To change my mind when he asked for payment in cash?

[Wardrobefred]

I wanted some work done in my garden. I know I should get 3 quotes, but I just wanted it done. Price was £1200 and he could start the following week so I accepted it.

Then he asked for a deposit to "secure the date" which seemed a bit much when he clearly wasn't turning down other work! I was going to agree, just to get the job done, it was £50 by bank tf. Then he said he'd want the rest in cash on the day of completion "so he could pay the men". TBH it never occurred to me anyone would want that much in cash and it certainly wasn't mentioned when we were discussing price.

I said I'm not comfortable getting out £1200 in cash, which I'm not. It's a faff because you have to go to the bank and then walk across town carrying it. So he said pay half in cash, which still presents the same issues. By this time I was thinking my quick decision to give him the work was a bit rash, so I said I'd decided to take more time to think about it.

I'm now on the local FB page as a timewaster...

It’s hardly a huge amount. Massive over reaction on your part.

Why should she pay him deposit for not doing the work? She's not the unreasonable one. She was going to pay the deposit when she hired him, then changed her mind about hiring him because he wanted the rest in cash. She hasn't screwed him over.

Forget about the cash issue.

Any tradesman who publicly labels a potential customer a time waster, after one issue, is bullying and lacking in professionalism, and I wouldn't want him anywhere near my home or garden.

You've dodged a bullet.

I agree, evading tax seems the most likely reason for wanting cash. But there are lots of other reasons.

For example if he’s over his overdraft limit, he won’t be able to pay his man from the bank but he will be able to pay out of cash. Not exactly praiseworthy, but not your problem. This fits with what he said, although you could challenge him on it.

I used a cleaner who shared a bank account with her abusive husband. Payment to her bank account would fund his gambling. Cash funded her children.

On a (major) house refurbishment dealing with a long sequence of trades, I always mentioned that DH was an accountant, and enquired specifically about VAT. Definitely had some potential tradesmen turn tail at that point.

Their loss - the respectable, upfront, on-top-of-the-paperwork workmen we acquired were excellent, trustworthy and all did a series of jobs for us over more than a decade.

This. There’s a huge hole in the government budget right now, and decisions are being made on whose services/support are being cut. It’s completely unreasonable for a group of working adults in society to decide, “Nah…I’d rather not pay tax.”

Exactly.

Given how easy it is to open a bank account - it literally takes seconds - it could be that your cleaner claimed this to give you an explanation of why she wanted cash. Paypal would also have been an option.

How many men does he claim he's using, and for how many hours? And why are his 'men' (subbies/actual staff?) being paid cash in hand?

It does sound a bit weird. But then again I have paid gardeners in cash before. But only when there's was just two of them and it was under £500.

Nobody who is honest with their tax affairs demands over £1000 in cash!

Not unreasonable at all. Wanting a deposit, too with no materials to buy?

I actively avoid people/places who only accept cash. It's inconvenient for me, plus many other reasons I don't like paying with cash.

I'll add here that I had an extension built by a contractor who was unhappy that I was paying by cheque. He wanted electronic transfers and I wasn't set up for electronic banking at the time - this was more than ten years ago. He reluctantly agreed that I could pay via cheque.

I was naive and didn't realise that a precise contract for stating when amounts were to be paid should have been set up in advance - either that, or pay at the end.

What would happen is that he'd suddenly send a request for more money "to keep the cash flowing" and I'd give him another cheque. There were problems which I won't go into here.

He then lied to his subcontractors that I hadn't paid him.

I actually forwarded emails to one contractor to show that I'd paid in full. He got his money, but I don't know about the rest. I was told that the contractor had form for withholding money for as long as possible.

I later heard from one of the other sub-contractors that the contractor had accidentally set his yard alight whilst burning records when he heard that he was getting a visit from the taxman.

Given the issues that I had with that contractor, never again would I use someone who balks at a normal method of payment. (Yes, I accept that cheques are disappearing and I now do use electronic banking.)

My husband dislikes it when people pay cash as he then needs to go and pay it in. Customers often had him for a 'cash price' (he doesn't do this) so customers can be as bad as the tradespeople when it comes to tax avoidance!

Tax dodging is everyone’s business, so you would not be unreasonable to want to pay another way. We always do that - taxes pay for our schools, roads, the NHS.

Considering carrying cash around town, you’re just being awkward.

Yes this. It's such a PITA to have to go to the bank or post office to pay in the cash.

I am also self employed and request bank transfer specifically because my accounts are then done for me by the banking software and I don't need to worry.

It's frustrating when someone turns up with cash although I can understand it for 20 quid.
The other day someone gave my dh 600 in cash and I was like why??? So annoying. He offers card payment.

Exactly this.

I don't think it's a good idea to get into a Facebook argument which involves damaging the business reputation of a manual worker who is obviously dodgy and knows your address!

@Wardrobefred I am having work done to my house atm, I have had a contractor, builder, carpenter, painter and electrician working so far, not one has asked for a deposit or pushed for payment. I have a cleaner and I pay here after the work is done, not before. It sounds a bit dodgy. There was a local guy who was getting half up front for supplies and then he never showed up or did any work.

I work in a trade, amount of clients who think offering cash will bring the price down, then ask for invoice, receipt which doesn't work like that. I'm vat registered and there is a 20% on each invoice which clients never want to pay. Giving me cash is unhelpful, can't put it in bank, or pay bills with it, clients constantly push for cheaper price, easier option. I want my business to do well, have cash flow, good accounts so I can get a better house etc. I take either a 50% deposit or full amount upfront cause I can assure you 80% of clients are suddenly busy/skint/unable to pay once job is done. I tell clients you wouldn't want me upset and on phone constantly chasing last client? So this is how it works. I'm professional and big online presence so can't just disappear.
Clients want the results/worker to be professional but cost well below that. Pay a professional to do all the extra admin that goes with jobs, buying materials, arranging workers (who do deserve to be paid, if that's what boss has told them) weather watching and juggling other jobs. That guy's only in your life cause you invited them in without being clear on what you wanted....
I pay man with van, gardener etc with bank cause it's how I want it, made it clear in initial discussion and send messages outlining our conversation and what's expected of who

Literally seconds? Let me know which banks don’t do KYC and credit checks please. Her story rang true. But maybe we should take a leaf from your book and be more sceptical of women who claim to be abused domestically.

Hope they gave you a receipt for where the rubbish went.

And all these labourers being paid cash in hand. Are they paying NI, are the employers paying into their pension? holiday pay? Sick pay.

Doubt it. It just makes life harder for us small businesses who do things by the book.

i

Put your side on in reply (if you can, I don't do FB, sorry)

also put his shoddy behaviour on 'Nextdoor'

I hope you got your deposit back (if you'd paid it already, hopefully you hadn't!)

our 'Nextdoor' is full of garden work people & recommendations, good luck getting it done!

Exactly!! Wouldn't we all love not to have to pay tax but it is a necessary evil. We would all benefit from an improved education system, nhs, policing etc. Everyone should be paying their fair share. If everyone actually paid we could all be paying less. I bet a cashless society would cause riots. The black economy needs shutting down!

'Grubby hands'?! Wow. I've heard the public sector getting stick but describing teachers, nurses, social workers, bin men etc as 'grubby hands' is pretty shocking. I assume that's what you're referring to as that is what your taxes are used for (if you pay them!).