Looking a bit of job advice, who should pay for the tools?

wilt

wilt

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Been in the same job since leaving school (1991). Trained as a bricklayer served my time. I'm employed, not self employed.
The firm i work for do all construction jobs Bricklaying, joinery, tiling, pretty much everything and i've learnt them all.
Originally the only tools i needed was a trowel, level, hammer and bolster.
But as i learnt more i started to purchase more tools to do the different jobs.
The thing is, i now find myself replacing my electric tools quite often and my Panasonic cordless drills just packed in after nearly two years, they originally cost £400 and my bosch oscillating saw originally £90.
I'd say i spend around £500 a year on tools.
I couldn't afford to replace my drills and asked my boss if he would put something towards a new set and he blankly refused.
This has really angered me as i've used all my tools for work and do very little outside of work.

Can anyone tell me who should actually pay for the tools? as i can't afford to keep replacing them, there used pretty much exclusively for work and i'm employed, not self employed.

thx
 
I trained as a precision machinist in the aerospace industry.

I had to buy my own tools.
 
As an IT manager I don't go into work and expect to take my own equipment. Do you have a contract at all? The business should provide the tools as you are not insured against using your own in the event that they cause harm to you
 
if your employed rather than subbing your boss *should* pay - however thats only true if the tools are essential. What will happen if you don't have them ?

on a side note 400 quid for a rechargeable drill and it only lasted two years ? I'd be having a serious word with pansonic about the quality of their kit
 
Flightphoto said:
As an IT manager I don't go into work and expect to take my own equipment. Do you have a contract at all? The business should provide the tools as you are not insured against using your own in the event that they cause harm to you
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not necessarily, depends on the insurance. In the motor trade, almost all mechanics buy their own tools, apart from very specific manufacturer stuff.
 
Flightphoto said:
As an IT manager I don't go into work and expect to take my own equipment. Do you have a contract at all? The business should provide the tools as you are not insured against using your own in the event that they cause harm to you
Click to expand...

This, but without a signed contract irrelevant.
 
@frank i get no allowance.
@Flightphoto i have no contract, but was originally employed as a bricklayer, now a jack of all trades. Master of them too :)
@big soft moose if i didn't have them i'd take a lot longer to do the job and in some cases not be able to. It's been so long since i started purchasing them, i used what he had but now he expects me to have every tool i need for all types of jobs and pay for them myself. It was a set of rechargable combi drill and impact screwdriver plus 3x3.0ah batteries.
 
Unfortunately we can only add ideas and help to a certain point. Would a union have info for this? I have a lot of self employed friends in the industry and they have to provide their own kit but generally if you are a perm then the kit should be provided to allow you to perform your role effectively.
 
So you have no contract and you are a permanent employee? Isn't it employment law that all perm employees must receive a contract within 11 weeks and updated every year depending on role changes?
 
Your employer is breaking the law in not providing a contract...even if it's a zero hours one.
 
I know that and you know that, he even probably knows that but i've never had one.
When i tried to explain that if i was self employed i'd fully understand i'd have to supply my own,but he said that there was no difference.
I'm on poor wages and it's the equivalent to 2 weeks a year spending on tools.
 
Give ACAS a call - they're not the most clues up but they do have straight forward info in situations like this. As an employer he will buy the equipment tax free and claim as an expense anyway so he won't lose too much at all!
 
trouble is that with no contract you have little protection against him just letting you go if you get bolshy ... how is your tax paid , if it PAYE thats proof of employment - if you do it yourself then you are most likely not actually employed at all.
 
Trained as a Motor Mechanic and I needed to come equipped with my own tool box and all mannor of tools including some specialist tools specific to the make I was being employed to repair only things the garage provided was larger garage tools and diagnostic kit.

My tool top box along with a load of snap-on kit was stolen from the garage - I was informed it was NOT up to the garage to insure my tools! at the time this was the norm.....
Hand tools for trades people are generally the trades persons responsibility.

I would expect a building company to have its own cement mixer, barrows and larger tools like Kango and wacker and the like maybe even powered plaster mixer.....but not trowels and hammers and chisels and similar. No one expects the kid to have any tools but its expected that even the kid starts to buy his own and look after them....
 
Because you're employed there are issues around PUWER.

What would be your bosses attitude if you turned up with just a trowel, level, hammer and bolster? (rhetorical question - I've dealt with enough building companies to know their typical attitudes)
 
theres also the thing that if you were dismissed for not being able to do the work through lack of tools the employer could be deemed to be acting unfairly if they refused to provide them, unless you had a contract in which it stated that you had to provide your own
 
wilt said:
I know that and you know that, he even probably knows that but i've never had one.
When i tried to explain that if i was self employed i'd fully understand i'd have to supply my own,but he said that there was no difference.
I'm on poor wages and it's the equivalent to 2 weeks a year spending on tools.
Click to expand...

Can you prove he pays you a wage? Something like bank statements would do. Then while you look for a new better job or set up as self employed (both will be better) call HMRC and report your boss. I suspect there could be issues like tax, national insurance and pension down the line. You don't want this.
 
Tax relief for employees..
https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/uniforms-work-clothing-and-tools

There's a flat rate option for construction trades..
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/eimanual/eim32712.htm

If you're spending £500p/a the flat rate option is a bad deal. You'll need to keep track of your receipts and fill out an annual Self Assessment form - this isn't as daunting as it sounds. As long as you give yourself plenty of time the online form is relatively straightforward if you keep up with the receipts through the year and keep all your payslips and P60 filed in order.

Worth ringing HMRC and running it through with them, or dropping Radio 4 Moneybox an email as it's probably something they should cover on a programme as there must be a lot of people not aware of this.
 
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