Would it be unreasonable to offer to pay my cleaner less?

[kissthefish]

I have a new cleaner. He started with me a couple of weeks ago. So far, so good. I have paid him so far by bank transfer on the day. However he has asked if I can pay him in future in cash.
Thing is, it’s an awkward amount. £54. I have no issue doing this when I’m at work, as my workplace is very close to a bank. However on school holidays (I’m a teacher) it’s going to be an inconvenient pain in the ass, as I don’t live near a bank. I tend not to have cash floating around, as I pay for everything by card.
Would I be unreasonable to offer to pay him £50 cash during the holidays?
Also, is it the norm for cleaners not to make the bed? He leaves them as they are (roughly made, as the mornings are a rush) but doesn’t straighten them out, which looks odd in a clean bedroom.
Thanks.

Yep pay him less, then let your school know they can reduce your pay by 7.4% too - I'm sure they could put that to great use buying supplies for the students!

I would offer £54 by bank transfer, £50 cash in hand, there is usually a discount for cash (although personally I don’t support the grey economy so would only offer cash if you really couldn’t get another cleaner).

Get cash out when doing a shop?
Tax evasion?

It's a shitty excuse to "offer" to pay someone less for what they charge because you can't be arsed to keep cash in the house.
Come on OP.

It does, you can't get coins out of a cash machine. She'll have to withdraw £60 then buy something for a few quid, which she wouldn't do normally. It's not the end of the world but I'd find it a pain in arse, too.

Offering £50 cash in hand versus £54 is totally reasonable.

Tell him if he straightens the beds properly you'll make it £55 cash. If not no deal.

Is it really that hard to have cash available?

Notes come out of every ATM, and you could get a stash of pound coins by visiting a bank once a month/every couple of months...

What about if your employer pays you £4 less each week because they can’t get to a bank. How would you feel about that? Honestly, you are so entitled.

Mine is 17.50/h and works out an odd amount since she increased the price. I just asked for 5min less cleaning to make a whole number which she was happy with

I've never had a cleaner make the bed.

What if you told your employer you insist on being paid cash instead of bank transfer? She is the employer, she can decide whether and on what terms the cash option works for her. It’s not cheeky or entitled at all. If he is dodging tax then £50 in cash may be much better for him than £54 in his account. If not he can continue to receive £54 by bank transfer.

I’d just pay by bank transfer personally. I hate having to get cash out for things and I’ll avoid it wherever possible. Most people willing to take cash in hand will offer a discount to do it so asking isn’t quite as audacious as people are pretending it is but I would personally just say no.

I would refuse to pay in cash because he is obviously trying to avoid paying tax?

Of course you can’t pay him less but you can insist on a bank transfer. He will get paid by the agency that way.

If you are going to continue paying in cash (I wouldn’t) then round it up instead of down.

Just say no. It's really not necessary when you can do a direct and instant bank transfer with them standing right in front of you.

I had a new cleaner start recently and before she even arrived she asked if I could pay in cash as she prefers it. I replied 'that doesn't work for me, sorry. We are nowhere near an ATM and it's inconvenient to keep having to remember the cash in advance or to feel pressure to have to drive out and get the money while you are here. We work from home and it's disruptive and inconvenient. However I am happy to pay you by transfer literally in front of you and as soon as you arrive, if you are nervous about being left unpaid by a new client.'

She responded 'that's fine, I just find it easier to keep track of my finances when I get the cash LOL'

It's NOT easier with cash to 'keep track.' It's extremely easy to keep track these days with banking apps updated in real time.

It's easier with cash, to spend the money instead of having it disappear into your overdraft, where you might not be allowed to withdraw it again until you've lowered your limit. I have some sympathy with this, but it's not my problem.

It's easier with cash, to claim universal credit and forget to mention that you also earned money by doing an actual job of work. I have some limited sympathy with this because the universal credit system is a minefield if you earn variable amounts with unfixed hours that vary.

It's easier with cash, to not declare your full earnings to the taxman. I have no sympathy with this whatsoever. My finances are transparent to the taxman and so should yours be.

Just get a stock of £1 coins to pay during holidays?

Unreasonable to pay less. If anything paying £1 more - £55 - would be better especially as good cleaners are hard to come by. Not making the beds seems a very superficial issue if he dies everything else to a high standard.

Just say no. And not just because of the hassle but he is likely to be committing fraud and therefore you would be an accessory to it. Do you want to be part of his plan to screw over the tax payer?

If the school paid her in cash so she could divert her earnings away from the taxman then I am sure a 7.4% reduction would feel like an absolute bargain in comparison to what she loses through PAYE, don't you think?

It's unreasonable to pay him less. You should pay him 55 if you are going to do that.
But I would tell him it's inconvenient so you'll continue to pay by bank transfer.

Sounds like he's avoiding tax and national insuramce contributions.

Just tell him crash isn’t convenient for you and continue to pay by bank transfer. Him wanting to avoid tax is already impacting the rest of us and he wants you faffing about to facilitate it to. No.

Cash is a pain. Our village only has one cash machine which likes to break or run out often, and the next nearest one is a 40-min round trip. Given a cleaner is meant to make my life easier, I wouldn’t want to deal with someone who only accepted cash honestly. It just adds an extra element of faff to my life when that’s what I’m trying to reduce!

I would say you can only pay via bank transfer and if he’s unable to continue you understand.

You really can’t make your own bed? Really? Or go to a cash machine?

Just round it up to £55