Just had a bill for something from a building tradesman.

His email said "white envelope or brown?"

I'm not familiar with this term, but guess he's offering a VAT deal for cash?

Googled it but it just comes up with American etiquette sites about sending cards

 

Brown envelope is cash in hand mate.

 

White = VAT

Brown = Cash!

 

Does he know that youre a Busy?

Id reply that youd like whichever envelope colour contains the lowest invoice amount and youll be happy with that. That is neutral enough not to commit either of you, whilst not getting you a 15% premium for getting your colours confused...

 

Doubt it.

But as I don't work for the Inland Revenue, and still don't understand the envelope thing I'll pay him what he wants.

 

Id be surprised if youd make an issue of it, but there are too many who would, unfortunately.

 

Maybe.

I don't mix on those circles

 

2 years ago i heard of a guy in London who ran many 24 hour emergency call out companies. During the 80 and 90's he was not VAT registered but charged it. he now lives just outside Phuket and must have made a fortune from the 17.5% extra he kept!!

But , if you pay cash then expect no certificates etc if required and major poo when the job goes wrong.

I
Friend had his restaurant refurbished. Now he is a Turk and should know better than to get involded with Greeks and Turks with anything to do with building or mechanics.

many many problems. And about £80k. they owe the builder £5k. less than a month and major issues with electrics etc. Builders said as he did not pay final installment they would not give legal documents etc.

Now this is why...... they where not legal anyway and once they have received the interim payment are happy to cause friction etc and bugger off. they dont want the final payment as this would mean having to certify all the works etc. Which would be impossible.

so dont think builders care if you hold back the final payment. They dont !! to them its another bonus if you give it to them.

 

Was a very minor job with no implied guarantee anyway.

Just a patch-up to see it through winter.

 

Damn right, not VAT not comebacks! as the job does not exist. If it was a big job pay the VAT if not don't

 

Ta

 

Maybe that would have included VAT. Maybe he wanted cash due to cash flow problems etc.

 

Have you not now broken one of the new "scoobynet rules" ?

section 4: All members must never post anything that might suggest that they had one over on the Government.

 

I had never heard this before, either. You learn something every day

 

No darling......
when a man asks you "white or brown" ? .Its something else!

 

 

Just think how much extra the government would have extra if every one stopped robbing the country by paying VAT.

Would/Could they reduce other taxes. They could reduce the amount of time chasing and collecting. People could avoid wasting time avoiding paying it.

Our roads, schools, heathcare could all benefit from the the extra cash we demand is put in to them.

I wonder how much tax is lost on the fraudulent activity? Criminal. I'd grass you up.

 

can you please have a word with the robbing ****s and get them to pay ME the 6k they owe me then ?

 

Well hedge fund and private equity firm managers have been getting away with almost no income or corporate tax for years thanks to Brown. We all pay 40% (ish), they pay 5-10%.

Now THAT is costing our economy millions if not billions. Not like some cheeky tradesman paying in cash.

 

But it's not just one trademen is it? We are not paying vat, and they will not pay tax on it as earnings etc.

 

Only the ones that don their Stetson and ride off into the sunset when the job's done.

Would you agree to sell a car for (say) £7,500, then be happy to be paid £7,000 with the rest to follow at some point or possibly never, because you'd not really be expecting it, would you?

 

Which means more consumer spending power for both parties, keeping the nation going

 

The correct analogy is that you advertise a car, which you know to be dodgy, for £7500. Buyer pays £7000 and you give no warranty so he has no comebacks.