Fraudulent representation?

Ergates

Okell said:

Ergates said:

Murphybear said:

We got a quote from a tradesman for paving our sloped drive and building a stepped wall.  The quote was a bit high but nothing we couldn’t afford we couldn’t find anyone else to do it so we agreed.  He said he didn’t want any money until the job was done and we were happy with it.  When we came to pay he said the amount we agreed to didn’t include VAT but he would do it for that amount if we paid cash.  Bit dodgy we thought but we paid cash as it was expensive so the extra for VAT was a lot.  

Although we weren’t happy with his business ethics the drive and wall were stunning  .  He had done an amazing job.  When we came to sell the bungalow a couple of years later the first viewers bought it, they loved the drive and pretty little wall 

You realise you just openly admitted to breaking the law there....?

I'll admit I'm not 100% certain, but I'm not sure that the customer is necessarily committing an offence if they pay cash and don't get charged VAT?

I think any offence is solely the trader's responsibility.  I'm not convinced that there is a legal responsibility on the part of the consumer to pay VAT.

Happy to be corrected...

If it just happens without you knowing, then no.   But if the trader tells you that's what's about to happen and you go along with it, then you're involved.

born_again

Have you contacted who you perceive is true business (owner) to find out exactly is going on here?
Maybe something best in person.

Jumblebumble

Ergates said:

Okell said:

Ergates said:

Murphybear said:

We got a quote from a tradesman for paving our sloped drive and building a stepped wall.  The quote was a bit high but nothing we couldn’t afford we couldn’t find anyone else to do it so we agreed.  He said he didn’t want any money until the job was done and we were happy with it.  When we came to pay he said the amount we agreed to didn’t include VAT but he would do it for that amount if we paid cash.  Bit dodgy we thought but we paid cash as it was expensive so the extra for VAT was a lot.  

Although we weren’t happy with his business ethics the drive and wall were stunning  .  He had done an amazing job.  When we came to sell the bungalow a couple of years later the first viewers bought it, they loved the drive and pretty little wall 

You realise you just openly admitted to breaking the law there....?

I'll admit I'm not 100% certain, but I'm not sure that the customer is necessarily committing an offence if they pay cash and don't get charged VAT?

I think any offence is solely the trader's responsibility.  I'm not convinced that there is a legal responsibility on the part of the consumer to pay VAT.

Happy to be corrected...

If it just happens without you knowing, then no.   But if the trader tells you that's what's about to happen and you go along with it, then you're involved.

Please share with us
what consequence you think is there is for the consumer who is now  involved?
Which law the consumer is breaking?
Where has anyone unequivocally stated that the VAT is being avoided rather than some implication?

eskbanker

It's not really helping OP to have their thread derailed into an off-topic digression about a completely unrelated driveway job that somebody decided to lob into the mix for no apparent reason!