When clients refuse to pay...

[Ty Korrigan]

Update...

I went around to visit the old bird.

Plain and clear that she didn't want to pay up.

Grumbled about me being expensive blah blah blah.

Then she went off to in her own words (French of course)

'To scratch the bottom of the draw'...

I got 300euros out of the 474 owed and I still have to return and prune her roses for free...

[Rich Rule]

Update...

I went around to visit the old bird.

Plain and clear that she didn't want to pay up.

Grumbled about me being expensive blah blah blah.

Then she went off to in her own words (French of course)

'To scratch the bottom of the draw'...

I got 300euros out of the 474 owed and I still have to return and prune her roses for free...

 

as she seems to have forgotten 174 Euros off the bill, I would forget the roses.

[Mozza]

as she seems to have forgotten 174 Euros off the bill, I would forget the roses.

 

Exactly, No way id be going back!!

[Mesterh]

[quote=Ty Korrigan;244207

I got 300euros out of the 474 owed and I still have to return and prune her roses for free...

 

I woulda stamped on them on the way out mate:thumbup1:

 

Or/and fertilized them:sneaky2:

[Ty Korrigan]

Well...

I've got to face her again as we have her grass contract for 2010...

Although I don't cut her lawns my associate does and we don't want to lose her custom.

Cheers lads!

[Albedo]

Ty

 

Its really good getting your input from France, I used to work over there selling metal craftwork stuff that I used to weld together, mostly Narbonne and Lyon out of an old VW transporter with my welding shop in the back and living in the bit in the middle for about 2 years.

 

Didn't reply to your bit in the 'what does it cost' .... thread as the maths was too much for me, but I know how punitive the tax, social security is, and got quite close to gaining a 'carte de sejour' ... long story

 

This was years ago and my french is not so good now, my spanish is better so can speak FranSpan with you a bit.

 

Anyway, Sounds like you don't have a problem with the language barrier, reading between the lines, but will ask anyway - Could this be a factor in any misunderstandings with said putain de client?

[Tree Man Tom]

Well...

I've got to face her again as we have her grass contract for 2010...

Although I don't cut her lawns my associate does and we don't want to lose her custom.

Cheers lads!

 

Unless she makes up 20% of your yearly income mate id be tempted to walk away. Sometimes it just isnt worth all the hassel and stress, the time spent arguing with her over money you could be out getting other jobs. Just my bit of input..

[BigRedDog]

I've only had it happen to me once, but in this case it was an oak frame, delivered and installed exactly as per the signed and engineered spec. The last stage payment was 4.5k, most of which I owed as wages to men. After the second excuse I knew I was getting screwed, after the 4th excuse I asked if they were having money problems as I could wait, but I'd need to know so I could sort out how I was going to pay my bills. They were apparently so offened by this they had decided not to pay. Thats when I snapped. Its OK, I'll take it back I said, it's in the contract all materials are mine till final payment. I wouldn't dare do that, they'd call the police. If I get on that roof with a chainsaw, by the time the police get to me it'll all be firewood. I had my cheque 30mins later.

The worst bit of it all was of all the difficult and picky people I have to work for these were the one's I'd least expected it from, such nice people, so happy with the work, over the moon, Jehovas Witness' no less.

 

Getting a reputation for being soft is just as bad for business as getting a rep for being crap I'd say. So long as your work is up to scratch you shouldn't have to deal with this stuff. I have to agree with the other post, I'd put it all back on the lawn and walk away if you have to.

[Mac McLennan]

I think asking people to sign things puts them off.

 

They need to trust you as much as you need to trust them.

 

Out of the last 1000 jobs I have done, I have only had one that did exactly the same as Grahams client 4 posts above.

 

The only difference is he told me over the phone, but he instantly paid when I knocked on his door.

 

Is it really worth showing distrust of everyone of your clients for the sake of one in a thousand.

 

I'd only request a contract on large jobs or jobs for the construction industry

 

Totally agree with Dean. In fact the only people I normally need to chase up ARE the commercial people who 'I have' done paperwork for.

[jonathan hall]

we can all fall foul to this, esp. when a neighbour pops there head over the wall and asks you to do an impromtu job.

i keep a triplicate book in the wagon, for those quick jobs.

for the cost of £2.00 its a winner.