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.

Who said we think all cleaners are dishonest? No one said that. But there is no denying that some are. My mum had one for years who openly admitted this was a side job and took cash to not declare it.

Just ask your cleaner to bring change? Mine costs £28, asked for cash, I told her I always struggle for change and could she bring it with her, no issue. Every couple of weeks I tell her to just take the £30. The £2 changes she leaves I keep to one side and then use those towards exact payment when I can.

Give him 55 then. Why would you want to give him less rather than one pound more?

One of my cleans was £39 always carry change.Weekly clean at the end of the year got a £50 tip.Also the bigger the house the more you wait for your money too.

I’m sure that if the reason they were doing that was so that the OP didn’t have to pay tax on her income, she’d probably be OK with it. Are you really that naive?

I would refuse to pay cash, don't want to support tax avoidance and over claiming benefits.

I personally wouldn’t pay cash as like you, don’t really use cash day to day. I would forget to go to the cash machine each week too.

As you seem happy to pay cash during term time, I would be honest and say you can’t pay cash during the school holidays as it’s inconvenient to go to the bank for change and therefore you will have to do bank transfer those weeks unless you happen to be near a bank naturally. That feels less unreasonable than to offer less money.

I would just get plenty of cash out. Hide it in the house and leave 54 on the side each week.
Like you say cleaners are hard to find and if the only complaint you have is the beds (just ask him again about this) I'm sure it's a cultural thing and he sees it as intrusive.
All good.

X

It's obvious he's only declaring the amount he receives from the agency. I don't think you should be facilitating his tax dodge / benefit fraud. Not only is it immoral the country can't afford it.

He’ll be dodging tax and claiming benefits. Up to you how easily this sits on your conscience. I’d just pay £55.

Can the country afford all the tax avoidance schemes that big companies use to pay less. Be far more £££ than what a cleaner might not pay

So you condone this? All tax avoidance is wrong.

Ok, I do some cleaning/ Airbnb turnover on the side.

Beds are not a standard cleaning task, I’d do them for an Airbnb turnover but not for a standard clean unless agreed in advance. Every bed change adds at least 7 minutes to the clean. Probably nearer 10.

I don’t ask for cash, as it is inconvenient for me too, and I’m absolutely not in to avoidance. However, I think this is the norm. Just say no, he will be asking everybody and a few will say OK which makes the question worthwhile: most people don’t want to pay in cash unless they are also getting paid in cash and therefore it benefits them to keep cash flows off the book.

Flipping heck. It’s not rocket science. Just buy something with cash and use the change. It’s easy to keep a float at home.