Would you shop someone working at weekends and not declaring tax?

[splinterdream]

You all seem to be having a conversation about what this guy may or may not be doing when it comes to paying tax. So he has a full time job and is working for himself evenings and weekends, there's nothing wrong with that. I myself am in that position and can tell you I am GSR, have 2 million PLI and pay the tax on my additional earnings. I work all the hours because I haven't had a pay increase in 5 years and have no contract of employment. I don't do it behind anyone's back because there's not a lot they can do about it. I suppose I could always undercut if I wanted too because I don't have to worry about where the next dollar is coming from because I always have my wages. I guess the aim is to go full time self employed eventually but with the economy the way it is, I'll have to wait and see. As for robbing self employed engineers of trade, we live in a free economy and all I care about is my family and I'm sorry if that affects anyone else

 

[tamz]

The op was not about employed guys doing legit work in their own time. It was about the other 80% of employed guys doing homers, foreigners call them what you like. Most have done it at some point. Whatever view you take on it is up to you. It will never be stopped.
It doesn't bother me. What bothers me more is legit guys doing jobs for stupid money. Went into price a job last night. Boikler swap, Profile fitted in cupboard at back door being swapped for a combi. Hot cold and condensate 3m away, gas upgrade back to meter approx 6m, programmable stat, tanks out and swapped to mains.
Asked him if he had any preference on boilers and he said another guy was out the day before and he suggested a Neta tec, in fact here is his quote.........£730 plus vat ..........£836!!! From a legit firm.
"Why the fk are you wasting my time when you have someone to do it for the price of a scrap cylinder?"
That is the lowest price i have ever come across. Is this guy so desperate to pay the bills he will work for that!
Now that bothers me a lot more than some guy making a few quid on the side.

 

[moony]

The op was not about employed guys doing legit work in their own time. It was about the other 80% of employed guys doing homers, foreigners call them what you like. Most have done it at some point. Whatever view you take on it is up to you. It will never be stopped.
It doesn't bother me. What bothers me more is legit guys doing jobs for stupid money. Went into price a job last night. Boikler swap, Profile fitted in cupboard at back door being swapped for a combi. Hot cold and condensate 3m away, gas upgrade back to meter approx 6m, programmable stat, tanks out and swapped to mains.
Asked him if he had any preference on boilers and he said another guy was out the day before and he suggested a Neta tec, in fact here is his quote.........£730 plus vat ..........£836!!! From a legit firm.
"Why the fk are you wasting my time when you have someone to do it for the price of a scrap cylinder?"
That is the lowest price i have ever come across. Is this guy so desperate to pay the bills he will work for that!
Now that bothers me a lot more than some guy making a few quid on the side.

How the hell is he doing it for that? I've come across the 300 quid combi swaps but never that cheap? The bits must cost that surely?

 

[tamz]

Priced up the stuff today. Boiler flue and cheap shyt salus rf stat. £620 whatever + vat. Probably about 60 for materials leaves him £50 (less tax) plus scrap.
Obviously no cleaner or inhibitor at that price. He must be turning over the work to be vat registered!
And the dk head customer was looking for another price thinking he may get it cheaper! I wouldn't take a dog for a walk for £50!
These idiots are the real threat. They are the ones who are killing our trade not some boy out fitting a bathroom suite for £200 cash or whatever they are doing.

 

[kay-jay]

Priced up the stuff today. Boiler flue and cheap shyt salus rf stat. £620 whatever + vat. Probably about 60 for materials leaves him £50 (less tax) plus scrap.
Obviously no cleaner or inhibitor at that price. He must be turning over the work to be vat registered!
And the dk head customer was looking for another price thinking he may get it cheaper! I wouldn't take a dog for a walk for £50!
These idiots are the real threat. They are the ones who are killing our trade not some boy out fitting a bathroom suite for £200 cash or whatever they are doing.

Well said that man!

 

[CES]

What area was that Tamz?. Ive had a few quotes knocked back due to stupid prices lately. Guys out there doing LGSI for £30, Boiler installs for £1000 etc

Desparation makes people do stupid things I guess, but some customers are worse, continually trying to get stuff done on the cheap..

 

[tamz]

What area was that Tamz?.

Bathgate, Boghall. They came from Fife somewhere so you can knock another £15 diesel money off his profits.

 

[CES]

That's right on my doorstep too, probably the same firm undercutting all over...

 

[secret squirrel]

Most politicians, high rollers, and bankers will steal more from the Inland Revenue than that plumber will ever, and they're doing it 'legally'.

Leave him be. Its none of your business. I know that sounds harsh but it isn't. We don't all have as high morals as Mike. Infact the minority seem to share the same view as me. Which is rare!!

You are 100% correct about the banks etc. About a year ago my partners bank was being audited by the HMRC and they needed to look at a specific deal. They contacted the powers that be in the bank (my partner) asking for the information.

The reply 'we have a legal obligation to supply you with all the information that is requested, we have complied with all our obligations, its for you to sort this information out not our job to assist you, if you have any further enquires I suggest you direct them to our legal department'

I bet we'd get away with that!

A good friend of mine set himself up as a company (how I don't know) by using a top accountant, cost him £50k! but saved himself a considerale amount more, obviously, otherwise he wouldn't have done it.

HOW much did you earn on that scrap?

 

[secret squirrel]

The important thing for me is that I can sleep at night. I've been badly let down many times because I think that others will behave the same as me so I'm now wary of who I trust.

I have the exact same problem, I have lost count of the amount of times my partner and father in law has said to me:

'trouble is people don't think like you, what makes your life difficult is you don't understand why they don't'

They're 100% correct.

 

[cr0ft]

He said he didn't, but in a fleeting way. We had quite a detailed conversation.

 

[mcniven]

Priced up the stuff today. Boiler flue and cheap shyt salus rf stat. £620 whatever + vat. Probably about 60 for materials leaves him £50 (less tax) plus scrap.
Obviously no cleaner or inhibitor at that price. He must be turning over the work to be vat registered!
And the dk head customer was looking for another price thinking he may get it cheaper! I wouldn't take a dog for a walk for £50!
These idiots are the real threat. They are the ones who are killing our trade not some boy out fitting a bathroom suite for £200 cash or whatever they are doing.

Could not agree anymore mate! What about this guys diesel to job that must be at least a score???

I think he's made an bum of his quote.

 

[tamz]

Could not agree anymore mate! What about this guys diesel to job that must be at least a score???

I think he's made an bum of his quote.

They came from Fife so at least a tenner diesel. The job was a fair shift (i've seen enough of this shyte to know how long it will take).
There is no way he made an rse of his price. Nobody could be that much out. This must be his pricing or he is seriously desperate atm and trying to grab a feed.
Personally i think he is a fkn idiot who is not only undercutting and killing the troops, he will find out shortly he has killed his own company.
It is not sustainable.
Such are the times we live in. Thank fk i can do some stuff that is still well paid and don't depend on pricing heating against these nts.

 

[Guest123]

Sadly bathrooms are going the same way. High quality installations used to mean well paid work but nowadays there are lots of people buying suites from B&Q and getting some muppet to install it on the side for peanuts.

There are now fast track tiling courses incorporating bathroom suite/plumbing installation. About the only thing left that Joe Public can't legally touch is gas, but gas use will gradually diminish over the next 20 years or so (ok, I'll be deed!) as green technologies become more advanced.

I'd like to see a plumbers version of the BNI where local plumbers meet up, promote the industry in their area and help each other out with work. Now wouldn't that be something, plumbers actually helping each other instead of peeing on each other and undercutting prices?

 

[TerryWaite]

if it was me i would say leave em to it . unless you can be sure he's taking work from as a result of undercutting. then it's affecting you personally then it's your choice. but like everyone says above you will everyone has done at some point in there life.

i drive by a corner shop most days near where i get my boilers and spares and there is always a group of eastern eurpeans waiting to be picked up for work everyday. was told the going rate about £25-40 day depending on the trade, now i am tenpted to report that. but would anything get done about it.

Very true nothing would get done about it, I heard of a local firm employing all kinds of dross doing general building work, the top earners were on 40 a day, had a few druggies working for them what they must have done to peoples houses god only knows, most of em obviously signing on too, the lower earners were on as low as.... Wait for it..... a 10 spot a day!! (8 hours)

 

[Kyle87]

I just want to applaud mike Jackson for being so vigilant and straight when it comes to doing things the right way. This is how I aspire to be.

We all moan about foreigners coming into this country and doing work and not paying taxes etc. so why is it ok to do it ourselves.

I agree with it being very wrong that this guy is undercutting others and not paying taxes. But unfortunately ratting him out could bite you in the bum!!

 

[Barry98]

Hopefully after 6 month he's either been caught or gone legit