Rude store manager?! Take my money elsewhere

[Sellotapeandlime]

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????????

Yes there seems to be something about plasterers in particular. I've known 3 plasterers over the years, and all were completely mental and would have been a nightmare to have working in the house. My niece is having huge problems with hers atm. Keeps leaving mid job to get pissed or not bothering turning up at all. It sounds like you found a good one, 60 miles isn't that far, hopefully he will travel to you (apologies in advance to all MNetters with plasterer DHs!

When I worked in retail, the most bonkers, irrational and aggressive customers usually sent in complaints making out they had been calm and polite in the face of irrepressible rage. We would all have a good laugh at those ones.

I was going to keep my beak out but I must say I've never paid the fitters and never paid any of the cost in cash .
So many companies, small and large, offer free fitting and/or 0% finance paying the fitters in cash wouldn't work.
I accept it happens but not from the retailers I've used. Again, small and large.
Edited to add, there is no reason the carpet shop can't pay the fitters as subcontractors.

I don't know if anyone has already mentioned this as havent RFT but I only buy carpets from a carpet shop who use their own fitters and are responsible for the whole transaction from the supply to the fitting. I used carpet right many years ago where I paid the fitters on the day. Once they were gone I noticed lumps out of all the paintwork where the carpet had been fitted and it was nothing more than laziness on the fitters fault and not taking care. Not a massive thing and DH sorted with some wood filler and a lick of paint but not really acceptable when all the skirting had been painted prior to the carpet being fitted. Went back to carpet right and they wiped their hands of any responsibility because the fitters are contracted so nothing to do with them and of course the fitter had been paid in cash, I didnt have his details and even if I did I doubt he'd have given two hoots

Now I use an independent carpet shop who might cost a bit more but I pay the whole cost to them and they have ultimate responsibility for the whole thing

Business accounts costs money to run, personal accounts don't. The person that did my floor recently was semi retired, why pay for a business account to deposit a few hundred quid a week.

I don't know what so difficult here. You like the more expensive (actually professional) company, you can afford it, you need them, just go ahead with it.

Why is that relevant? Small businesses not paying tax cost the country billions. Why allow them to get away with it? Why be complicit in it?

So in summation, you don't want to follow the normal practice, and got huffy at the carpet place over it, flounced and now you have to use someone much more expensive.

It does sound a bit like a you problem...

You do realise there are lots of different, legitimate ways to be self-employed?

I'm self-employed and while the majority pay by bank transfer, a few prefer cash and it's not an issue. I provide receipts and all the money goes into my business account and through the books.

I've never heard of such a reaction towards a customer's reasonable request. independent business, money troubles, who knows what all else would lead him to behave in such an abominable manner. One thing springs to mind and only one: he has got money problems. Go to the more expensive store, you might have been spared a lot of problems with your new carpet purchase, some things are not a bargain.

So you don’t pitch a fit if someone wants to not pay cash? So you’re not like this scenario.

Many self-employed people now use card machines - hairdressers, beauticians, taxis etc

It is fairly safe to assume that if it's cash only, some of it will not be declared.

I recently had flooring fitted and paid a deposit for materials up front (which were delivered to the house) and the balance to the fitters on the day, the deposit by card and the balance by bank transfer.

The previous time I had carpet laid, I looked at samples in a carpet shop (John Lewis?), decided what I wanted and how much they were charging. I then got comparative prices from local fitters who didn't have the overheads of the shop and went with one that I paid after he'd done the job, by bank transfer. He was much cheaper and could have brought samples round for me to see if I'd wanted

Carpet fitter round here are normally self employed and independent from carpet shop and you pay them directly no payment for the fitting service is taken by the shop

doesn’t matter how much deposit or even if you pay in full you still pay the fitters independently

sound like he was frustrated as you refused to accept his answer and just expected him to give in because you kept asking even though you’d clearly been told no payment in shop for fitting

It’s not my job to police other people. That’s the job of those employed to do so

The fitters were more than likely self employed so direct payment to them on the day is perfectly normal. However, like any tradesperson you should be able to pay by bank transfer and not cash. Was that ever offered as a solution? It's less likely that a self employed carpet fitter has the facility for card payment but you have to ask yourself what's going on when people demand cash in this day and age. For an alternative see if you can find a fitter independently and order the carpet online. You can go onto checkatrade and have people contact you or maybe task rabbit or airtasker will have a carpet fitter locally.

I never said I was, did I?

You're the one banging on about money laundering and fraud. Businesses are perfectly free to choose how they get paid, if customers aren't happy with that then they're free to go elsewhere.

Carpet cleaner here, not a fitter. Similar though.

We don't offer card payment because we can't rely on a card machine getting signal in the address we're working in.

We can be paid bank transfer but as we are paid after the work is completed, we are often met with people who are busy and want to take the bank details to send later and then forget. I believe they do it genuinely as our customers are great, but it's more work to keep an eye on who has paid and when. Also if payment is a day late, because we get tax credits it can affect which month it goes on the accounts, and we like our income to be as predictable as possible, because self employment is quite stressful enough.

Cash is easier for loads of reasons, and not everyone is trying to dodge taxes.

CASH OR NOTHING!!!

My business account doesn't cost me money to run.

Sorry I disagree. The manager clearly had a temper. He was angry from the offset.

No they don't. I have a business account and it's totally free. It even comes with free software.

I completely agree. He was angry from the first time I asked whether I can pay the rest by card or bank transfer. It put me off entirely. Fair enough that it's his business but there's a way you treat a potential customer.

Thanks everyone.

I have decided to go for the expensive carpet shop. All their fitters are employed by the independent carpet retailers, much more customer friendly, accepts a higher deposit and can pay the rest- if I'm happy, a few days after the fitting. Took a small loan.

It was the attitude of the manager in the last shop that put me off and I thought that if I ever ran into an issue (could be anything) then I can imagine the manager behaving like this or even worse.

I know it's normal to pay cash for services. However, I would only do this if I knew the service very well and I do not have time energy to go to a small claims court. I can just raise a dispute with my bank and get the money back in a few simple steps.

Who do you use? If you don't mind me asking. We use a personal account because it's free.