Tax dodging builder?

singularity · 2 Mar 2019 at 13:51

I wouldn't feel comfortable paying someone who I thought wasn't above board. Especially for a large sum like 4k.
I can see how it would be tempting though.

Spook187 · 2 Mar 2019 at 16:47

sigma said:
And then blame our lack of services on the EU lol

I think the government waste enough money without giving them more to blow on themselves, they make enough on me alone to run the country

Ergates · 2 Mar 2019 at 17:33

Orionaut said:
I call hypocrite to anybody who has ever complained about Tradesmen evading taxes who has nevertheless also asked for a "Discount for cash" or accepted paying cash to get the best price.

That would be hypocrisy. But I dont see any instances of that *in this thread*

Orionaut · 2 Mar 2019 at 17:46

Ergates said:
That would be hypocrisy. But I dont see any instances of that *in this thread*

Except by inference

I am wanting to see if anybody would be prepared to put hand on heart and say whether or not they would, if given the choice between two quotes for the same job (Assume equal finished quality for sake of argument) chose the £15,000 "Fully Accounted" quote over the £10,000 "Cash in hand" one because they are morally offended at the thought of the less expensive tradesman evading tax?

singularity · 2 Mar 2019 at 17:49

Orionaut said:
Except by inference

I am wanting to see if anybody would be prepared to put hand on heart and say whether or not they would, if given the choice between two quotes for the same job (Assume equal finished quality for sake of argument) chose the £15,000 "Fully Accounted" quote over the £10,000 "Cash in hand" one because they are morally offended at the thought of the less expensive tradesman evading tax?

if you go for the less expensive one you know you're getting a dodgy job,

Cash in hand for 10k, no way.

Orionaut · 2 Mar 2019 at 17:52

singularity said:
if you go for the less expensive one you know you're getting a dodgy job,

Cash in hand for 10k, no way.

As I said, assume equal quality of work in each case. I am asking people to justify (Or otherwise) their ethical position. rather than argue over the details of the quality of the hypothetical finished work.

You are avoiding the question!

Vanquish-Storm · 2 Mar 2019 at 17:57

singularity said:
I wouldn't feel comfortable paying someone who I thought wasn't above board. Especially for a large sum like 4k.
I can see how it would be tempting though.

But you wouldn't let them do the work in that case. You would not just decide after they have done the work you wasn't going it pay them right?

singularity · 2 Mar 2019 at 18:03

Orionaut said:
As I said, assume equal quality of work in each case. I am asking people to justify (Or otherwise) their ethical position. rather than argue over the details of the quality of the hypothetical finished work.

You are avoiding the question!

still wouldn't, its criminal activity.

singularity · 2 Mar 2019 at 18:04

Vanquish-Storm said:
But you wouldn't let them do the work in that case. You would not just decide after they have done the work you wasn't going it pay them right?

of course, assuming they would actually end up doing any work.

Vanquish-Storm · 2 Mar 2019 at 19:12

singularity said:
of course, assuming they would actually end up doing any work.

So assuming the OPs builder has completed the work should he pay up?

Malevolence · 2 Mar 2019 at 19:12

SpeedFreak said:
If somebody is potentially avoiding tax I think we're entitled to report the facts of the transaction. HMRC can then make up their own mind.

Tax avoidance is not illegal, you'd have to be a massive **** to grass somebody up for doing nothing illegal.

singularity · 2 Mar 2019 at 19:35

Vanquish-Storm said:
So assuming the OPs builder has completed the work should he pay up?

I don't know it's difficult,

I think with that amount of money I would expect bank transfer or something.

We just paid a handyman £160 and he had swipe machine and it went on the credit card, there really is no excuse apart from tax evasion.

singularity · 2 Mar 2019 at 19:37

Malevolence said:
Tax avoidance is not illegal, you'd have to be a massive **** to grass somebody up for doing nothing illegal.

Err not paying tax due is illegal. Not sure what might happen, though.

Martini1991 · 2 Mar 2019 at 19:39

singularity said:
Err not paying tax due is illegal. Not sure what might happen, though.

Tax avoidance and tax evasion are two different things.
One's illegal and one's not.

singularity · 2 Mar 2019 at 19:42

Martini1991 said:
Tax avoidance and tax evasion are two different things.
One's illegal and one's not.

yeah I know but in what way is he avoiding tax, is he getting paid the money as a loan or something.

builder22 · 2 Mar 2019 at 19:54

who knows what he's up to. OP's got bank details and a receipt....

fairly sure I've paid by card, or maybe even transfer for some things and the name that shows in your bank statement doesn't match the company name you expected

Ergates · 2 Mar 2019 at 20:11

Orionaut said:
Except by inference

OK, but you specifically said there was hypocrisy in this thread. Instead it seems you mean "If I assume people are hypocrites then their is hypocrisy in this thread", which isn't quite the same thing, is it?

Orionaut said:
I am wanting to see if anybody would be prepared to put hand on heart and say whether or not they would, if given the choice between two quotes for the same job (Assume equal finished quality for sake of argument) chose the £15,000 "Fully Accounted" quote over the £10,000 "Cash in hand" one because they are morally offended at the thought of the less expensive tradesman evading tax?

I have, in the past, refused to pay cash for a discount. I would never accept a quote from a build who *up front* declared discount for cash in hand.

SpeedFreak · 2 Mar 2019 at 21:17

Malevolence said:
Tax avoidance is not illegal, you'd have to be a massive **** to grass somebody up for doing nothing illegal.

Agree that I made a technical error in terminology and was in fact referring to tax evasion. In the context of the conversation in this thread I think you knew the point I was making and are creating friction where it wasn't needed....

Vanquish-Storm · 2 Mar 2019 at 21:20

singularity said:
I don't know it's difficult,

I think with that amount of money I would expect bank transfer or something.

We just paid a handyman £160 and he had swipe machine and it went on the credit card, there really is no excuse apart from tax evasion.

I hear what you mean, those sumup and other branded card machines would be perfect.

Last tradesman we came to use told us the day before, being a Sunday, that he would take a cash deposit then cash payments weekly over the course of the project. Just told him it's Sunday the banks closed and we can only draw out X amount from a cash point so give me your bank details. His wife ended up sorting it out via bank transfer.

Maybe as part of all these trade courses and apprenticeships they should teach book keeping too.

It comes down to they tradesman should tell you upfront before work how he wants payment then you can say yay or nay

Brutal biff · 3 Mar 2019 at 01:35

Not everyone who deals with large amounts of cash are tax scammers my dad put down 5k in cash as a down payment on a new van 4k of that was the upfront vat payment for the family business