jumping in with No, I want to pay by card. Regardless, the manager was rude.

Original poster
Sellotapeandlime · 28/02/2025 21:53

OnTheBoardwalk · 28/02/2025 21:26

I had new carpets couple months ago. The only thing I paid the fitters cash for was the metal strips that go under the doors (can’t remember what they are called!)

this was only £10 to £15 quid a strip (is that what they are called?)

if you did have issues with the fitters who would be accountable if you paid cash direct? The carpet shop would say it wasn’t them. Avoid at a higher cost for a better form

That is what I am afraid of.

OP posts:
heartbroken22 · 28/02/2025 21:54

He probably wanted to save via the cash option

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