Are "cashies" killing your business?

With the IRD signalling that they will be targeting “cashies” and take a harder view of overdue tax debt for construction sector businesses, it’s never been more vital to get your cashflow sorted.

The IRD release suggests they are aware of an increasing number of construction businesses doing “cashies” and will be looking to crackdown on these businesses, threatening legal action and pursuing those with overdue tax debt.

Their parting message to tradies was “Do the right thing and get your outstanding debt and returns sorted now.”

While cashies may seem like a harmless way of boosting cash in your pocket, the real effect on your businesses cashflow can be devastating.

You see for every job you do as a “cashy” your business misses out on cashflow to pay for materials & labour (and tax), you can’t credit check the individual or company you are doing work for, and you can’t send unpaid “cashies” for collection if things go wrong.

This can quickly lead to a debt spiral and the lack of cashflow can kill a business.

While tax compliance is not our business, we can help with your cashflow. Which in turn can help you meet your compliance obligations.

 

Our recommendations are;

  1. Ensure you have robust terms of trade

Your terms should clearly set out what happens if there’s a dispute, cover your costs for collection if things go wrong and give you permission to complete a credit check on your new customer.

  1. Credit check your new customers

Take the guesswork out of onboarding new customers. Our credit reports will give you everything you need to know to make an informed decision as to the credit worthiness of your new customers.

  1. Lodge your overdue debts early

Lodge your overdue debts at 90 days. Our experience suggests that the earlier a debt is loaded for collection the higher the chance we can collect it for you and get cash back in your bank account.

 

What you need to do;

  1. Register online to load debts and run credit checks on new customers
  2. Book a meeting with your local business support specialist and get your terms sorted

Get more information

Your local business support specialist can assess your situation and provide recommendations on the best credit management solution for you.

Call us today at 0800 324 768 or fill in the form and we will get in touch as soon as possible.

See what our clients are saying:

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Nicky Hughes profile picture
Nicky Hughes
1 November 2026
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EC Credit are excellent at assisting in debt collection. They are organised and efficient. The team understand the best way to work with individuals and businesses to obtain results. T=EC have access to the best legal support needed to navigate the tricky work of statements of claims, statutory demands and other legal tools. I have worked with other providers and can confirm the results from EC are better. In one recent case we secured a 100% recovery of monies owed.
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Jess Browne profile picture
Jess Browne
1 November 2026
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Very efficient, quick response. proactive. Excellent communication and support.
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Jamie Pohl profile picture
Jamie Pohl
16 October 2026
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EC Credit Control have been fantastic to work with. They made updating our Terms of Trade a smooth and straightforward process, and their team has been responsive and helpful every step of the way. Highly recommend their services.
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Voiptel Business profile picture
Voiptel Business
7 October 2026
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Implementing any new system can be challenging. Changing our terms and conditions was pretty much painless with Tony. He came in to assist with the Xero and Workflowmax integration and didn't leave until we had it working. The only thing I would like to suggest is you sort out Tony's outgoing calling ID so that it doesn't look like he is in Hawkes Bay. This is something we do and can assist you with.
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Sam Bennett profile picture
Sam Bennett
5 September 2026
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They have helped us from when we started our plumbing business. Very helpful along the way. Ascend Plumbing
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Keith Tarsau profile picture
Keith Tarsau
28 August 2026
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Great team, great communication and great results. Thank you so much for your help!
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Alicia Mander profile picture
Alicia Mander
26 August 2026
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I've used EC Credit Control for a number of years across several different companies and have consistently had a positive experience. They provided a comprehensive set of Terms of Trade that were practical, well-structured, and easy to implement within our business. A particular mention goes to Shaun Irvin, who was excellent to deal with throughout the process. His communication was prompt, professional, and clear, making the entire engagement straightforward and efficient. Based on my experience, EC Credit Control delivers a reliable service backed by knowledgeable staff who genuinely understand the needs of New Zealand businesses. I would happily recommend them to any organisation looking for credit management support, documentation, or advice.
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Doug Vause profile picture
Doug Vause
24 August 2026
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I am very happy to endorse the work and accomplishments of our experience with EC Credit Control. The initial sales connections were collegial and constructive as they guided us through the process, never rushing and letting us set the pace. Ordinarily, we don't incur bad debts, but a client had problems processing our payments due to an internal systems problem, and we needed help. Once engaged, EC Credit Control were very effective, with a very quick payment from our client. Evidently, they treated our client with courtesy and respect, and we maintain positive relations with our client. Well done, thank you.
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NZFADE
19 August 2026
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Brilliant company, had a debt sorted within a week, that had taken a month on my end to sort. Thank you.
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