Would you use a cash in hand tradesman ?

[BigsimonY]

looking to get a kitchen fitted. Had a guy round to give me a price. He comes highly recommended by friends. seen fist hand his quality of work. He quoted me for my kitchen. He gave me 2 prices. 1 though the book and 1 cash in hand. Cash quote was a good few hundred pounds cheaper. Have you/would you, use a cash in hand tradesman. Also do i leave myself open to the tax man asking questions?

[creampuff]

Paying cash in hand depends on your moral outlook.

It is very unlikely anything negative could ever happen to you by paying cash. You pay cash. If the tradesman remits VAT or pays company or personal cash on that, then that is something for them to sort out, not you.

[robdcfc]

You get in as much trouble as them for offering cash.

[blaineuk]

It's not a problem paying him cash for you, it's his problem if he declares it or not.

[Snowboy]

I have paid cash in hand, I will again.
But only for simple jobs that are unlikely to have a warranty issue later.
Stuff like brick walls or holes dug.

If you pay cash in hand it's cheaper, but by stepping outside vat laws I consoder you're stepping outside the warranty/guarantee/soga laws too.

It's like the opening lines of "only fools and horses."

[Alucidnation]

robdcfc said:

You get in as much trouble as them for offering cash.

How?


I get offered cash a lot of the time.

They then get the reply " Cash, cheque or BACS is fine, what ever is easier for you".

This then indirectly informs them that there is no discount for cash

[Mojooo]

Snowboy said:

If you pay cash in hand it's cheaper, but by stepping outside vat laws I consoder you're stepping outside the warranty/guarantee/soga laws too.

Your not (legally anyway - but morally you might have a gentlemans agreement that you get what you pay for).

The difficulty with any warranty issue is getting thm back and proving they did the work as they won't give you a receipt.

[dingg]

robdcfc said:

You get in as much trouble as them for offering cash.

b/s

just had new roof , house pointed , all cash in hand in installments over 6 weeks

it is the way to do things up north.

how would I be in trouble with anyone? I care not a jot whether the builder declares it or not

[Clivew]

Since when did paying in cash become illegal?

[xjay1337]

You as a buyer of goods and service are not responsible for the business paying tax.

Since when was everyone all high and mighty on this stuff anyway

If people want to pay a few hundred more then that's up to them lol

[Salesy]

Clivew said:

Since when did paying in cash become illegal?

Thats right. Asking for or offering a discount for cash is illegal, as you know if cash is taken under these circumstances its not going to be declared to HMRC.

[bottema]

robdcfc said:

You get in as much trouble as them for offering cash.

Good one

[northwest monkey]

Snowboy said:

I have paid cash in hand, I will again.
But only for simple jobs that are unlikely to have a warranty issue later.
Stuff like brick walls or holes dug.

I'd agree with this.

OP - ask the fitter if you'll still get some sort of guarantee for paying cash and then take it from there. I happily pay cash for jobs - even more so if I get the job cheaper.

Funny how people object to paying a tradesman cash because of tax then sit there drinking a Starbucks coffee while browsing Amazon.......

[Snowboy]

Clivew said:

Since when did paying in cash become illegal?

It's not paying cash.

The phrase is "cash in hand" which is different to "cash through the books".
It implies a job done off the record, no reciept, no vat, no tax.

It'll probably be 10-50% cheaper depending on the business.

[anonymous-user]

But remember kids, tax evasion is wrong mmmmkay?

[Snowboy]

charltjr said:

But remember kids, tax evasion is wrong mmmmkay?

But tax avoidance is just fine.

[Centurion07]

northwest monkey said:

Funny how people object to paying a tradesman cash because of tax then sit there drinking a Starbucks coffee while browsing Amazon.......

Clearly not familiar with the difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion then?

[creampuff]

Salesy said:

Asking for or offering a discount for cash is illegal, as you know if cash is taken under these circumstances its not going to be declared to HMRC.

No it is not illegal. Not declaring income to HMRC is illegal. Paying cash or offering a discount for cash is just offering a discount for cash.

Maybe they like cash and offer a discount for cash, because cash is cash and not a cheque which can bounce or a credit card payment where the bank takes a cut.

[xjay1337]

Centurion07 said:

Clearly not familiar with the difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion then?

What's more important to you

Law or Morales.

[otolith]

Of course, there are also situations where paying cash for a service with no audit trail means the boss doesn't get to see it either. If you turn up at a tyre place on a quiet afternoon with your own tyres to be fitted and get a cheap price for cash, I reckon it probably goes straight in the fitter's pocket.