Latest news with #builder
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Can I pay builder in cash and could my bank stop me withdrawing £40,000 over eight weeks?
I've recently had planning permission to build a loft conversion and roof terrace at my home. The builders are about to start, but the man in charge - who heads the business - has asked if he could be paid half the funds in cash. He says his team prefers cash so he pays them that way. However, I suspect their motivation might be something to do with tax - although this is just a theory and I have no proof. Would I potentially be at risk of aiding and abetting tax evasion by paying them in cash or am I within my rights to pay them as they wish? After all, it is legal tender. They have also asked for me to pay the cash in weekly installments over eight weeks to help their cashflow. Given the total cash sum will be £40,000, that will mean I have to withdraw £5,000 each week. I'm assuming I can't just go to the cash machine and do this and will need to visit a bank branch to do so. But won't the bank clerk ask questions about what the cash is needed for and if so what should I say? Surely honesty is the best policy and paying builders in cash is a perfectly normal practice. Also my only experience of visiting a bank branch was akin to a hospital waiting room - it took over an hour to be seen and I felt rather sorry for all the staff. So out of interest, what are the least busy times of day to visit a bank branch? Ed Magnus of This is Money replies: Unless the builder has told you they want cash to evade tax, there is nothing illegal about paying them in cash. It is their responsibility to declare this to the taxman, not yours. The bigger headache for you is having to withdraw this cash on a weekly basis. Bank branches can have long and slow queues. The best time to visit will depend on the local branch you intend to visit. Luckily, Google often shows information such as popular times and typical waiting times for stores, including bank branches. It tends to appear below your regular business information on Google Maps and Search. On your first trip to the bank, you could also ask the bank clerk about the quietest times to drop in for future visits. You are correct that withdrawing £5,000 from an ATM will almost certainly not be possible to in one day unless you have multiple current accounts with different banks. Most banks have daily ATM limits. How much you can withdraw will depend on your bank and what type of account you hold. For example, Barclays has a daily limit of £300 on its standard current accounts but customers are able to set any limit between £0 and £500. Premier banking customers can withdraw £1,000 each day - but again have the power to set that limit to anything between £0 and £2,000. If you opt to make regular cash withdrawals from an ATM then be aware that your bank may contact you to verify the transactions are yours. But just remember banks will never ask you to move money from your account - if you receive a call asking you to do so, it will be a scam. If you decide to withdraw cash by visiting your local bank branch, they may well ask about the purpose of your withdrawal given it may be seen as unusual and a necessary check to guard against fraud or money laundering. Again, you are perfectly within your rights to say you are withdrawing cash to pay a builder for home renovations. Some banks have been known to be quite difficult and may request proof of the building works in the form of an invoice. However, most should be more relaxed and not require any documentation. For expert advice we spoke to Angela Kerr, a director at property advice website HomeOwners Alliance and Chun Wong, head of dispute resolution at Hodge Jones & Allen. Is it okay to pay builders in cash? Chun Wong replies: Paying cash for goods and services is on the face of it not illegal. It is only a criminal offence under the Criminal Finances Act 2017, if you knowingly aid or abet (i.e. facilitate) the tax evasion. The builders have provided you with an explanation and you have no evidence to believe otherwise. You may wish to check if they are VAT registered and if so they should provide you with a VAT invoice or receipt for the monies and work done. You should also check that they have insurance in the event that there are any issues with the works and you need to bring a claim for poor workmanship and any consequential losses, given the value of the works being undertaken is substantial. You should check whether on completion of the works there will be a guarantee or warranty issued. Angela Kerr adds: You're not the first person to toil over how to pay tradespeople. When we commissioned a YouGov poll with the Federation of Master Builders to find out more about this it revealed a third - approximately 5.3million - homeowners confessed to paying cash to avoid VAT costs on home improvements and make their project more affordable. What about withdrawing cash from a bank? Chun Wong replies: The amount of cash that can be withdrawn in one go will depend on the bank's own terms and conditions. If an explanation is requested (usually for fraud prevention) you should tell them the true reason – that you are paying for substantial works to your house Should they pay the builders in a different way? Angela Kerr replies: There is no standard approach to how, when and what builders can charge and what's the best payment schedule to protect theirs and your interests, so everyone muddles through. But 50 per cent sounds a lot upfront but firms do ask it for bigger projects. But doing a significant home improvement project like yours and paying cash with no audit trail in the form of an invoice, receipt or bank transfer trail is a big risk. You'll end up with no proof that they have done the work – and therefore no guarantee that if things go wrong they will come back to put things right. And having an agreement in writing and a receipt or payment trail is essential if you ever need to take a builder to the small claims court. So I'd recommend sitting down and pulling together a contract. Rics provide domestic project friendly building contracts. Or at the very least get payment terms agreed in writing. Rather than big lumps of cash in arbitrary weekly payments, could you negotiate a smaller percentage up-front and then push for payments according to milestones or stages of the project. For example, at completion of the opening up works, completion of steel installation etc. Save a good percentage for final payment on completion and once any final snagging is done. That would be more meaningful and ensure they have an incentive to get on with the work. Best mortgage rates and how to find them Mortgage rates have risen substantially over recent years, meaning that those remortgaging or buying a home face higher costs. That makes it even more important to search out the best possible rate for you and get good mortgage advice, whether you are a first-time buyer, home owner or buy-to-let landlord. Quick mortgage finder links with This is Money's partner L&C > Mortgage rates calculator > Find the right mortgage for you To help our readers find the best mortgage, This is Money has partnered with the UK's leading fee-free broker L&C. This is Money and L&C's mortgage calculator can let you compare deals to see which ones suit your home's value and level of deposit. You can compare fixed rate lengths, from two-year fixes, to five-year fixes and ten-year fixes. If you're ready to find your next mortgage, why not use This is Money and L&C's online Mortgage Finder. It will search 1,000's of deals from more than 90 different lenders to discover the best deal for you.
CBC
09-06-2025
- General
- CBC
Some LRT work wraps up, allowing Stony Plain Road and 124th Street to open u
The major intersection was blocked off to traffic and pedestrians for six weeks to help speed up Valley Line West LRT construction at the site. The City and the builder say the full closure worked. The project is still on track to finish in 2028.
The Sun
08-06-2025
- The Sun
Dark curse ravaging ‘UK's best high street' as pregnant mums targeted & criminals stamp sinister QR codes to lamp posts
PERCHED on a bench and sprawled on the manicured grass, four men and a women enjoy a loud animated conversation, swearing and oblivious to the young families nearby as they puff on cannabis joints. They're soon joined by a dealer who brazenly rattles through his drug menu: 'I've got C (cocaine), keti-cut (ketamine cut with cocaine), xans (the antidepressant Xanax) gabbies (pregabalin – a prescription drug often used for epilepsy), anything you need,' he says. 15 15 It's the kind of illegal trade that draws regular users to Pride Hill in Shrewsbury town centre - a sad indication of how a sharp rise in cocaine and drug use is blighting the area boasting 'Britain's best high street' according to The Telegraph. No longer an after-dark secret in sprawling social housing estates, brazenly buying and selling gear in broad daylight just off the main pedestrianised shopping area is a common sight in Shrewsbury. 'It's like a drop-in centre for people with nowhere to go and nothing to do,' says a builder working in the town centre, pointing to the group. 'People know not to go near them because they can be aggressive if they're not asleep. 'Sadly it's a sign of the times. It's school half term and people are going into the castle grounds with their children without realising what's happening.' In nearby Wyle Cop, a charming shopping street lined with 39 listed buildings, retired aerospace worker John Edwards, 70, points out evidence of how dark web drug marketing has evolved to open websites. Silver stickers embossed with QR codes are plastered on public litter bins, bus stops and lampposts in the town - recently named the best place to live in Shropshire and one of the best in the Midlands by The Sunday Times. 'You see these stickers all over the place, advertising drugs with QR codes,' he says. 'A smartphone scan links you to websites selling drugs. 'Every time I see one I scrape them off, but they just seem to reappear.' John, who spruces signs and bus shelters on a voluntary basis and is a regular sight in the town with his cleaning trolley, says drug use there is not easy to stamp out. Horror as delivery driver, 23, is 'ambushed & killed by gang armed with blades and blunt objects' in Shrewsbury 15 15 15 'I would say it's far more prevalent than ever here in Shrewsbury,' he tells The Sun. 'You might see the odd car stopping and people on the street, but they're gone before anyone reports them. 'I know there have been issues with country lines dealers who come out of Wrexham and Merseyside probably knowing they can drum up trade in the shires.' Ron, 64, who runs a key cutting business in the town centre says drug abuse has risen in the town. 'I have a homeless bloke who sells cocaine and other drugs but is harmless. I don't know where he stays but he often pops in for a coffee,' he says. 'Drugs are all over the place, not just in Shrewsbury. If you go up the hill at the side of the castle, you can often see evidence of empty wrappers littered on the ground.' Pregnant women targeted A 60-year-old local midwife, who asks not to be named, says she sees first-hand the heartbreaking evidence of increased cocaine use among young pregnant women when she carries out antenatal screening. 'There is a definite rise in cocaine and ketamine use among youngsters living in social housing,' she says. 'I see it as part of my job. I do about two toxicology tests a week and I'm sad to say, there's usually evidence of cocaine or cocaine mixed with something. 'These young girls don't realise the long-term damage it can do to unborn babies, like premature birth, growth defects and eye development.' I do about two toxicology tests a week and I'm sad to say, there's usually evidence of cocaine or cocaine mixed with something. These young girls don't realise the long-term damage it can do to unborn babies Local midwife Trainee chef Grant Lewis, 18, says the homeless population in particular are being targeted by drug gangs. 'I know the police try to crack down on county line dealing across Shrewsbury and Shropshire, but the organised crime gangs will always go where there's money to be made and people to be exploited,' he says. 'You can see people blatantly taking drugs in the daytime in town and you can smell the weed in the air.' His girlfriend, student Abi-Lou Foster, 19, says even though she and Grant don't drink and have never taken drugs, she knows friends who take cocaine without thinking of the long-term addictive consequences. 'To be honest, I don't even think they do it out of boredom,' she says. 'It's more that they think it's cool to do it, even though they get out of control and have to find the money to pay for it. 'I live in Market Drayton and sadly, the use of cocaine seems a lot more common there.' 15 15 15 15 Stench of weed Retired manufacturing worker Martin Kerr, 66, says dealers often turned up in cars in the Brunel Drive area of Shrewsbury or do deals on the nearby bridge. 'I think things are the same in any UK town now because there's so much poverty and homelessness,' he says. 'It's a shame because Shrewsbury is a lovely place to live, but I suppose you're always going to get some areas where there's a demand for drugs.' Taxi driver Paul Ryder, 64, is used to ferrying passengers who sometimes ask him to wait around the corner from where they are meeting dealers. I keep air freshener in the car because some passengers get in stinking of weed. Sometimes it's so strong it makes my eyes water and I have to open the window Taxi driver Paul Ryder 'Cocaine, ketamine and cannabis use is common nowadays,' he says. 'I see dealers pull up in big expensive cars when I drop off passengers. I mind my own business because I don't want any trouble, but I refuse to take anyone who looks like they're on something. 'I keep air freshener in the car because some passengers get in stinking of weed. Sometimes it's so strong it makes my eyes water and I have to open the window. 'Towns like Shrewsbury are fair game for county line suppliers. It's a different world now.' Depending on the dealer, cocaine can be picked up for around £40 a half gram, £80 a gram or three half gram bags for £100. Cannabis is around £10 a gram. £80million haul 15 15 In February this year, four men in their 30s, 40s and 60s were arrested and released on bail after a huge haul of cocaine worth £80million was recovered as part of a National Crime Agency investigation. The suspects were arrested in the sleepy Shropshire village of Merrington after Border Force searched a shipping container and found 847.5 kilos of the Class A drug on December 23 at Tilbury Docks in Essex. A woman in her 40s was also arrested on suspicion of money laundering and released under investigation. Last October two men were jailed for a total of nine years for their part in a county lines drugs operation in Shrewsbury. Connor Sholliker, 24, of Wilson Road in Prescot, Merseyside was sentenced to six years for being concerned in the supply of class A drugs - crack cocaine and heroin. And Kaine Currens, 23, of Manor Road in Hadley, Telford was handed a three-year sentence for being concerned in the supply of the same substances. The pair were sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court following a proactive investigation by the local organised crime team. It was quickly established that both men were part of the 'Kev' county line, which operated from Merseyside and was responsible for bringing large quantities of class A drugs into Shrewsbury. Evidence showed both men had links to phone numbers identified as drug lines used to run the dealing network. As part of their operation they targeted vulnerable young people and used their homes as a base for their drug dealing - a practice known as 'cuckooing'. Following their conviction, Detective Constable Andrea Marston, of the local organised crime team in Shropshire, said drugs were a blight on the community and ruined lives. 'We're constantly working to rid our streets of drugs and I'm glad that we've been able to dismantle this line and that Sholliker and Currens will now face time behind bars for their part in it. We won't underestimate the impact that drug use has on the communities we protect and serve and it's something we take incredibly seriously West Mercia Police spokesperson 'The local community are key in helping us to tackle drug dealing and I'd always urge anyone with any information or concerns about drug dealing or drug use in their area to let us know.' Last June two men were handed confiscation orders at Shrewsbury Crown Court after being jailed in September 2023 for multiple drugs offences. Drugs with an estimated street value of between £100k -£120k and £72,916 cash were seized in April 2023 after police carried out warrants at two properties in Shrewsbury. According to the latest data, the crime rate in the Marshalls Court area of Shrewsbury is 2.76 times higher than the town average, with drug and gun-related crimes 3.66 times higher. In Barleyfield, the crime rate is 2.26 times higher than the Shrewsbury average with drug and gun-related crimes 1.49 times higher. A West Mercia Police spokesperson said: 'The use of drugs is unfortunately an issue in all towns and cities across the UK. 'We won't underestimate the impact that drug use has on the communities we protect and serve and it's something we take incredibly seriously. 'Drug dealers prey on some of the most vulnerable people in society and their presence in turn causes more crime such as shoplifting, burglary and anti-social behaviour. 'Our officers continue to work hard to prevent and tackle drug use by engaging with our local communities, as well as working close with partners including the NHS, housing providers and local drug support charities. 'Where appropriate, we can and do take robust action against those who supply drugs.' Cllr Alex Wagner, Shropshire Council deputy leader said: "Shrewsbury is a fantastic and historic town but sadly has the same issues as so many others – in the town centre, the impact of drug use can sometimes be quite visible. 'Public Health in Shropshire has a Partnership approach in place as part of the Safeguarding Community Partnership. There is a Tackling Drugs and Alcohol Group which is attended by a number of organisations, such as Public Health, Police, Homelessness and Drug and Alcohol services. 'The group looks to address how the footprint meets the National Strategy - From Harm to Hope. "In Shropshire there is a very clear harm reduction perspective, with early help and recovery services supporting those most vulnerable at its centre. "If you or someone you know may have a problem with alcohol or drugs, the Shropshire Council website details what support is available.' 15 15 15
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Couple whose home was demolished by 'Britain's worst builder' while they were on holiday in a row over money finally get to move into property
A couple have finally been able to move into their dream home four years after it was reduced to rubble by 'Britain's worst builder' during an angry rampage. The £500,000 property on leafy Guilford Road, in Stoneygate, Leicester, was demolished by the workman back in June 2021 in a row over money while the owners were on holiday. Owner Jay Kurji said his home was bulldozed after he refused to pay the builder - who has not been named - an additional £3,500. He had hired him to carry out renovations, including a two-storey extension and enlarged kitchen diner, to the four-bedroom detached property. But the fuming builder ripped off the roof, three walls and left the driveway littered with debris while Mr Kurji was away with his family in Wales. Shocking pictures showed how the property was left all but ruined with huge piles of debris including bricks, insulation and timber dumped all over the driveway. Now following a painstaking four-year rebuilding process, Mr Kurji and his family have finally been able to move into their home. Mr Kurji did not want to comment further today, saying: 'The house is finished now, I just want to put it all behind me.' But he previously spoke of his 'nightmare' after picking the 'worst builder in Britain' to work on the home for his family-of-six. He said at the time: 'It's a nightmare, unfortunately I picked the worst builder in Britain. 'I bought the house last year and employed a builder to start work in February. We wanted lots of work doing so it could be our family home for six of us. 'The work included a two-storey extension, a new roof, wiring and we wanted it to be more environmentally-friendly.' Mr Kurji said the builder took revenge when he refused to cough up the extra money. He added: 'I was on holiday 200 miles away when all the scaffolding was taken down and the house damaged. 'When I called police they told me they couldn't do anything because it's a dispute so not a criminal case. 'I've emailed Trading Standards but I'm still away so it's difficult to sort it all out.' The house, in a quiet area of the city of Leicester, is now completed and can house Mr Kurji's family of six Neighbours said they had been left frustrated at living next to a building site for so long but were glad the house was finally complete. One resident, who did not want to be named, said: 'We had sympathy with him to start with but patience began running out when we were living next to a building site for years. 'Many questioned the design as well but I think it looks OK, I'm just relieved we don't have to look at that mess anymore. 'It must have cost him tens of thousands of pounds though and he's a nice enough guy, so I'm glad he's in.' Another added: 'I know he was absolutely gutted when the builder tore it down, all that money down the drain. 'He's worked hard to get it rebuilt but it has taken a long time. I think he moved in with his parents for a bit. It must have been a nightmare.'
BBC News
02-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
'Builder Mark Killick turned our home into junkyard', jury told
A builder who is accused of defrauding customers in the West Country out of more than £2m left one woman's home looking like a "junkyard", a jury has been Killick, of Shoe Lane in Paulton, Somerset, allegedly charged customers for building materials and labour but failed to complete the work and kept the 56-year-old, also known as Mark Cole and Mark Jenkins, is accused of 46 counts of fraud committed between December 2019 and November Brooks told Bristol Crown Court her mother was hospitalised after falling down a trench Mr Killick had begun to dig but did not finish, instead disappearing and failing to reply to text messages. Ms Brooks said Mr Killick, who introduced himself as Mark Cole, had agreed to extend her driveway and rebuild the listed orangery at her home in Portishead in December was quoted £115k for the project and asked to pay a deposit of £20k upfront."He seemed very clever, had a lot of ideas about what you could do," she told the jury. "He had the gift of the gab, made a lot of sense and sounded plausible." The scaffolding went up immediately but progress was slow and inefficient, she told the court, and Mr Killick blamed the Covid-19 pandemic for the months went on, she said he continued to request further money for traders and materials that never arrived - bringing the total cost to £ allegedly threatened to "halt all the work completely" if she did not pay up."We had what we thought was a contract," Ms Brooks explained. "We had sunk money into this and we needed to get it done. I had to push it forward." 'We're getting desperate' Despite repeated attempts to contact Mr Killick to confirm the schedule of works, she alleges her home was left in a dangerous state of disarray for claims the temporary scaffolding over the orangery was so poorly constructed it "kept lifting up" in the jury was shown text exchanges between the pair as she pleaded for an update, saying: "We're getting desperate, please call us. Are you still alive?"Our beautiful home looks like a junkyard. Our house is worthless until this job is done."Ms Brooks claimed completion dates were "plucked out of the air to fob [her] off". However, defence attorney Robin Shellard suggested she had expanded the project by around 30%, requiring more work than was initially agreed cited an extended driveway and a natural stone wall, but Ms Brooks disputed the claim they had not been included in the original plans."It may not have been to your satisfaction, it may not have been good enough, but a considerable amount of work had been done," Mr Shellard trial continues.
