I think my mum in law is getting ripped off.

[welshsarah]

Ok. Bear with me. My MIL is having her garden done. Its a big job and she had a few quotes at around 5,000. She thought that was high and couldnt afford it. She went to visit a few friends and began talking about the prospect of having the work done. The family are all on benefits and are known for being a bit rough and benefit scroungers (they had a disability car and gave it to their son to use). Well anyway... The husband offered to do my MILs garden for a cheaper price, he came and said he couldnt give a price because he needed to see what needed to be done after all the weeds, trees, and other stuff to clear the garden. There are 2 working and they spent the week clearing the garden. MIL has paid out over 2000 and 800 of that is for the wages for 5 days work. (400 a week is that a bit high). Well she asked for a break down of prices and the garden is going to cost 7,000 estimated with 2000 going on their wages. I told her to stop paying them because they are basically ripping her off if other companies are offering to do it for 5000. (Also Im sure its going to cost even more as they keep coming back saying this and that is more expensive than they thought). Iv told her to tell him that she can only afford 4000 and stop the work right there and then and see if we can find someone else to do the work. Well she wont have it, both MIL and FIL is allowing themselves to get ripped off because they dont like being confrontational and also that they are friends with his wife and feels awkward. Me and my partner have been talking about reporting the guy to benefit fraud (as hes claiming benefits and all this is cash in hand). But dont want MIL to get into trouble.What will happen if we reported him?X

 

[smileyfaces]

There would be no repercussions for your MIL because as far as she is concerned she is just paying for work to be done. Report report report. They are getting thousandsof pounds whilst claiming benefits as well?? Not right.

 

[sweetlullaby]

I agree definitely report them. Claiming benefits, DLA and working for thousands of pounds cash in hand definitely not good.

 

[Siyren]

i agree- report! xq

 

[welshsarah]

Thank you everyone have decided to annoymously report them. I dont have their address through thats the problem, but sure MIL has it written down in 1 of her address books.x

 

[smileyfaces]

Good on you xx

 

[R_x]

You've done the right thing

 

[Piggywinkle]

If they're turning up in a van, just take the registration number - that should be enough if you can't get their address.

I haven't reported anyone myself but my SIL reported someone she knew was turning up at a building site every day labouring for cash in hand when he supposedly had a bad back. She just clocked his car, took the reg and passed it on.

 

[deafgal]

Depending what type of disability.. most people with severe hearing loss have a hard time keeping jobs (its easy to miss opportunities to earn money) but they are able to do the work. But ripping people off including gov't is a good sign that this person is just not a good person.

 

[LuckyYem]

If you report them online you don't need their full address, if you know the area they live that's usually enough. I recently reported someone and I just gave the full names, names of children, the school where the children go to, the area they live and a description of them and that was enough for them to be investigated. Dh is a landscaper and his company charge £120 per day per man labour (he doesn't see that much though!!) but he works for a very well known company in our area who deal in very high end gardens (the company also work all over the UK and Ireland) that cost tens of thousands. They have also won gold medals at Chelsea etc. It does seem they are ripping her off .

 

[littletobyj]

That is horrendous not only are they ripping your MIL off but they are ripping off everyone in the country that has ever paid tax! People like that who give the genuine ones on benefits a bad rep!