I have today had a tyre repaired at my local tyre dealer. They did the job properly, taking the tyre off and also re-balancing it. The fitter then said it wasn\'t worth putting it through the till, and just asked for a couple of pounds for doing it! Anyone know if this nice little earner is a common practice? I now have the slight worry that if anything goes wrong, I have no receipt.
Pete Mansell
{company name removed for obvious reasons. DD}
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There is a place like that round here, but I don't go there anymore, as the queues are too long! The people seem to get poverty wages, so feel inclined to top them up.
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I wouldn't worry about it, a reputable swindon tyre company charged me £15 inc vat, normally i found with a lease car Kwik fit didn't charge, the manager of my local branch said it wasn't worth the time on the phone and invoice charges, plus they hope you will be back for another tyre.
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They did the job properly, taking the tyre off andalso re-balancing it.
A puncture repair and balance for " a couple of quid"
Sounds good value to me!
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Metro Manila has a truck ban until 9 p.m. daily. After that time if you find yourself driving down the C-5 Circumferential Highway you may encounter a lot of welded sharp metal "stars" in your path. Coincidentally these are right where there is a long chain of vulcanizing shops. Not to mention a playground for car-nappers.
Well, it helps the unemployment figures.
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Unless the chain in question has a policy of doing all puncture repairs and balances for free - unlikely, but I've heard good things in the past - then it's hard to see how you've lost out.
Of course, the employer may be being defrauded if they do make a charge as it is likely that the employee would be on a fixed, low hourly rate.
Even so, over a couple of quid, it's hard to see how it's your problem as you definitely got your money's worth.
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I can sort of see a point here though, about the black economy.
Plenty of us have no scope for taking a "bung", and are regular salary earners taxed at source. However there are many business, not ALL at the lower end of the status bracket, where cash flows freely and HMG misses out on due revenue, at our expense.
I'm not saying I do not support such businesses - my builder always wants cash, as does my window cleaner and others. However, I know that the deal is done on an old fashioned basis of trust, and that I have no legal comeback in the event of problems.
The motto being - you pays yer money you takes yer choice
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Why didn't you insist on paying the full amount and getting a receipt then ?
If anything goes wrong, you're stuffed.
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Because I was so surprised I just paid up and left. Only later did I think it could be a problem with not having a receipt. It seems strange that an employee of such a large outfit is prepared to put his job on the line for £2!
Pete mansell
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I don't get this. the guy was probably taking home £200 a week, you got your tyre fixed - properly it sounds like - and he got a pint out it, everyone happy. This isn't major tax dodgers here. When companies can get away with paying rubbish wages, then this is the way the real market economy works.
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I got a tyre repaired at another nameless tyre repair chain, they did it for 5 quid cash but "if it goes through the till I gotta charge you more mate"
mike
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my repair last week was £9.50 from an independent.
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The fitter then said it wasn't worth putting it through the till, and just asked for a couple of pounds for doing it! Anyone know if this nice little earner is a common practice? >>
IIRC, some national fast fit tyre places offer a "free puncture repair". The place you went to may have been one of those. fitter may have realised that you were unaware of the fact and decided that a "tip" for himself was in order. Even with a free repair, you should still get an invoice/receipt to cover yourself against negligence.
As for some of the other replies justifying underhand practices, I have to say that I personally disapprove. I remember another thread on this subject which diasappeared in to ether when the topic led to comparisions with copied-software, pirated-CDs, shoplifting, driving without tax/insurance, stealing radios/cars, robbery, theft, fraud, ..... etc.
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