AIBU to be so sick of tradespeople/ cleaners asking for cash in hand?

[Endlesspasswords]

So my cleaner charges £21/hour cash, but just said she wants more if I pay by bank transfer, because bank transfer means she can’t dodge declaring it. As if paying by transfer (i.e. traceably) is some kind of favour/ privilege I should pay extra for.

Same with some work I got a quote for- it’s the attitude that if I don’t want to pay in cash, I’m the one ‘hurting’ their bank balance or being awkward.

I’m freelance B2B myself. No sick pay, no employer pension contributions, no paid holiday, I know exactly what it’s like to carry your own tax and NI. But I still pay tax on every invoice, because that’s the deal.

I’m so sick with the fact that self-employed people in one sector get to treat tax as optional while others pay for their healthcare, schools etc.

and yes, I’m getting a new cleaner.

That is so bizarre. Cash is a completely normal form of payment for goods and services. How on earth have we ended up like this?! There are numerous legitimate reasons why some businesses prefer cash payment - just read some of the posts on this thread.

The issue happens when it becomes so prolific that it impacts on the money available from central government to give out to prop up society.
Less money equals less for us as a society. Anything from schools, roads, hospitals, benefits, you name it. Society relies on taxes being paid to function.

I agree 100%. I recently moved house the removal company wanted cash, several thousand pounds. I said no and went somewhere else and paid more. They thought I was crazy. I’m sure if everyone paid their tax there would be enough in the government’s purse.

I’m happy to pay probably up to a couple of thousand in cash-what they do with it is between them and their accountant

There are so many people dodging tax like this: builders, plumbers, hairdressers, nail techs, private tutors etc etc etc. It infuriates me that these people will be happy to complain about the NHS or schools but don’t pay the tax they should that contributes to these this. Whenever there is a discussion about raising taxes, it always focuses on big companies and the wealthy (which is important) but ignores all the every day folk paying next to no tax and earning what are often very good salaries (in the case of trades).

My hairdressers won't take cards but she's such a good cutter with my wavy hair. My cleaner who's brilliant will only take cash.

I do think that the vat threshold should be raised.

I assume many people do given the number that are under investigation.

My clients pay me by bank transfer into my Starling business account.

And again, there are many, many legitimate reasons to ask for cash. Asking for cash does not mean a business is avoiding tax.

That’s a GREAT point

I get particularly exorcised by this argument... I was in ED with elderly relative .... A tradie bloke in next cubicle was whinging that a customer was insisting on not paying him in cash... And how it was 'a liberty' 😱🙄

As he was having active treatment and about to go for surgery in an NHS hospital for a badly broken leg... ... 😱

And women who do it to protect themselves in financially controlling relationships.

I reported someone on Next Door who openly said he was looking for cash in hand work to avoid paying child maintenance.

I don't care. I have ( to the best of my knowledge) never cheated the system. Paid into, still paying in. If somebody will do a job I don't care if they want cash.

There are much bigger crooks out there.

The Devil’s Avocado getting “exorcised” 😆

Absolutely ageist. I'm in that age bracket. I'm neither entitled nor salaried.

My mobile hairdresser was one of the only ones okay during covid as she got furlough as she had always paid her tax and taken bank payments so she survived.

Tradespeople asking for cash in hand has always been strongly associated with tax evasion which is at best immoral and at worst illegal. How are guarantees offered with no proof of work done?
Given that one would find it very difficult to file returns to HMRC or get a bank loan without a bank account there is no reason other than illegality to refuse payment through a bank account instead asking for cash in hand.

What makes you assume that the cash in handlers are all above board?

It does seem to be a particular thing with Chinese takeaways. The majority of people who run them seem to be first-generation immigrants (very strong Chinese accents and not very fluent in English), so I wonder if some of them just see it as a way of avoiding the hassle of negotiating 'peripheral' aspects of running a business in a foreign country via a foreign language. They may even struggle to get a suitable bank account without UK documentation and proof of previous financial activity here.

It may also just be a cultural thing - possibly in the same way that virtually every Chinese takeaway has a TV, yet those offering other national cuisines very rarely do?!

Moreover, this is just me surmising, but given how notoriously authoritarian and over-reaching the Chinese government is in individuals' lives, I can well understand recent immigrants from China instinctively fearing governments (especially unfamiliar foreign ones) and wanting to limit their ability to control, interfere and sanction as much as possible.

I can’t go over all the reasons again - please just scroll back and read all the posts. There are so many legitimate reasons. In addition, you are presumably suggesting that cash payments be banned? I posted with some reasons why that is a truly terrible idea. Be careful what you wish for.

He doesn't refuse to use it although like a lot of people we do tend to just pay for things with our cards. He just doesn't use it at places that are quite likely avoiding tax. It's not about the effort of getting cash out.

Banks charge more for cash going into the account than bank transfers. I used to work for a garage/dealership and the cash charges (not allowed to keep more than 5k in safe overnight so had to pay into bank) than any other. Also a pain to take to the bank , as no bank nearby and over certain amounts needed more than one person.

I posted on another thread about my builder and how it has taken over 3 months do to a 3 week max job. All fully paid for and just sitting waiting for him to complete whenever he fancies. I think Burnham is trying to sort this with the trade plans he has to ensure payment is checked off against work done on an app. I imagine he will need to do this for a lot of "self employed" workers of all kinds. It might actually increase productivity as well as actually raising some tax for the workshy freeloaders!

If someone sees no issue with committing fraud regarding taxes, why would you think you could trust them in your house?

From a professional standpoint, he's right to do this: he does not want to be connected with tax fraud in any way.