When the customer does not pay

[Johny Walker]

Sunday mornings ive found are the best time to go and bang on the door for those domestic customers that dont keep to their part of the deal.

Couple of weeks ago we had 2 days work for 4 of us at a big country pile,arrangement as usual - payment at time of completion.

The 'lady' came out as we were finishing off to thank us and i said i will come up to the house in a few minutes to pick up the cheque. Took me 45 minutes of ringing the bell,phoning her,walking around the outside of the house,outbuildings and pool,until she finally in mock surprise opened the door and said i suppose you want paying now. I knew she was around somewhere and i wasnt going to leave on principle until i'd got paid,even with the guys sitting waitng in the truck on full pay.

 

thats just fking ignorant :thumbdown:

[bumble B]

Fair enough it may say in your quote about risings belonging to client. If you ruin his £20k landscaped front drive dropping them back off then you face prosecution. Make payment clear in your terms. I like the 50% up front, how many other trades do this.

[Mortimer Firewood]

On big landscaping jobs I ask for the cost of materials before job commences and usually around 30% of the labour costs at the end of the first week.

With tree work it's usually 1 or 2 day jobs so we don't ask for deposit if it was any longer I would want a deposit.

Payment terms are on our quotes that's 7 days for domestic and 30 days for commercial thankfully we don't do much commercial as both times I've been caught out for jobs in there thousands have been commercial. One time it was my fault foe not doing the research on the company before hand the second the firm went bust

[Gary Prentice]

Due to a change in circumstances, I'm becoming more involved in this facet of the business. So far, I've been successful in the commercial work by going to the person that I've dealt with on site or for the actual tender. By ringing or emailing them, stating we're a small business and can't offer extended credit I've got prompt payment.

 

Once or twice I've had to go higher, if the accounts department offer excuses ive just asked who I need to speak to, what time does he arrive at the office because I'll be sat in reception waiting to speak to him etc.

 

If I'm told we are getting paid on Monday, and we don't I'm on the phone Tuesday and telling them I'll collect a cheque that day.

 

 

Tbh, I have no scruples. If the jobs completed to the spec. I want paying. We've earnt it, it's our money and I want it

[felixthelogchopper]

Due to a change in circumstances, I'm becoming more involved in this facet of the business. So far, I've been successful in the commercial work by going to the person that I've dealt with on site or for the actual tender. By ringing or emailing them, stating we're a small business and can't offer extended credit I've got prompt payment.

 

Once or twice I've had to go higher, if the accounts department offer excuses ive just asked who I need to speak to, what time does he arrive at the office because I'll be sat in reception waiting to speak to him etc.

 

If I'm told we are getting paid on Monday, and we don't I'm on the phone Tuesday and telling them I'll collect a cheque that day.

 

 

Tbh, I have no scruples. If the jobs completed to the spec. I want paying. We've earnt it, it's our money and I want it

 

Hit the nail on the head there.

[Gray git]

Did a job in a house owned by an army office who rented it out, all went well till trying to get payed as he was posted abroad on active service so I cut a bit of slack till it got to nearly 6 months down the line after not a lot of response I lost my rag and went to local army base and demanded to see the desk Clark who then directed me to a rather high ranking offices door, after 10min of explaining the situation and showing him all the papertrail, a little computer searching I got told to leave it with him and if I'd heard nothing in 2 days come back and start formal complaint proceedings. Money was in my account by the time I got home and looked.

Wish I could have sat in on that conversation! Turns out they take a dim view of offices not paying bills.

[Philip Anderson]

I quote for jobs most of the time except for doing the odd 'day-rate'.

 

My rules are, and without exception; 50% up front. Work starts when those funds are cleared. I ask for the payment in a cheque a week ahead to cover the 5 day clearance rule or BACS payment which is usually within two hours.

 

In doing business this way I'm covered for any expenses, can immediately pay my staff if I have priced for extra help and shows a commitment from both parties, my client and myself.

codlasher.

 

Not a lot of trust there then ,I ve been nearly on the other end of that sort of policy with a builder up front stage payments went bust 3 months after my job!!

I prefer to work on trust, they trust me domestic or commercial customers to do the job I trust them to pay if not procedure in place to deal with it and set out in terms and conditions ,in 30 years trading only a handful of bad debtors all dealt with in small claims court satisfactorily I'm not about to ask little old ladies for 50% up front as I think personally its a bit sharp practice.

As for the original post why would you tip a load of chip on drive after you have been paid ? Learn from it and move on.

[chippermonkey]

Not a lot of trust there then ,I ve been nearly on the other end of that sort of policy with a builder up front stage payments went bust 3 months after my job!!

I prefer to work on trust, they trust me domestic or commercial customers to do the job I trust them to pay if not procedure in place to deal with it and set out in terms and conditions ,in 30 years trading only a handful of bad debtors all dealt with in small claims court satisfactorily I'm not about to ask little old ladies for 50% up front as I think personally its a bit sharp practice.

As for the original post why would you tip a load of chip on drive after you have been paid ? Learn from it and move on.

 

Just to be clear, the question was for future non payments situations, of course it was not for someone who has paid???

[hamdogg]

I've never had trouble with domestic! Very rare it's not payment on the day!! Infact I never leave without it really

[codlasher]

Not a lot of trust there then ,I ve been nearly on the other end of that sort of policy with a builder up front stage payments went bust 3 months after my job!!

I prefer to work on trust, they trust me domestic or commercial customers to do the job I trust them to pay if not procedure in place to deal with it and set out in terms and conditions ,in 30 years trading only a handful of bad debtors all dealt with in small claims court satisfactorily I'm not about to ask little old ladies for 50% up front as I think personally its a bit sharp practice.

As for the original post why would you tip a load of chip on drive after you have been paid ? Learn from it and move on.

 

No trust at all. I was caught too many times as a young fellow and at the end of the day it is my business and part time staff who suffer. After 38 years I'm happy to operate this way. I don't see it as sharp, just realistic!

 

I'm relaxed with old customers and they know the score with a cheque on the kitchen table when I turn up.

As for little old ladies. I have two, one in her late 70's and one in her later 80's. Both insist on handing me wads of cash immediately and I say 'at the end of the job please' These are usually 'day raters', mind.

 

I have just quoted for an old man aged 79 and he has just written a cheque, according to my requirements, for over £2k and is happy to do so!

This is a new customer and as I came highly recommended doesn't see any of this imagined 'sharp' practice at all:biggrin:

 

Interestingly I have never had to resort to the small claims court. I have done the Sunday morning visits, dressed in my best suit with copies of the invoice in my hand. But I think the last time I had to do this I was under 30, so over 25 years ago.

 

I think that once you have reached 30 you can tell the 'chancers' and also have enough regular work from a diverse client base to run solely on recommendation and avoid those who may be difficult. Don't forget that their reputation also preceeds them.

codlasher