Expenses claim

[Shrubsie1]

I am a volunteer treasurer for a small local club. Members pay an annual subscription, there isn't much in the pot but we tick along ok.

Last week one committee member suddenly wanted to buy some shrubs for outside. We had loosely discussed it in the past. I suggested he raises it with the committee. He sent an email, one other committee member agreed, the others either didn't see or said nothing, he then bought £200 of shrubs an hour later, saying 'no one objected'. I wasn't happy as I felt it was rushed and we should have agreed collectively how to spend members funds.

I was busy working my day job when he phoned and asked to be reimbursed. I said he needs to provide the receipt. He has been unable to get one, saying the supplier hasn't replied/given him one. He's now hassling to be paid without a receipt.

I since found out he'd also bought some shrubs from the same supplier for his own house on the same day, which could be a bit suspicious as no receipt and I only have his word on how much he paid, also may explain his sudden urgency.

Aibu to decline to pay without a receipt? Or am I being too meticulous here. I like to do everything by the book.

Fwiw the £200 he's claiming is a bit high for the shrubs he bought but not ridiculously so.

Nope! He could get anyone to do that! He’s clearly taking the piss.

It all sounds very odd. A man in a van sounds like it would be a cash purchase and how likely is it that he's got that amount of money on him, just like that?

So if he did pay £200+ for shrubs, he should be able to show a large cash withdrawal from his bank account.

Or if he paid by card, because the man in a van could have been a legitimate trader and someone who takes transactions of that size will take cards or bank transfer, again provable - look at the amount, and proportion according to the shrubs for your club vs what he bought for himself.

If neither of the above applies, then its unlikely he paid £200 for these shrubs and shouldn't be reimbursed.

£200 is ALOT of shrubs

Even if he came up with a receipt for £200, unless it was itemised properly, I’d also want to see his own receipt.

He should have got authorization from the committee for buying them in the first place and not just gone off as soon as one person said ok.
There should have been a set budget and he should have got a receipt.

I’ve been a treasurer and I would absolutely not pay this claim, he’s taking the piss.
I guess you could all discuss it openly at the next meeting and decide.

Whatever happens, a strict expenses policy needs to be shared.

I’m in a FB gardening group where a man was recently boasting about getting loads of clearly stolen plants off a ‘man in a van’ for £1 each (it didn’t go down well in the group). That’s a lot of plants for £200 if bought in a similar manner!

He surely would have known he would need a receipt for a club purchase?

So have you got a CF? A misogynistic bully? A criminal? Or some combination of all 3 on your hands there?

Can you also have a look at how much a shrub is ? £10 each or £20 each from a garden centre, and how many did you get for your £200 ?

I smell a scam and a very dodgy deal.

No receipt no money, but first of all no committee agreement, no spending.

He is making things awkward, not you. Do not allow him to put your integrity at risk like this, as it is ultimately your responsibility to make sure the rules are followed.

Without a proper agreement and more to the point no receipt he doesn't get reimbursed, simple.

Presumably as a charity you're subject to audit? It wouldn't go down well.

Isn't the role of a treasurer to protect the club from potential misuse of funds?

If there is a dispute - eg you say the money shouldn't be reimbursed, can you both present your arguments to the committee for them to decide?

He surely would have known he would need a receipt for a club purchase?

Like so many he probably just hoped to wing it, @begone25 - though admittedly £200 was a lot to hope for

A "man with a van" isn't likely to be too bothered about paperwork even if he could be found again, so now the guy will very likely just knock up a fake invoice and try again ...

My local market had a couple of plant stalls where you could easily spend £200 and they don't give you a receipt, thinking about it I do t think I've ever had a receipt from a market stall. I guess if you asked they might write something on a piece of paper but there's nothing at all unusual about not getting one

@Shrubsie1 can you clarify if this is a registered charity, I notice a couple of posters have mentioned that, in my previous post I assumed you meant a members club not covered by any legal rules

@B1indEye thanks, no not a registered charity but a small company. There isn't much money as it doesn't cost much to run the club. There is an accountant who does the financial statements each year, she asks for receipts and I'm not willing to not give her one. So there needs to be a receipt before I'm willing to pay him.

I think his haste was due to him wanting shrubs for his own house.

I've been Treasurer for various organisations and clubs. I would advise you not to make any payment to this person but to ask for the matter to be included on the agenda of the next committee meeting so that the committee can decide whether the cost should be reimbursed or not. You should make the committee aware that no receipt has been provided. It is up to them to decide, not you individually.

To avoid similar problems in future, it would be worth also tightening up your constitution/expenses policy to spell out that all expenditure needs to be approved, either by the committee as a whole or specific office-bearers, in advance so that the Treasurer is basically reimbursing claims on items/projects which have already been approved by the committee in principle. Any request for expenditure should include an estimated cost.

Does your constitution already specifically allow decisions by email? Would be worth adding this in if not, and again spelling out how it will work (eg need for approval.by certain office bearers or by certain number of committee members).

You can't pay it, without a receipt you it can't be properly authorised. If the committee want to pay without, that needs to be agreed and minuted.

It would actually be unreasonable to pay him. Your duty as treasurer is to protect the club’s funds on behalf of its members.
If there’s no receipt, he needs to bring his claim to the next committee meeting, and members need to take the decision about whether to pay him. They should also review their policy on expense claims and the processes that need to be gone through before a member spends money they expect to have reimbursed.

That is not how these things work. He should have got approval at a committee meeting and provide receipts. Treasurer would be in breach of her duty if this isn't done.

No receipt no payment - as a committee you have to provide annual accounts and supporting evidence to fulfil your responsibilities. I would also suggest asking only one committee member means he hasn’t actually obtained the appropriate approval for the expenditure and therefore is not entitled to be reimbursed. You need to stand your ground on this to protect you and other committee members.