MONEY MORAL DILEMMA:Should Chanelle avoid using Ziggy?

Former_MSE_Archna

Here's this week's hypothetical situation for you to cogitate on:

Should Chanelle avoid using Ziggy?

Chanelle decides a few rooms in her house need to be decorated and, as she does not have the time to do it herself, calls a few local tradesmen to find the best quote. The third decorator, Ziggy, provides a price almost 50% less than his competitors. When Chanelle queries this, he comments that by not declaring his earnings to the Inland Revenue he can pass the savings onto his customers. Should she use him or should she report him?

Should Chanelle avoid using Ziggy?

Click reply to have your say

Previous MMDs:

Should Ben go to Bill's wedding?
Should Fernando pay for Lewis' service?

Dorrie

Yes, she should avoid using Ziggy as he is breaking the law! It's quite simple - he is stealing. Why do people think we have to pay such high taxes? Partly it's because of people like Ziggy not paying their full whack.

tifo

Ziggy's tax affairs should be no concern of the customer, how he deals with the IR is up to him.

He asked for a price for work, she paid him and got job done. End.

Why we pay high taxes is a different story ..... and nothing to do with Ziggy.

Alchemist_2

What are the chances that the other (cash in hand) workmen pay tax?! See the yellow pages for a list of local tax evaders! On the plus side Ziggy is being honest with her, on the negative side, if he is not paying tax he's a complete moron for telling a stranger... so if she wants an honest fool go for him, but would she really like an idiot working on her house?

mikegould

I'll be the first to say it, I’d let Ziggy do the decorating, then wait a few weeks and report him to the inland revenue, that way everyone’s a winner well, apart from the two blokes who gave me quotes as well

Wiggly_Worm

Normally I'd say go for the cheapest - Ziggy's relationship (or lack thereof) with the tax office is entirely his own affair.

BUT, anyone this blatent, and proud it seems, about breaking the law surely cannot be trusted?! So no way, I wouldn't touch this shyster with a bargepole.

anntics

Wiggly_Worm wrote: »

Normally I'd say go for the cheapest - Ziggy's relationship (or lack thereof) with the tax office is entirely his own affair.

BUT, anyone this blatent, and proud it seems, about breaking the law surely cannot be trusted?! So no way, I wouldn't touch this shyster with a bargepole.

I don't actually agree with the people who say it's his own affair. It's everyone's - tax avoiders increase the burden for the rest of us. How many threads and posts lament the lack of treatment on the NHS, the woeful inadequacy of benefits for those that genuinely need them and the cutting back of services in many areas. He doesn't pay taxes on the money that he earns, but I bet he still uses the NHS, sends his kids to school, drives his van on the roads, etc, etc, etc.

I would not use him, and I'll be honest and say that I don't think I would go as far as reporting him - but I would make my feelings clear and leave him wondering and looking over his shoulder.

ptdc

I'd have Ziggy do it. Saving for me, and I don't really see it as stealing. Until I see that tax money is spent well, I don't see it as being my problem.

chinny

Are tax evaders like Ziggy any better than benefits cheats? I can't see a difference. Once ( along time ago) I did get a cheaper deal on cavity wall insulation by paying cash - but (amazingly naive, I know) I didn't fully understand why this was.
Now I'm a teacher and if people don't pay their taxes, I don't have a job!
More recently a decorator who'd given us a far-from-cheap quote for doing most of our house phoned the night before to check that we were OK to pay in cash. We didn't have £2000 in cash lying around! When I asked him why he needed cash he just came out with it and said that since he was largely retired now, he had "shut his books" and didn't declare his income. In fairness I think it really was a case of his not being able to cope with the compicated admin of being self employed anymore (he was getting on a bit).
I told him I wasn't happy with the situation and he got quite scared that I was going to shop him. He offered to leave but I couldn't face explaining to my wife that our decorating was getting done because I'd got on my high-horse, so I agreed to pay him on a daily basis and cast a blind eye.

turnbull

It might seem clever to avoid paying tax, but taxes should be paid for all and provide benefit to all. If we all avoided paying tax like this, society would fall apart. My tax bill for last year was £38,000 directly and I paid a total of £26,000 VAT on top of that. I've never had any qualms with paying tax. If you choose to live in the this society, then on the whole, you have to abide by it's various laws that enable it to function.

Dave_Sk

Personally, as the owner of a company which honestly pays every last penny of the VAT and tax it owes, I say GRASS!

https://www.taxevasionhotline.co.uk/forms/selfemp.htm

Tax evaders are a real threat to my business as they can undercut me with ease simply due to the fact that they don't cough up like everyone else.

Not only that but it's also more likely that he doesn't have insurance and with vanish without a trace with her cash.

Tax evasion is bad news. Tax avoidance on the other hand, well that's all good fun and quite satisfying.