Handy man advert, is this taking the ****

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by Sash window, Jun 19, 2017.

  1. Sash window

    Sash window New Member

    IMG_4523.jpg Saw this in Gumtree, to be skilled in all those trades seems a little mean on the pay front.
     
  2. Iron_Mike

    Iron_Mike Active Member

    A mickey take
     
  3. P J Thompson

    P J Thompson Active Member

    I've had this sort of deal before and on the surface it is a stingy deal, especially as it's for a 6 day week.
    I'd be wanting a three bed detached house thrown n with CT and water paid at a minimum. Even then, you could find better.
     
  4. Sash window

    Sash window New Member

    Surely if you are doing electrical work in rented properties you need to be certified. That being the case 200 quid a week is being less than generous.
     
  5. Obviously depends on how many hours, and the calculation for accomodation.

    But it could well be under minimum wage rates.

    I wouldnt think much of the handyman looking to take this up, unless semi retired type doing 20/30 hours a week etc
     
    btiw2 likes this.
  6. btiw2

    btiw2 Screwfix Select

    Even taking into account the accommodation[1] it's probably less than the minimum wage (assuming 7.5 hr working days).
    https://www.gov.uk/am-i-getting-min..._an_apprentice/21/7/45.0/200.0/0.0/yes_free/7

    A twenty year old working 6 hours a day is a fraction over the minimum wage.
    https://www.gov.uk/am-i-getting-min..._an_apprentice/20/7/42.0/200.0/0.0/yes_free/7
    But getting a twenty year old with all those skills could be tricky - and they'd need a pay rise in a year.

    Or, as JoT says, an over 21 year old working 33 hours per week (5 and half hours per day) just scrapes it:
    https://www.gov.uk/am-i-getting-min..._an_apprentice/21/7/33.0/200.0/0.0/yes_free/7

    [1] Allowance for accommodation with respect to minimum wage: https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-accommodation
     
  7. btiw2

    btiw2 Screwfix Select

    I forgot the living wage that both the Conservative and Labour parties have offered (for over 25 year olds).
    Basically the applicant would be doing six half days per week to avoid falling foul of min wage calculations.

    But yes, Sash, I agree it's mean.

    This employer doesn't want an employee - they want a serf.
     
  8. Sash window

    Sash window New Member

    Part of the Advert not shown does say Full Time Maintenance person.
     
  9. P J Thompson

    P J Thompson Active Member

    You can't discuss the rate vs minimum wage or any other wage until you know what the accommodation is. Anything over about £45 per week can be taken off of your wage.
    Until you know the accommodation and the equivalent charge for that in the same area, you can't really get to any kind of equivalent hourly rate.

    A three bed detached in the new forest with CT and water is likely to be a grand a month at least, 12k a year or more. Quite a bit more than £45 is per week ;)

    A bunk in a shared house would be altogether different ;)
     
  10. btiw2

    btiw2 Screwfix Select


    For this tax year the weekly accommodation offset rate is £44.80
     
  11. P J Thompson

    P J Thompson Active Member

    Yes, that's what I said ;)
    And anything above that is taken off your wage ;)

    So if the accommodation is worth £250 a week they can take £205 off your weekly wage ;)

    Which would make that job equivalent to £455 people for a 45 hour week or just over a tenner an hour.

    Like I said, until you know what the accommodation is, you actually know nothing :)
     
  12. btiw2

    btiw2 Screwfix Select

    The real point is that the NMW is difficult to enforce.
    Anyone can advertise a job at less than NMW (I believe).
    It's up to the employee to take the job, then raise the problem and try and resolve it (without being fired).
    Probably best to avoid getting involved with that employer in the first place.

    I quite like the line "in addition to free accommodation, van and fuel you will also be paid a wage of £200 per week" - like wages were some particularly generous bonus that was being offered.
     
  13. P J Thompson

    P J Thompson Active Member

    The van and fuel doesn't come into it anyway :) it's not offsetable :)
     
    btiw2 likes this.
  14. btiw2

    btiw2 Screwfix Select

    No. This advert says "Free accommodation". That's explicitly covered by NMW calculations.
     
  15. P J Thompson

    P J Thompson Active Member

    And for the record, there are still plenty of these types of jobs were NO wage is paid.
    None.
     
    btiw2 likes this.
  16. btiw2

    btiw2 Screwfix Select

    I suppose if you had unlimited fuel you could always sell it on the black market to try and make some extra cash in hand?
     
    Jord86 and P J Thompson like this.
  17. P J Thompson

    P J Thompson Active Member

    Someone in their office messed up when writing the advert. That is very unlikely to be in the actual contract. It will more likely state summat like, "accommodation is included in the remuneration" or summat.
    Not a clever advert.
     
  18. P J Thompson

    P J Thompson Active Member

    But, I have had one such job with actual free accommodation. Just one, and they paid the going hourly rate. It's not common at all though.
     
  19. Sash window

    Sash window New Member

    Although not stated re Accommodation, I get the feeling it's not going to be a whole house, that can be rented out very easily down here. I suspect a room in shared lodgings.
     
  20. btiw2

    btiw2 Screwfix Select

    I think these two posts link together.
    Yes, this is like many rural jobs. Get a hovel, some beer money and all the venison you can poach. Conditions of employment: tug your forelock.
    I'd be surprised if this sort of job even had an employment contract (and if there were a contract possibly the employee wouldn't understand it anyway).
    It's easy for people to forget just how feudal the economy is in some parts of the country. Perhaps the New Forest is like that too (I don't really know that part of the world).
     

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