Would you be willing to pay a workman in cash

Gk
I'm saying nothing because people in glass houses etc.

Try running a business where there is no cash whatsoever.

We only work business to business (on 30 day account) and getting paid is a nightmare. The bigger the business the harder it is too.

Gk

And don't let us forget the workwomen

For the pedants, I see the error

Crossed posts Jalima.

If people are going to be difficult about paying, how does taking cash solve the problem? BACs is now literally instantaneous (maryeliza54) ... only if the person who owes the money logs in to their bank account and makes the transfer instantaneously!

I had "paying guests" stay in my private guest room recently, the mother and sister of a student who worked locally and a friend had told the student to try me for her families 3 day stay in London. They were Finnish, from a tiny village 3 hours north of Helsinki, they did not speak English at all - we were using Google translate to communicate. They were lovely people and on arrival instantly paid me in cash with brand new £50 notes. There was no way I was going to go into why I wouldn't accept cash and explain the options. So my point is, sometimes it happens that cash is exchanged.

If people are going to be difficult about paying, how does taking cash solve the problem? BACs is now literally instantaneous.
You know when the cash is in your hand whereas you would have to trust that the person will transfer the money. I know our plumber (proper quote, proper invoice, we paid in full by cheque) said that he has had difficulty getting the full money from people after a job has been completed and other small businessmen he knows are facing the same challenges with awkward customers.

Sorry maryeliza54 I was just trying to explain why some tradesmen insist on cash and not cheques. There seemed to be an instant assumption on this thread that it was because they were fiddling tax or VAT and that is not necessarily true, some are just trying to ensure they have the money to pay their suppliers and co-workers.

I am happy to pay in cash providing I have receipts, a large amount I would pay by transfer. I would have to search to find my cheque book, don't think I have written one in the last 10 years.

I would pay small jobs in cash ie under £100. I have never been asked to pay that much in cash. I don't think it matters though how you pay. The important thing is a proper business receipt and guarantee. I eouldnt hand that much over without both.

I wouldn't have any work done without a written quotation and evidence of insurance. And I always pay by BACS, the final part after I've signed the work off as being to my satisfaction. It isn't just about tax fiddling, it is so that there is evidence that I have paid.

Worst case scenario: a leak or subsidence becomes apparent a few months later and the contractor denies that it was anything to do with him.

If people are going to be difficult about paying, how does taking cash solve the problem? BACs is now literally instantaneous. Also there are certain jobs where I would always want to be sure everything is working before I paid up by any method. My poor neighbours kitchen was flooded by a wrongly plumbed in washing machine but sadly they had already paid for the work before they used the machine. Also is it really fair to expect someone to have hundreds of £s in cash in the house waiting to be paid over? The insurance cover for cash in the house is typically very small and in addition it’s expecting people to go to the bank
and carry it home - I wouldn’t do that even in the most legitimate of circumstances. But Lyndy your son said he would accept BACs so he was clearly doing things properly -This discussion isn’t about not paying ( which I understand is an issue) but about tradesman wanting cash.

This was for two reasons, there simply was not enough profit to build up a reserve to cover the time a cheque takes to clear and other workmen, plumbers & electricians needed to be paid, and secondly chasing up payments generally was a massive problem. It was the main reason he stopped the work and trained for a different trade. Every time he had to return to a house to try to get payment, he was spending his own petrol and time and it was very stressful.
I can believe that as I have heard similar stories.

Interesting discussion. My son worked until recently as a self employed kitchen fitter in a two man team. It would have been difficult for him to fiddle taxes or VAT (although he was barely making minimum wage so VAT is not really relevant) as the official price quote was given through the kitchen firm and proper receipts were handed out. However the quotes always stated that the payments should be by cash or bank transfer at the completion of the work, and cheques were not accepted. This was for two reasons, there simply was not enough profit to build up a reserve to cover the time a cheque takes to clear and other workmen, plumbers & electricians needed to be paid, and secondly chasing up payments generally was a massive problem. It was the main reason he stopped the work and trained for a different trade. Every time he had to return to a house to try to get payment, he was spending his own petrol and time and it was very stressful.

I know decent gransnet people pay when things are due, but believe me, not every one is like that!

Dontaskme- did I suggest that you weren’t honest and stole from tax payers because you are self employed? I don’t think so.
I am self employed myself and I’m honest too.
However you surely must agree that it is easier for the self employed who handle cash to ‘hide’ money than for those on PAYE.
As well as avoiding paying the VAT, the dishonest worker would be claiming it back on the items he/she used for the job. He/she would also be avoiding income tax.
If the huge majority of the self employed weren’t honest then the country would be in an even worse mess.

I can believe the revenue keep tabs on big spenders eg luxury cars etc but they cannot possibly have the resources to keep tabs on the spending patterns of small one man businesses - anyway I’m now waiting to hear from him as to whether he wants a cheque or BACs so we’ll see what happens next

re my comment on the Inland Revenue, a friend who works for them tells me they are onto people who exhibit strange spending patterns.

I dont think there anything wrong in paying cash and I dont think cash payment equates to fraud.

If it's a bill it's best to pay by visa as you have some protection there if things go wrong. Other jobs around the home I pay by cheque! I love cheques. These tradesmen should not be asking for cash now as they could get into trouble with HMRC if they're found out. The treasury loses billions in income tax through cash in hand payments. The NHS needs it. But I would pay cash for under £50.

I have lived in the "real world" for seventy-odd years, and no, I have not led a particularly sheltered life. I have met many criminals and other dishonest people, but few of them are so shameless as to boast about their immorality.

I don't know how many of you might remember an ultra wealthy American who owned hotels. I think her name was Leona Helmsley. She once said "only the little people pay taxes"!! and that was her reputation destroyed. Honest folk were just appalled.

Fast forward to 2016 when in a televised debate Donald Trump was accused of dodging his taxes. Hie respose was "that makes me smart!"

I thought "that's him finished - honest Americans won't stand for that - they will turn away from him as the second Leona Helmsley" - how wrong was I/ It seems we are now living in a world which is not just post-truth but utterley shameless.

www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=uBZR1-onmAo

oldbatty <faints>. Give me your address and I’ll send you a unicorn in your preferred colour. You are joking aren’t you?

the Inland Revenue know a hell of a lot about people and their spending, so its highly unlikely anybody is on the make.

mcem a friend used contactless payments a few times over a couple of days and was astonished to find that the bank had put a stop on his card.

Rather like a conversation we had today when I said I use contactless payments for small amounts when previously I used cash, chip and pin only for larger amounts.
I certainly use cash frequently, unlike DGD who often sallies forth with her card but no cash at all!

Off topic slightly I know, but when I lived in France I was astonished when my neighbour wrote a cheque to pay for her small slab of cheese in the market.

Good idea jane.
I expect anyone who should be paying either income tax or vat to meet their obligations as I 've met mine.
If you knowingly avoid doing so it's colluding in fraud as far as I 'm concerned.
Unpleasant and cynical comments about living in the real world while avoiding your dues.
Another example of nicenanny's pseudonym being a misnomer.