Really fed up from traders asking for cash

[yartin]

Hi

I had builders, decorators, carpet fitters...ect around for the last 3 weeks. I got really fed up from them asking to be paid cash.
1. Carpet fitter, paid deposit balance £600.00, he asked if I can pay cash. Answer was no.
2. Plumber £120.00, he wants cash, gave me invoice paid him cash.
3. New boiler over £1000.00, asked if I can pay cash, told him where to go.
4. Rubbish removal, £40.00, paid him cash.
5. Builder, over £2000.00 and he wants cash, paid him online in instalments.

The worst part is that I always tell them from start, I don't pay cash, either c/c or online.

I don't carry cash, I don't get paid cash, I never ask to be paid cash. 2 tenants in the past asked to pay cash and I refused.

Why don't traders give up asking for cash?

 

[Diver Fred]

For your own protection I'd only ever pay for Rubbish Removal by card or cheque, never, never by cash. If they insist on cash I'd suspect they will be fly tipping.

As for the rest - business bank accounts cost money and it is getting dearer.

 

[yartin]

For your own protection I'd only ever pay for Rubbish Removal by card or cheque, never, never by cash. If they insist on cash I'd suspect they will be fly tipping.

As for the rest - business bank accounts cost money and it is getting dearer.

The removal company is registered and he came with removal vehicle with markings and not a white van.

Sorry but bank costs is not a valid excuse. It's a small part of the overhead just like other costs of running a business from petrol prices are up, rent, insurance, van/car expenses, accountant charges, tools ...etc. I think even credit card charges are up, Marks & Spencer and others don't ask cash from customers

 

[Deleted member 174758]

If you are in trade a sole trader or small business account with a debit card can be had for about £60 per annum (e.g. CashPlus) and you can take electronic transfers on that. Ideally m, as a trader, you do want to have some separation between your business and personal lives, if only to make book keeping easier, and it isn't that expensive

A secure card reader with a smart phone app will cost you maybe £20/month and 2.5 to 3% transaction charge. To my mind that is part of the cost of doing business - even little local shops and cafes use them now. It gets you a guaranteed payment fast, and protects the client, too.

I used to reckon that up to about £100 (the old limit for cash points, in the days of cheques) I'd prefer cash over a cheque, but above that I'd take a cheque. These days it makes more sense to have a card reader as it gives the client the option of using a debit card or a credit card for payment and gets the tradesman paid faster.

Of course, if you want to avoid paying HMRC cash payment is one way... (not condoning this, BTW)

 

[phatboy]

For a job where I will never need to call the trader back for faults or tweaks, I always offer cash for a small discount.

Their tax affairs aren't my business, but if I can save a few quid I will.

For a boiler no chance, you need to need to be sure of the quality of the job, carpet fitter.... well if it's fitted well you can tell, in that case discount for cash I'm happy to do.

Maybe it's wrong, but........ well

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Your choice, but from a customer perspective it's more sensible to use the protection afforded by credit and debit cards

 

[yartin]

The worst part is they all now I am a landlord, how do I claim expenses if I pay cash without invoice? Or they don't think or care?!
Who carries cash these days anyway! Even pay by card at poundlands and coffee shops.

 

[flameport]

A secure card reader with a smart phone app will cost you maybe £20/month and 2.5 to 3% transaction charge

That is overpriced in the extreme.
More realistic is £20 or £30 as a one off payment for the device, and 1.7% transaction charge. No monthly fees.

 

[flameport]

Why don't traders give up asking for cash?

No idea, I don't want cash and won't take it unless the customer insists.
Cash is inconvenient, can be lost/stolen, costs a substantial amount to pay into a bank account, and that's assuming you can find the time and place to even get to a bank that's open these days.

 

[foxhole]

A lot of companies have taken to asking for cash due to the Covid grants they don’t want anything through the books.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Which indicates potentialy dishonest intent, surely?

 

[conny]

We have 2 chip shops in the local town that insist on cash only. Never seem to be busy, no matter what time of day/evening we have driven past, but both have been there for a number of years now.
To me, (and probably others), it is a front to launder money from some illegal activity but how can it be proven?

 

[Keithmac]

Rubbish removal you'd want a receipt with their waste carriers licence number on it..

 

[HERTS P&D]

We have 2 chip shops in the local town that insist on cash only.

More importantly, what are the chips like?

Andy

 

[conny]

More importantly, what are the chips like?

Andy

No idea as the shops look so grotty I doubt they even fry any. I certainly won't venture in there. If the shops are not clean heaven knows what the is like.