Paying Tradesmen

[juke]

In common law, on "grounds of public policy" contracts to defraud the revenue are illegal contracts.

So - looking at this again:
Op pays "cash" for a service (blocklaying) - Op knows/suspects that blocklayer won't pay income tax/vat. Op's not happy with the quality of the blocklaying - can Op sue - yes.

Op takes the risk that the blocklayer will claim in his/her defence that the contract is illegal as both parties were in effect defrauding the revenue and he would lose.

But the blocklayer takes a far bigger risk using that defence, I think, though - as he would in effect be admitting in court to defrauding the revenue and face a revenue audit/penalties. So he may have no other defence, and the op would win.....

 

[z103]

I have no problem paying someone cash to do a job if I get it cheaper. I couldn't care less what they do about tax.

 

[Caveat]

I have no problem paying someone cash to do a job if I get it cheaper. I couldn't care less what they do about tax.

Me neither. I suspect that many or possibly most people take this view.

As regards comeback, I only get people I either personally know or who have been recommended and can be vouched for extensively etc.