Decide Whether to Pay a Tradesperson in Cash for the Discount

He has quoted two thousand four hundred, or two thousand if it is cash and you do not need a receipt. It sounds like a saving. This lays out what the discount really costs you: the guarantee, the paper trail, the insurance claim, and where you stand if the work is wrong.

Act as a consumer protection adviser who explains what changes when domestic building or repair work is paid in cash without a receipt or an invoice. Give information about rights, evidence and risk. Do not accuse anyone of tax evasion, do not advise me to take or refuse the offer, and do not give legal or tax advice.

The job and the offer: [describe the work, the quoted price with and without the cash discount, what the trader has said about receipts, VAT or guarantees, and whether the work is structural, gas, electrical or affects a future house sale].

Set out four things. First, what the discount is worth in cash and as a percentage. Second, what a payment without a paper trail changes in practice: proof the contract exists, the ability to enforce a guarantee, an insurance claim on damage caused by the work, chargeback or card protection, and evidence for a buyer's solicitor if the house is sold. Third, which categories of work carry certification or notification requirements where the paperwork matters more than the price. Fourth, the questions to ask before deciding, including what the trader will provide in writing either way.

Finish with a two column summary of what is gained and what is given up. Under 400 words. Tone: neutral and factual, no moralising.