What is the extent of tax evasion these days?

[XMarks]

That is somewhat odd. When you say you refurbished, presumably you bought fixtures and fittings? Did you not get a receipt for any of these items?
How much of the €15,000 relates to labour?

Off the top of my head this is what I paid in cash:
3.5k wooden floor supply (the supplier came to the house with samples)
1k wooden floor fitted
800 electrician
2k supply and fit of carpets (again came out to the house with samples so no retail premises)
200 plumber
1k plasterer
2k painter
500 waste removal
400 gardeners
1k kitchen fitter

 

[TheBigShort]

3.5k wooden floor supply (the supplier came to the house with samples)

So you bought it out of the back of a van?

800 electrician

Did you use a Registered Electrical Contractor? If yes, you should still be able to get a receipt.
If not, your house insurance is in jeopardy if an electrical fault causes damage.

2k supply and fit of carpets (again came out to the house with samples so no retail premises)

More back of the van stuff? I wouldn't be too concerned about tax compliance, more so am I in receipt of stolen goods!

500 waste removal

Did you hire a skip?

1k kitchen fitter

Again, I have to say, if I was handing out that amount of cash I would be insisting on a receipt before any agreed works took place.

 

[Cervelo]

Earlier this year we decided it was time to get our house painted and thought it would be great to get it done while we were away in America in late April
The wife in Febuary got five verble quotes from different painters, two Irish and three foreigners, all recommended by friends and family
Three things that amazed me at the time were,
1. None of them has given us a written quote even when asked.
2. Four of the verble quotes were quickly followed by "I can knock the Vat off for cash".
3. None of the could start the work before June.

Needless to say the house wasn't painted, we will try again next year.

 

[TheBigShort]

The wife in Febuary got five verble quotes from different painters, two Irish and three foreigners, all recommended by friends and family

The fourth thing that should have amazed you was that it appears your friends and family are colluding in these types of business practices.

 

[noproblem]

I recently refurbished a house. The total cost was in the region of €15k. Every single tradesman wanted to be paid in cash upon completion. Not one gave me receipt. It really made me think. What percentage of the common trades are paying over the tax threshold? I would be very interested to know.

As another poster said, what did this include? If for example there was any electrical or gas work involved you would have to have got receipts, otherwise anything going wrong would mean your insurance wouldn't cover it. Who purchased materials, if yourself, then you must have been given receipts, for €15k there wouldn't have been much of a job in any case.

 

[noproblem]

As another poster said, what did this include? If for example there was any electrical or gas work involved you would have to have got receipts, otherwise anything going wrong would mean your insurance wouldn't cover it. Who purchased materials, if yourself, then you must have been given receipts, for €15k there wouldn't have been much of a job in any case.

Oops, just spotted "the big short" has addressed the points I raised and other very good points also. I guess there will always be tax evasion, especially if others are compliant with those doing the work, each equally guilty though.

One imagines that if people have more money in their pockets, the goverment gets more from people spending. However, if evasion is so rife, how does that spent money get back to the goverment coffers?

 

[Cervelo]

The fourth thing that should have amazed you was that it appears your friends and family are colluding in these types of business practices.

Well I'm not sure about that as the recommendations were about the standard of work not the cost but I do agree that for these practices to succeed their has to be two willing parties

 

[TheBigShort]

Well I'm not sure about that as the recommendations were about the standard of work not the cost but I do agree that for these practices to succeed their has to be two willing parties

I hope you don't think I was being personal.
But it's hard to imagine that the 'VAT' offer was exclusive to you.

 

[Purple]

I recently went to a medical consultant with one of my kids. He said it was cash only. I get a hand written receipt. I had to ask him to date it. It was a private consultation in a public hospital.

 

[cremeegg]

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