Cash in hand for work on the house??

[LadySybilDeChocolate]

Following on from this: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1376655-Since-when-does-having-a-lot-of-books-constitute-not-looking-after-your-home

The agencies 'handyman' turned up today unannounced and with no phone call (although he said he tried to call this morning . I've been in all day, it took 20 minutes for me to check the phone numbers he had to make sure they are correct ~ they are). Apparently it's going to take 3 men half a day to do the garden (it's 10 ft long, 8 ft wide and is bramble city), it's going to cost £200 minimum (which I have to pay for) and he'll only accept cash (then he winked "if you know what I mean") Can they do this?

I've just read some of your other thread, and my blood is boiling on your behalf.

I'm no legal eagle, but I wouldn't have thought they could do this without a clause in the contract (that you don't have) to say that they can take pre-emptive action if the garden is not up to scratch.

It's probably too late now, but tell them to take a hike.

I've been here for a long time and have no idea where the contract is now (you lose track of everything after 9 years). I'm fairly sure it said I was to maintain the garden though. I cut the brambles back every year but they grow back (as they do). There's 4 houses on the close, at the end is a piece of land which belongs to someone else which is not maintained at all. The brambles come from there and grow underground so I can't get rid of them as they just keep coming back. There's ivy covering the wall at the bottom of the garden, I try to keep this cut back but I'm 5 foot 2 so can only reach so high. There's actually a step in the ivy as I just can't reach above it. I'm tempted to ask my friends if they can help for the cost of a crate of beer! I want to move, I'm ahead with the rent by 2 months plus the deposit though. The landlady has done no work at all on the house since I moved in. There was no smoke alarms, no curtain rails, no CO2 detector. I've paid for all of these, as well as a carpet cleaner.

How legal is it to demand cash in hand for a job?

It's not a crime.

If they try to underdeclare income for tax purposes, then that is a criminal offence. Difficult to prove though. You could write to HMRC and tell them that X is asking for cash in hand and you suspect them of tax avoidance.

Do you want to pay them to do this work?

ten foot long and eight foot wide?

I cannot see how it could possibly take 3 people half a day. Does this include a skip/removal of the brambles? if it did it's a good deal as a skip is at least 100 quid now.

If you want to save money go to B&Q and buy a protected boiler suit/proper bramble gloves and headgear - then the brambles can't hurt you.

And I would pay the agency if he's their handyman or I would get someone of my own in. You're under no obligation to use their handyman for gardening.

Don't know the back-story, but in general it is perfectly legal to only accept payment in a cash. You should ask for a recepit.

No. I told the agency (last week) that I know people who will clear it for me so there was no need for them to send their 'handyman' around to price it up. I also told him that I have friends who are gardeners, they all seem to just ignore me. He said he's going to 'call me' with a quote and I can decide, but given the fact that he said he's been trying to call me this morning I doubt he will. He usually just turns up. I did remind him I needed notice. It falls on deaf ears though.

I don't have his full name or any contact details for him. I doubt very much that it will take 3 men half a day to do. I can do it myself in 20 minutes with a hedge trimmer. The roots spread from the vacant land adjacent though so I doubt that anything which is done will make any difference.

Three people for half day is £30 in labour costs plus a skip at £70 will be no more than £100 in total costs. They are just doubling the cost to make money out of you. It is what agencies always do.

He said it would be a minimum of £130 plus labour. I can get a hedge trimmer for £40 and do it myself. My friend manages a removal and storage company and he'll take the waste to the tip if I ask him. They do nothing for the rent I've paid them over the last 9 years. I've been unable to open my kitchen window since I moved in as the hinge is broken and it doesn't close. 2 years ago they sent the same idiot out, he tightened a screw and said it was fixed. It wasn't. I can't close it once it's open, I have to literally lift it up from the outside and push it back into place. I hate renting.

Say you don't carry cash so will need to pay by cheque. Absolutely get a receipt

I don't have a cheque book. It doesn't sit easy with me if they are comitting VAT fraud though.

Ask for a VAT invoice/receipt if they are charging vat. No VAT number no VAT payment. It's as simple as that. The quote should say something like £200 + VAT @ 20% or prices not including VAT if they intend to charge VAT. The quote should also display their VAT number, which you can check of certain websites to ensure it is their VAT number. Not all tradesmen are VAT registered. What they may be doing is avoiding tax, which is different to VAT by taking cash in hand, but not always. Always ask for a receipt with their name and address on it.

I've just read your other thread this is what I would do:-

Receive quote, say thank you, inform the agents you have the quote and you will get quotes from elsewhere for comparison, under no circumstances should there be any work undertaken without your consent or you will not be paying for it.
Speak to mates offer beer, wine, food, sex* to encourage them to assist in the de-brambling.
Once De-brambling complete, inform the agency that you have done whats required as you got a cheaper quote from elsewhere.
I'd also ask them for a copy of your lease as you never received an amended copy when the rent went up.
Keep a not of all contact you have with them. When you report problems and when they are rectified. If you have to repair something at your own expense write to them to say what you are doing and that you will be billing them for it.

Hope that makes sense.

*delete as approriate

Thank you Glaik. I could actually do it myself with a hedge trimmer. There's nothing I can do about the roots though as the brambles are growing underground from the adjacent patch of land. I'm buying an alarm which does off when the front door is opened incase the LL lets herself in again I want to move, I'm just not sure what to do about the rent that's been paid in advance. I can just give them 2 months notice and not pay the rent as I doubt I'll get a refund.

As for the formal quote - they cannot refuse.

I want something in writing. I mentioned the kitchen window to him (again), "Oh, sounds like the hinge has gone!" (I told him this years ago). I've found a place which sells alarms for doors. If someone opens the front door, even with a key, and doesn't know the code it sets off a 110db alarm. They are £8.99, bargain!

Hmm, he's just called. 'We can do it tomorrow'. I've said no and have phoned around for some more quotes. Price has gone up also, from £130 min to £160 min. Annoying how it takes them 9 years (and still waiting) to repair a window but when they want me to pay for something they can do it in 24 hours!

LadySybil - you can get weedkiller from your garden centre to kill brambles. It costs about £10.

Thank you Beta.

My friend's husband is a handyman, he's offered to do all of it for £120. Sounds a lot better then £200 and I'd rather pay a friend. I can spray it with weedkiller once it's clear and plant a few bushes. If I was evil and vindictive I'd plant something that grows very quickly just before I move out. I may won't do that though. I'll get some tubs of flowers so I can take them with me.

or I could plant some really ugly looking things.

Yeah, don't do it lady - you will only be punishing an unsuspecting next tenant and making the agency "handy"man happy at all the extra ££.

Good luck!

Good point. I'll put the nice things into pots so I can take them with me when I move. Heather grows well though (or it did until the brambles killed it off).