Tricky customer Quibbling price after emergency job, what would you do?

[Agent-Arb]

Evening all, the other morning about to have a yard day I got called out to an emergency. A mate who does the odd day gardening at a big country hall. He’s seen this fair to medium size unsafe tree, & it’s a building site so builders & plenty of rubbish/rubble/wood with nails lying about in piles under & around it. Mate was talking between me & owner & reckons the guys ok, so I went.

 

Hours drive away. 6 hours later, safely down, snedded & cut into chunks a triple stemmed 50-60ft chestnut. 2 stems failed, & last one cracking & delaminating towards greenhouse & hedge. Had to use couple of ropes, Land Rover to pull & a tether off one of the failed stems laying over the ditch out the back to make it down safe. Customer didn’t want any damage. Would have took half the time to just drop it & make safe.

 

Price agreed verbally with customer before leaving site, but not before starting - nor over phone before I set off in first place (I know, I know).

 

Got email next day from customer. After agreeing to my price face to face, he’s now an expert as he’s rung local tree surgeons asking how much to fell a tree & got prices ranging from £95 to £200. Says I need to revisit my pricing as I’m completely out of market range. I’d said £450 - justified by; the danger, the safe completion, turning up with & using £20k+ worth of kit & 20+years experience.

 

I replied saying I shudder to think what he’d have got for 200, nevermind 95 knowing it was pretty involved to have done it safely. But was respectful & explained my overheads for him so he could see what he was paying for.

 

This morning he comes back with that he’s insulted, & knows how business works as he used to be very high up in legal for a main bank. He’s only prepared to pay £200 non-negotiable, one time only offer.

 

Never had a non-payer yet. Nor a haggler after the event !!!

 

What have you got folks, anyone else had this?

 

Thanks

[Mick Dempsey]

Tell him he can have it for free, on the condition he never phones you again.

initially it’ll hurt, but later on you’ll like yourself more.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 21, 2018 by Mick Dempsey

[Mick Dempsey]

Here’s the letter...

 

Dear sir,

 

I accept your offer of 200 quid, but rather than pay me, take it out in cash and stick it up your arse.

 

Don't ever call me again.

 

 

 

Edited October 21, 2018 by Mick Dempsey

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

and....  have a look at your pricing, yeah, I know, everyone has their own ideas, but £450 sounds like you're already taking one in the ass!

[felixthelogchopper]

Ignore his email, put your invoice in with the deadline for payment and stick to it. If he doesn't pay up in time, second invoice with 14 days to pay or action through small claims court. Don't descend into negotiation. He agreed the price which doesn't sound unreasonable to me.

[Mick Dempsey]

3 minutes ago, felixthelogchopper said:

Ignore his email, put your invoice in with the deadline for payment and stick to it. If he doesn't pay up in time, second invoice with 14 days to pay or action through small claims court. Don't descend into negotiation. He agreed the price which doesn't sound unreasonable to me.

Some things are worth more than money.

[felixthelogchopper]

Just now, Mick Dempsey said:

Some things are worth more than money.

Some things are. This isn't. The customer is a dick who is chancing his arm. Do you honestly think he is going to give a tuppenny shite about what somebody says to him? Water off a duck's back would be my call.

[Agent-Arb]

Nice one fellas, like it Mick yes I can think of some really satisfying lines to kiss goodbye to an easy settlement but I’d rather get the whole amount due.
Kev, that’s without a groundy wage of £150 as my mate did that & he’s being paid by customer - but all the same very good point! I expect some handwringing coming soon over knocking off £150 from my bill for paying that a gardener/groundy lol!
Felix, nothing in writing though - where do I stand?
Thanks

[Mark Bolam]

I wouldn’t ever bother trying to justify anything to a twat like that.

Felix has given the right answer, although I would be very, very tempted by Mick’s plan.

[tree-fancier123]

11 minutes ago, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

I know, everyone has their own ideas, but £450 sounds like you're already taking one in the ass!

even if it was him alone, no one else to pay and no arisings to cart?