Builder asking for payment after cash paid and VAT quote concerns

[AmIbeingscammed]

I had a quote for landscaping that said including vat. Work has been done and I paid £1000 by bank transfer for some materials prior to completion. The chap then called round and asked for £1000 in cash to pay his workers ( I was waiting for an ambulance to come as was extremely unwell with a raging infection) I paid the £1000 cash.
He has now messaged me asking if he can come round for payment, I said to send me an invoice including the vat breakdown and I will pay. I don't think he is vat registered but does seem to be a registered Ltd company.
I just have a bad feeling, I'm still not well and he told me whilst the work was in progress that one of the workers was due in court for putting his fist through someone's window. I would never have agreed to employing his services if I had known this.
I'm cross with myself for paying the cash , I'm worried he'll come round and mess up the work that's been done.
He finished the job 3 days ago.

How much was the quote including VAT

I don't get it.
Was the work completed to a good enough standard?
Then yes pay the man.
I don't see the point of getting all upset about method of payment and breakdown of invoice after everything has been agreed and the work has been completed?

It said total price inc vat £6700

I would ask for everything in writing including the amounts already paid. Tell him no need to come round because once you receive the invoice for the outstanding amount you can make a payment via BACS. No more cash payments. He sounds like a cowboy, but I’d just pay the documented outstanding amount and be done with him.

Him paying vat is none of your business. If the job is complete and he’s asking for the sum quoted he should already be paid in full.

I e asked for an invoice deducting the £2000 already paid but he said he will come to my house, I'm more than happy to pay by bank transfer.

They finished 3 days ago
General practive from reputable companies is 30days
unless otherwise stated on the invoice

Just pay by bacs the outstanding £4700

and send him an email confirming the two sets of £1000 already paid

Thats it
You don’t need a new invoice

I don't know why he wants to come to my house again, I've said I will pay by bank transfer . He sent an invoice for the £1000 for materials which had an automatic payment option but he said not to use that but to pay to a different bank account.

Do you have the account to transfer the money to

If so
Do it now
Tell him you’ve paid and you are not in a position to meet him

Yes he maybe is evading tax, but you don't seem to have any evidence that he will come round and mess up the work he has done, apart from for non payment. While I'm sorry you haven't been well, you are clearly not that unwell now because you are sat posting on here. Just pay him. You clearly have the details to do this because you have paid him before. Even if he is a rogue trader, he is very is unlikely to come round and mess up anything if you pay him, which you can do. Generally tax evaders want to make a bit of extra money, not destroy their own work, get no pay, scare vulnerable people, or anything else weird or evil.

Very few tradesman will give you 30 days to pay unless they are a large company.

I'm not sure what the problem is - you owe him £4700, so pay him that.

If a business is not VAT registered, they are breaking the law by charging VAT.

@AmIbeingscammed Ask him for a detailed invoice for the total figure. The full amount, not the amount you still owe.

If VAT is included, by law there must be a VAT registration number on the invoice. You can check on the gov.uk website to confirm that this number relates to his business. The invoice must also have the company name on it, an invoice number and the date.

Don't pay him any more money until you are completely satisfied. Check with Trading Standards or the Citizens Advice Bureau if you are unsure.

re payment
our electrician and plumber invoices for 30 days but very big whole property jobs
Had a water leek sorted once paid before the guy left

I think OPs problem is she doesn’t know what account to pay it into and no one wants to transfer money without confirmation of the correct account details.

Thats on the builder to confirm

I have paid him, I had no intention not to pay. I needed to know what account he wanted me to use as he asked me to use a different one from the invoice. I also don't want him to come to my house unannounced again asking for cash. I have been stung before by cowboys . I'm also not sure he should be mentioning vat if he's not registered.

Ffs he's messaged asking me to pay a different account.

He asked you to pay a different bank account to the one on the invoice?

Definitely a crook then.

If he insists on coming to your house give him a time and make sure you have a burly male friend/relative there. Its surprising how these slightly dodgy characters back off once a male of any variety appears.

Are you happy with the work he has done?

I'd be nervous paying a different account if I were you. I do agree that there's no need for him to come over though. A simple invoice is fine

I've been messaging him while posting here. He sent an invoice , no mention of vat just the outstanding amount, which I paid using the automated system , he's then sent a message asking for it to be paid to a different account.

Pay him but then report him fo tax evasion

Juat double check OP before you pay the different account. Do a £1 transaction and check he's got it before doing the full amount

I've paid to the invoice account, I'm not paying anything more to any other account.

You paid the account on the invoice
He’ll just have to transfer it across himself

Its not your problem