Not sure where you are but I think its common everywhere....
We asked some one to do an urgent job for us last year and never heard from them again, price etc was never even discused so we waited but nothing so then asked a local person who we like, and is very handy, he came and did the job and we agreed on sevaral other jobs for a fixed price to be paid monthy, he though that was a brill idea as it was getting near christmas, we bought what he needed (still have some stuff ) and he did one or two jobs and to be honest made a bit of a bodge of some of them but that was our fault as he is no tradesman, then he never turned up when he said so we held onto the rest of the money, he never finished stuff and now he has a bad back!!!!!!!!! Jobs are still not done, we went to a party next door and there a man is doing up an empty house and every tradesman he has contacted has not turned up...cash in hand, name your price type stuff like we were going to do......
.I do not understand it either!!!!!!!