I have a license but should we all have 1 or not

[P4dstar]

Unfortunately I'm old enough to have been driving heavy goods vehicles just as the Tachograph was first brought in. The old log book users were promised that the "spy in the cab" would never be used in a criminal conviction unless you were actually caught offending by the Police. Now you can be prosecuted months later by a machine. Whilst I have no personal issues about a licence, on the basis it will get rid of the cash in hand Brigade, what I would worry about is how much will it cost and how well will it be policed 

Do you really think it would get rid of the cash in hand chaps though? I think they would crack on as they are. If they don't care about the tax man catching them now why would they care about trading standards catching them without a licence. Customers won't check licences the same as they don't check our public liability insurances now. The fact is it's an expense that would grow over time and eventually discourage people from 'going legit'. It's illegal to smoke weed yet thousands of people are stoned out of their heads right now.

A few people have mentioned how it is part of a professional company. My van is sign written, I have uniforms, a website, Google Page and encourage my customers to leave me reviews. I want to build a company not a round. If a licence came in I would just get on with it and get one but I don't see the need for the expense. I can't see it as something that is adding value, rather charging the honest people as usual.

 

[P4dstar]

I agree agree with you but what’s the point if it’s not enforced you have a licence and joe bloggs doesn’t both of you doing the same job it seams pointless to me without someone checking everybody has one 

They can't afford to fix potholes, employ enough doctors/nurses among other things at the moment so in order for them to check licences the fee paid for the licence would need to fund this. Also does it not seem like a difficult thing to police? They would actually need to catch an 'unlicensed' windy actually working to enforce anything!!

 

[Iron Giant]

Licensing would just be another way of raising cash for the coffers, and the council's would simply spend the money raised on what ever they like not enforcement officers. The hmrc and dole need to be getting out and catching cash in hand boys, rather than going after the honest, decent and hardworking people like ourselves. 

 

[Part Timer]

Do you really think it would get rid of the cash in hand chaps though? I think they would crack on as they are. If they don't care about the tax man catching them now why would they care about trading standards catching them without a licence. Customers won't check licences the same as they don't check our public liability insurances now. The fact is it's an expense that would grow over time and eventually discourage people from 'going legit'. It's illegal to smoke weed yet thousands of people are stoned out of their heads right now.

A few people have mentioned how it is part of a professional company. My van is sign written, I have uniforms, a website, Google Page and encourage my customers to leave me reviews. I want to build a company not a round. If a licence came in I would just get on with it and get one but I don't see the need for the expense. I can't see it as something that is adding value, rather charging the honest people as usual.

Only if it is well policed. It wouldn't happen overnight but a few caught early on might scare a few off. 

Quite a lot of the cash in hand boys charge what they charge out of ignorance. They don't realise the market has moved on from the 1970's

 

[Incheck]

I really dont see what the problem is with cash in hand, it is a legal form of payment which i accept as well as cheques & BACS payments. A lot of people in their 80’s and 90’s can not do BACS payments and won’t start online banking at the late stages in their life, so they either pay cash or i ask them to post a cheque to our business address. I offer them a receipt but most aren’t bothered. And it gets declared so whats the big hoo ha? I dont accept debit card payments anymore due to the card machine providers constantly changing the regulations & i dont accept standing orders because if im late or dont show up for whatever reason e.g. van breaks down, weather delays or illness it looks bad on me if they’ve paid up front.
A lot of people don’t want contracts with clauses and whatever else. If you’re doing commercial work fair enough but the common joe just wants someone to show up regularly, do their windows and thats that. Same with us, i dont need the extra hassle or faffing about, show up get it done happy days.
As for people trying to get off the dole and considering it as a option of employment fair play to them. i am all for them trying to improve their lives, at least they are doing something which is better than being bone idle.
What are you going to need next, a gutter cleaning license, grass cutting license, pressure washing or decorating licence?! Come on...please
My problems are with where a lot of the tax goes, trident programs, paying for a royal family to sit on their backsides in luxury, ridiculous local road projects that dont work.
all while theres homeless on the streets. Its all wrong man.


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[P4dstar]

I really dont see what the problem is with cash in hand, it is a legal form of payment which i accept as well as cheques & BACS payments. A lot of people in their 80’s and 90’s can not do BACS payments and won’t start online banking at the late stages in their life, so they either pay cash or i ask them to post a cheque to our business address. I offer them a receipt but most aren’t bothered. And it gets declared so whats the big hoo ha? I dont accept debit card payments anymore due to the card machine providers constantly changing the regulations & i dont accept standing orders because if im late or dont show up for whatever reason e.g. van breaks down, weather delays or illness it looks bad on me if they’ve paid up front.
A lot of people don’t want contracts with clauses and whatever else. If you’re doing commercial work fair enough but the common joe just wants someone to show up regularly, do their windows and thats that. Same with us, i dont need the extra hassle or faffing about, show up get it done happy days.
As for people trying to get off the dole and considering it as a option of employment fair play to them. i am all for them trying to improve their lives, at least they are doing something which is better than being bone idle.
What are you going to need next, a gutter cleaning license, grass cutting license, pressure washing or decorating licence?! Come on...please
My problems are with where a lot of the tax goes, trident programs, paying for a royal family to sit on their backsides in luxury, ridiculous local road projects that dont work.
all while theres homeless on the streets. Its all wrong man.


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I think you’re missing the point there chap... I think @Part Timer was referring to the people who do it cash in hand and don’t declare it. I’m pretty sure we all take cash and the honest ones definitely declare it. To be fair even if you weren’t to declare some of it you don’t necessarily fall into the ‘cash in hand’ bracket. There are some out there that only take cash and don’t declare anything!

The talk of a licence for England and Wales went well beyond window cleaning. As I understand it the talk is of a business licence for all ‘traders’ so gutter cleaning, Gardner’s, plasterers, electricians and many more things would be covered by it.

 

[Part Timer]

I really dont see what the problem is with cash in hand, it is a legal form of payment which i accept as well as cheques & BACS payments. A lot of people in their 80’s and 90’s can not do BACS payments and won’t start online banking at the late stages in their life, so they either pay cash or i ask them to post a cheque to our business address. I offer them a receipt but most aren’t bothered. And it gets declared so whats the big hoo ha? I dont accept debit card payments anymore due to the card machine providers constantly changing the regulations & i dont accept standing orders because if im late or dont show up for whatever reason e.g. van breaks down, weather delays or illness it looks bad on me if they’ve paid up front.
A lot of people don’t want contracts with clauses and whatever else. If you’re doing commercial work fair enough but the common joe just wants someone to show up regularly, do their windows and thats that. Same with us, i dont need the extra hassle or faffing about, show up get it done happy days.
As for people trying to get off the dole and considering it as a option of employment fair play to them. i am all for them trying to improve their lives, at least they are doing something which is better than being bone idle.
What are you going to need next, a gutter cleaning license, grass cutting license, pressure washing or decorating licence?! Come on...please
My problems are with where a lot of the tax goes, trident programs, paying for a royal family to sit on their backsides in luxury, ridiculous local road projects that dont work.
all while theres homeless on the streets. Its all wrong man.


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The problem with a lot of cash jobs is that it doesn't yield any tax. 

 

[Iron Giant]

I should have worded it better as in tax dodgers either not declaring all or part of their income.

Nothing wrong with cash at all as long as with all other transactions it's going through the books.

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[adamangler]

End of the day as long as cash exists there will be undeclared taxes.

Thousands of tradesman out there, used car dealers, second hand ships. Even my local supplier, massive company will offer you a cash price! Market sellers, corner shops, hairdressers, People who buy and sell stuff on the side, look at eBay, look at all the cars sold on Facebook etc etc.

Its absolutely everywhere and the only way to stop it is to end cash and everything be paid for via online trackable means.

 

[Scots lad]

Been stopped twice by enforcement officer for licence they had dss to check not on benefits and police officer with them
Have seem them doing spot checks at the side of the road as well as I now recognise the enforcement officer stopping cars laden with ladders


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[Dave Shaw]

This is why it’s called rip off Britain, they’ve even made a program about it. And why people are queuing up to get out of this over regulated sh1thole.


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[Dave Shaw]

Also it will certainly not weed out the fiddlers, it will only make it more lucrative to them by putting another hurdle in their way. All the righteous folk will say “ye but it’s not worth it if you get caught”. Ha, how many times do you hear of company’s going bust or bankrupt cos of fiddling their books only for them to be back in business almost straight away in a different guise.


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[steve garwood]

This is why it’s called rip off Britain, they’ve even made a program about it. And why people are queuing up to get out of this over regulated sh1thole.


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What, you think other countries don’t do the same? Try living in France where their taxes are higher than ours.

About a year ago, my wife and I owned property in turkey. Believe me mate, the government here are saints compared to over there.

I love this country and live a great life here, it’s a far cry from being a sh1thole.

Try living in Syria or Russia, then you may have a point 

 

[Dave Shaw]

What, you think other countries don’t do the same? Try living in France where their taxes are higher than ours.About a year ago, my wife and I owned property in turkey. Believe me mate, the government here are saints compared to over there.

I love this country and live a great life here, it’s a far cry from being a sh1thole.

Try living in Syria or Russia, then you may have a point 

Fair point but you know what I was getting at and as the old saying goes: no matter how bad things are, there’s always someone worse off. And sh1thole may have been a little strong. But we are no were near the top of the pack.

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[scottish cleaning service]

Been stopped twice by enforcement officer for licence they had dss to check not on benefits and police officer with them
Have seem them doing spot checks at the side of the road as well as I now recognise the enforcement officer stopping cars laden with ladders


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I bet you feel great having a licence?

 

[Scots lad]

Ive always had one 36 years

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