Cash in hand/undocumented payments

It's widespread practice, it is up to you really though if you want a receipt or not....you can refuse to pay without an invoice and you can report him for engaging in tax evasion. Both will get you a receipt in the end.

So the ball very much in your court really.

Reminds me of someone getting grinds after school, the teacher only wants cash too. No cash no grinds.

I always look for a receipt off trades people because if there is a leak after a plumbing repair for example, you have some comeback with a receipt.

A lot of self employed people will declare some work and take cash for smaller jobs without declaring

The best thing to do is to be upfront when asking for a price.

Tell them you need a receipt at the start not after they have given the price.

If they say they won't give a receipt then you can decide to get someone else.

It's only 150 quid.

As long as he did a good job and you are happy with the work.

That's all that counts.

I have a similar issue: Agreed with a Landscaper, who is used by the builder building our new house, to do some extra work to our garden. We agreed on 1800 Euros and he didn't mention anything about VAT not part of the total to pay. He completed the work and asked me for payment. When I asked for an invoice to keep for my own records, he sent me a handwritten one with a total of 2043 Euros to pay (1800 + 243 for VAT). I thought that under Irish consumer law, prices quoted to consumers must always include VAT, unless explicitly stated that VAT was not included, at the time of the quote which wasn't the case here. I told him that and still waiting for his response, but wanted to ask what are my options if insists on getting 2043 Euros instead of 1800. I have screenshots of the conversation where we agreed on 1800 Euros.

Thanks

Well in my case if he would have told me this would cost 2k+ i wouldn't have accepted. Now he already completed the job and changed the price to add VAT after I requested an invoice. Surely he can't just do that as we agreed on 1.8k and there was no mention of VAT not included?

Tradesmen don't need to save themselves a few quid. The client pays.

They can price accordingly, in this scenario I imagine the job was so small they didn't want the hassle or maybe they needed cash that particular day.

Again it'd 150 euro, the value to get the job sorted for tenants far out weigh the small cost.

But thats only the VAT the client pays, how about other tax he has to pay?

Hate when people nowadays think that anything around 100 is small money with no idea what was done! Are ppl earning that much that they can wipe their a$$ with a 100 euro note?

These small jobs that tradesmen do for cash in hand, adds up to alot of lost revenue for the charity we all know as our government (Not just VAT)! I have no problem with cash in hand jobs, but it really depends on the type of work carried out, anything where a guarantee is needed I would not go cash in hand!

It’s small money overall OP- you can make it a point of principle if you wish but if the work was good and you’d use him again then put it down to experience- I’m surprised though that this conversation didn’t take place before price was agreed .

I’ve spent a lot more on cash only work as I’m sure most people have.

Ideally a tradesperson should be recommended to you or known by you.

This person has a registered business and has been active for years.

The workmanship doesn't suddenly become untrustworthy because of method of charging.

That is complete nonsense.

What you might be referring to is someone who does it on the side, for cash jobs. i.e. not a tradesperson.

Depending on the job, they shouldn't really be carrying out any work at all.

Im in the wrong job if money is so easy to get :) No wonder really small jobs cost so much, they pay themselves a hefty hourly rate :)

They can pay themselves whatever they want, it's up to you to accept it or not. But remember this is a mobile service, they call to you. They have incurred expenses before even reaching your door.

How much do you pay a taxi driver to go 20 minutes up the road?

Yes I would prefer to pay 290 than 150 (as I already said) if it was something that needed guarantee e.g. plumbing.. Otherwise you are leaving yourself open to what could be a right pain!!

Just because you paid cash doesn't mean the work doesn't come with a guarantee.

No receipt, no guarantee… good luck with that, they must see you coming :)

That isn't true.

Proper Tradespeople rely on their good name, the vast majority do not advertise with the bulk of their work coming from word of mouth.

You seem to have a very negative view of tradespeople.

I don't engage with 'cash only' prices, or cash without a receipt.

Yes, I know that I pay more, but from experience it's never as much as the cash price + tax. Generally tradespeople like the cash transaction as they get more from it too - otherwise it's not worth the hassle. Lots of tradespeople see it as a win-win (you pay less, they get more).

My own view is - I don't get a choice as to what money the taxman does and doesn't get to take from me, so neither should they.

You seem to be quite naïve, if you have no paper saying the work was done, then good luck getting much comeback. 

Not at all, like I said I wouldn't employ someone who I didn't know personally or who didn't come recommended.

Getting a docket or a receipt doesn't magically mean it gets declared.