Here’s a quick update I wanted to share. It’s pretty common knowledge tradesmen prefer cash, often touting a a small discount to you – Don’t!

By paying in cash you have waved any rights or recourse should you encounter a cowboy, and you are likely collaborating in tax evasion which the HMRC can and will make an example of you – at your cost. Everyone moans at the NHS, Police, pot holes etc etc – they are all paid via these taxes..

You are not saving a penny by paying these tradesmen “off the books” – that is their normal rate – you’re now paying for their kids to go through school, bins to be collected, and roads to be tarmacked!

Report these parasites and get a reward – https://www.gov.uk/report-vat-fraud

An entire trade are stealing from YOU and our society. Never pay cash!

For those of you who watch Netflix, there’s an interesting series which covers the various tactics tradesmen take to get your money – How safe is your house

The rogue traders are posting leaflets to homes advertising services to clear, repair, and replace guttering and also offering to carry out roofing and damp proofing works.

The leaflets claim that they are working in the road over the next few days, this is a common tactic used by persistent door step criminals to persuade people to have work carried out quickly as consumers think they must get the work done before the traders move on.

Residents have reported work carried out by these traders is of poor quality, shoddy and they are charged massively inflated prices, with some victims being charged thousands of pounds.

If you received a leaflet advertising work like this please report it to Bexley Trading Standards at;- Julie.Powell@bexley.gov.uk – or directly to us.
(Dana Wiffen, Chairman, Neighbourhood Watch Office)