Who do you pay in cash?

From painter/decorators and builders to cleaners and tree surgeons, we always pay our tradesmen in cash and always have done. They never ask for it (or they would receive a cheque) and we never ask for a discount. Nothing immoral in that surely. Money is money.

In 48 years as a freelancer, my husband never asked for cash and almost never received it and also employed an honest accountant. Meanwhile, colleagues received a high percentage of payments in cash and also seemed to go on an endless stream of exotic holidays. Draw your own conclusions.

With you gracesmum ...such hypocrisy makes me see

How dare any politician (think expenses scandal, setting own salaries, affairs with "researchers", brawling in HoC bar etc) have the effrontery to tell the rest of us what is immoral. [huff] emoticon and

That's a good point, number. We tend to forget that not everyone has their own bank account. How does Mr Gauke think they're going to pay the window-cleaner?

Shops, window cleaner, Betterwear man, more or less everybody, unless hubby`s paying, as I don`t have a cheque account.

It is neither immoral nor, more importantly against the law. So shuddup Mr Gauke.

When I was a tax inspector I was well aware of cash payments not being declared, but sometimes the tradesperson was a bit stupid! One taxi driver claimed for all his diesel but ridiculously under-estimated the amount he took in fares. When I pointed out that he appeared to be getting only 4 miles to the gallon he came clean!

Here in France all home occupiers, whether owners or tenants are obliged in law to take out Third Party Liability Insurance - a very good idea.

It is common here to be offered a split invoice for building work - one carries VAT and the other doesn't. However, if it is a second home that will be liable to CGT on the sale, you can't claim for any expenses that have not been properly invoiced, so sometimes people shoot themselves in the foot.

Surely it is the people you pay who are being immoral if they don't declare the money to the tax man. I'm not the tax police.

Oh, actually I think I may have got that wrong! It does seem on second reading of andyb's first post that he's some sort of tradesman, in which case I see what you mean, gillybob!

Probably the same as me!

Oh I see, sorry Anagram Typical of me jumping to conclusions !

In that case puzzled about what andyb meant.

No, I meant that I would decide whether to pay by cash or cheque. That's all.

So assuming that is what he meant anagram are you saying that it is fine for all businesses who work direct with the public (I am talking builders, hairdressers, plumbers, electricians, painters, etc) to offer 2 kinds of pricing ?

1) it will go through the books and be declared against tax and you will have a receipt and a guarantee.

or

2) I tell you what lets call it £500 for cash no receipt no questions.

I took it that andyb would make his/her own decision as to whether to pay someone cash or not, and if so, I agree!

andyb I agree the banks are vile and they desperately need sorting out although I don't know where you would even begin...........

The politicians are the same as, same as, same as. Don't do as I do, do as I say attitude.

Not sure what you mean by "I will do as I see fit"?

I'm with you, andy...the greedy bankers/politicians make my blood boil.

Don't apologise andyb those greedy banks make us all angry!

Oooo--I feel so angry --sorry!

never mind about paying cash for services with folk like us--sort the greedy banks etc out first-they are partly responsible for the mess we're in, also the polititicans and people who took on hefty loans. I shall do as I think fit!!

I think his message has been very much misinterpreted or maybe its just me? I dont think he meant "stop paying for anything in cash" that would be plain silly.

I think he meant..... be wary of certain groups (builders,plumbers etc) asking for cash in return for a discount which is quite a different matter.

What about the spirit of enterprise, is this going to be squashed? My 5-year old grandson has just started a fledgling car washing business (relatives only) ... Cash only.

I think its all gone to pot. We have multi millionaires avoiding tax by using every loophole that they pay their accountants to find for them. We have celebrities stashing their money in tax havens. The bankers bonuses continue to be obscene. If the young lad who walked the streets looking for work does not pay VAT out of the £15 I give him once a month to clean my windows I will not lose any sleep over it.
Come on Mr Gauke get a grip.

This seems to have been a very silly remark made by a very silly man. I may be my brother's keepeer but I don't do his tax returns nor am I responsible for them. Cheques are supposed to be disappearing so what are we meant to do then?

Cash in hand.

How typical of an MP to look for a sound bite, declaring payment in cash immoral, when he has failed to think about the wider picture.

My bank wrote to me this month advising 'We've noticed you're using cheques to make some payments. Did you know that you can make payment easily by phone or on line? If you's like to find out more about Telephone Banking or On line Banking please call us on... We'll be happy to help."

So rather than handing my window cleaner cash, am I to ask him for the details of his bank account? then spend my time going to the internet or phoning up to pay him. He then spends time checking I have paid him!! Remember the window cleaner like most tradesman does not earn enough to pay VAT so Mr Gaurke is suggesting that some how people who offer services are immoral and do not declare their income and that it is up to us to try to make our payments more traceable.

Furthermore if I go to my travel agent and pay on a credit card for the flight there is a surcharge due to the cost he incurs so I would have to pay more to use the card. Naturally I pay by debit card. Likewise I believe that the tradesman is charged for processing cheques through the bank I pay him cash so that he does not incur this charge.

our MP's need to get real about day to day living for honest people who do not earn millions but pay their bills with probity.

The problem as I see it nanaej is that if every plumber,hairdresser,builder,gardener,cleaner (crikey the list is endless) does it (and I suspect they do) then there is a BIG problem.

I remember many years ago (when we used to have holidays) my husband and I were chatting to the owner of a restaurant in Cyprus, we chatted about what we did for a living etc and the tax system in both countries. I mentioned that I thought the tax system for small businesses in the UK was unfair and prevented growth. He said that in Greece and Cyprus anyone who pays tax is a fool and everyone who deals in cash has an "agreement" with the tax man.

What's the difference?