Paying for jobs done.

We pay our window cleaner in cash, it’s up to him not us to declare it. Others we pay using bank transfer. For large jobs it’s proof of payment plus a kind of guarantee.

I meant to add that if there was any attempt at dodgy dealings it was usually the customer! “Do I get a discount for cash?” He always told them that there wasn’t because they would get an invoice and that was the price. You never know whether the customer is HMRC or VATman. It really is not worth the risk.

When my husband was still working most of his customers chose to pay cash. His invoices clearly stated other payment methods like BACS, cheques etc but they asked to pay cash.

I used to bank the cash once a week and it was all recorded.
I believe most small businesses around here are the same. Hardworking, honest people.

Petra Just for the record I will be 83 in a few weeks I am not annoyed about paying cash and that is what I will be doing. I was just wondering what other people thought. As has already been said I don't know how this payment will be accounted for, not for me to say.

I haven't been asked for cash in a very long time. Milkman and
window cleaner have on line accounts I pay on my mobile phone. Everyone else the laundry and the butcher take cards even the market stalls have a card machine now. In a restaurant if DH pays he adds the tip when he pays the bill by card. Sometimes I leave cash in smaller cafes and the hairdresser. The beauty parlour (is it still called that its not grand enough to be called a spa) invite you to tip after via your on line bill - having taken 50% first on booking?

Don’t mind

Oh dear, how naive I am. It has never occurred to me that my cash paid tradesmen might be cheating the system. Now that it has been pointed out I’ll continue to trust them …

I don’t paying in cash, provided I get a receipt.

Small amounts we are happy to pay by cash. Larger amounts by bank transfer. It is not up to me to police trades people.

As for writing a cheques - I have no idea where the cheque book is.

Romilo
Cash is still legal in the uk.
Perhaps you’re too young to remember but there was a time when we didn’t pay with a piece of plastic.
It obviously annoys you that some trades people are a little inventive with tax payments.
I hope you view the huge corporations world wide who are able to pay accountants an obscene amount of money to reduce their tax bill.

Like most of you, I find most workmen prefer BACs these days. My window cleaner and cleaner ask for cash and I regard it as absolutely their choice. I think it’s amazingly patronising to assume it’s anything to do with the ‘black economy’. But again, as many of you said, I wouldn’t pay a large sum ( over £100?) in cash as I don’t have that much around and would want the paper trail evidence of payment ( although my cleaner gives me a receipt). As others have said, I ‘m not policing the tax system. I also have a problem with the real unfairness of our tax system and the incredibly wealthy who are able to indulge in quite legal tax avoidance schemes. Finally, some small businesses can be really struggling with unpaid invoices and paying bank fees on deposits and withdrawals and need the actual cash to make things easier and cheaper for themselves. I am really lucky with all my work people and do not make assumptions. All that matters is a job well done and promptly paid for.

It happened to me only the other day day. My window cleaner had retired so l had to find another. He turned up and the first thing he commented on was the "hedgehog " stuff in the guttering and was l aware it wasn't advisable and he would remove it. Followed by 2 quotes one for cash the other " through the books " l had then asked him how are we to pay for the NHS, education etc if we cheat and steal from the public purse by not paying tax. All he could say was that my neighbours were happy paying cash. Well they may be and are answerable to their conscience. what he will never know is that l will give them a little extra as a thank you for a job well done.
l have only seen him at one house and when l was telling my neighbour because l was so irritated she said she had sent him away for a poor job done and had heard that he had had a triple heart by pass. If so l am sorry for his ill health but typical that he has needed the collective "pot " more than most.

No problem paying cash, our last big job, kitchen renovation, was part cash, part BACS, we had an itemised receipt for the whole job.
Plumber a couple of weeks ago was £50 cash.

I don't carry that much cash!
All my workmen have card readers these days but anyway they send their bill online, vat added.
I can't remember the last time I was asked for cash.

After having a quote I ask how much for cash. They tell me and I pay them when they've done the job. Only if they work for themselves though. not a company employee.
Only do this this for smallish jobs though.

Viceversa and fancythat my philosophy entirely I sometimes use card sometimes cash I don’t think it necessarily has cheat stamped on it. I just see it as a preference

Cash is still legal tender, happy to pay cash or transfer.

ViceVersa

I have no problem whatsoever with paying in cash if that's what they request - but it's very rare for someone to ask that these days. The way I look at it, it's not my job to determine whether someone is paying their taxes or not - once I've paid someone (whether that's in cash, bank transfer or whatever), that's up to them. I've paid my taxes religiously throughout my working life - and still do. Chasing someone up for tax is the job of HMRC, not mine.

Totally agree.

Never had a problem either which way.

Not my job to police.
And it is totally legal to pay in cash anyway.

I dont go looking for problems.

Oh good, Smileless. I was puzzled there for a minute.
They are definitely still legal here aren't they.

Used to pay the window cleaner in cash. Now he’d rather we use BACS. Any larger amounts I’d rather have some proof that I’ve paid.

We still write cheques occasionally too henetha.

We pay by BACS and give a cash tip too.

No it doesn't Bluebell but OP did specifically mention the black economy.

I still write cheques occasionally.
But I do pay my window cleaner/grass mower man in cash.
Small amounts are ok I think. A larger amount I would use a bank transfer.

Just because someone is paid in cash doesn’t mean they are cheating the system does it? They could still be declaring and paying taxes
I always pay my gas annual check up by cash but I m sure he’s bonefide just doesn’t use a machine.