Here we go

[hammers4spanner]

Before the site changed over i had a thread about a landlady messing me about over a boiler repair.She had me go out diagnose a fault then without me knowing had another engineer doing the same .
Anyway without going into it she has said doesnt want me to order the parts now , so im going to charge 50 pound diagnostic as she wasted quite a bit of my time.

However i feel she us going go be very awkward over this as she has already said about not wanting to pay that.

So wondered has anyone here chased small amounts of money like this ??

 

[Millsy 82]

It should be easier to chase people but for small amounts I've got 2 outstanding and not going to bother.

What would you do take them to small claims and lose half a day for £50. I have been very tempted but just let it go.

 

[hammers4spanner]

It should be easier to chase people but for small amounts I've got 2 outstanding and not going to bother.

What would you do take them to small claims and lose half a day for £50. I have been very tempted but just let it go.

That is my feeling but i worked it out once and over a year it adds up to about 300 quid where customers just play the merchant banker over paying.
This landlady really gave me the run around as well so pretty annoyed with her attitude about this

 

[Millsy 82]

I have been fairly lucky in that over my first few years I had 1 non payer of £62 but since I came back I've had 2 of £40 each (a special offer of me coming back)

I am noticing more and more think it's ok to pay you in 2/3 weeks time. Even just stand there when you say that will be x amount as if to say oh you want paying now do you. Which is why I have got a card machine and am going to start collecting payment before I leave.

 

[hammers4spanner]

I have a card machine and it made no difference all i heard was a whole host of excuses of delaying payment.
The problem here is its a landlord so i very rarely see these customers its done through text or email

 

[Scott_D]

Do you have a home address?

 

[Welder]

I have a card machine and it made no difference all i heard was a whole host of excuses of delaying payment.
The problem here is its a landlord so i very rarely see these customers its done through text or email

Firstly I'll wager you got a feeling that these people are going to be 'trouble' when you first talk to them. That is actually quite normal. What it is, is your subconscious (including all your life experience) telling you there is something wrong. What isn't 'normal', for blokes at least, is 'listening' to that feeling and then acting upon it. START!

When you get that 'feeling', because normally they are new customers, simply ask for payment up front. If they are genuine they will pay. If they are not they won't. If they don't walk away. No one needs more bloody idiots as customers.

At this point everyone says, "Yes but what if ..." The FACTS are that good customers NEVER act like d1cks on day one. EVER. Stop fretting and start listening to your condensed life experience (feelings) and you will be a whole lot more stress free.

No one can ever take away the stress of being self employed. The paranoia of not knowing where your next job is going to come from is simply a part of it. Learn not to worry. If you are any good, work will ALWAYS come in.

 

[Deleted member 96286]

Why leave the job and not get paid in the first place? As soon as I'm finished, out comes my card machine and the customer knows it's pay up time. We plumbers don't have time to mess around chasing up payments and there are customers out there who know that there's diddly squat you can do if they don't pay wee amounts like £50 bills.
Get the money while you're there, don't give credit on orders under £500 and if it's a return visit involving purchasing materials, get a 50% deposit with the balance payable on completion of the works.
Don't give credit, we aren't a charity.

 

[hammers4spanner]

Why leave the job and not get paid in the first place? As soon as I'm finished, out comes my card machine and the customer knows it's pay up time. We plumbers don't have time to mess around chasing up payments and there are customers out there who know that there's diddly squat you can do if they don't pay wee amounts like £50 bills.
Get the money while you're there, don't give credit on orders under £500 and if it's a return visit involving purchasing materials, get a 50% deposit with the balance payable on completion of the works.
Don't give credit, we aren't a charity.

It was a landlady so never saw her so couldnt get payment, i have her home address so could be a case of dogs muck smeared up the car door handle

 

[Deleted member 96286]

It was a landlady so never saw her so couldnt get payment, i have her home address so could be a case of dogs muck smeared up the car door handle

Or turn the water off in the street in the wee small hours and pour concrete down the Toby

 

[Aire]

Bill for diagnostics, send a couple reminder letters if required but after that it's not worth your time. You'll just know not to work for her again.

 

[firemant]

Did you explain, or send, your T and C’s

 

[hammers4spanner]

Yes she knew i charged for diagnostic as i worked for her before . She has suddenly denied all knowledge of this which is convenient

 

[Deleted member 96286]

Yes she knew i charged for diagnostic as i worked for her before . She has suddenly denied all knowledge of this which is convenient

She sounds like a right roaster mate, and you're better counting your losses and getting shot of her.

 

[Best]

If you wanted to go the Small Claims route it would mean if you win the Landlady would get a CCJ against her if she failed to pay.
Might be worth it.
Just make sure you send invoices and final warning before taking it to the court.
Surprise her.

 

[Jock Spanners]

I believe that what goes around comes around. Most of the bullies from my school ended up in prison. The last customer who ripped me off to the tune of about £400 was in my local paper today being banned for drink driving. Life's too short to worry about the tossers. Put in behind you and don't spare her another thought. I've been self-employed a long time and I've learned that the moment I suspect there's going to be a problem with payment to walk away. I'd rather watch daytime tv than work for nothing.

 

[hammers4spanner]

We had our wash machine conk out yesterday so her indoors got a someone out to sort the brushes out.
We started chatting about getting paid and both had same stories , however he said as most of his invoices are small payments if they don't pay he just takes them to court.
Said he has never lost even tho they wiggle and lie about it all . Wont batter an eyelid about taking them which i thought was interesting.He did say about one time where he repaired the appliance went out to get invoice book and a card reader and they closed the door and locked it , said tried phoning no answer and called through letter box lol



cheek of some

 

[Millsy 82]

I worked with a carpenter and a phone company fined him something stupid like £40 which he point blank refused to pay.

About 7 or 8 years later he tried to get a mortgage and got refused as he had a ccj to his name and it was that £40.

The big boys can do so I suppose we should do it too.

 

[hammers4spanner]

Well got a fictitious email from her yesterday claiming all usual balony we have all heard before to avoid payment.

The twist however is that she is a copper which could make things awkward if i do decide to push through.

 

[firemant]

I worked with a carpenter and a phone company fined him something stupid like £40 which he point blank refused to pay.

About 7 or 8 years later he tried to get a mortgage and got refused as he had a ccj to his name and it was that £40.

The big boys can do so I suppose we should do it too.

Was he claiming he did not know about the CCJ?

 

[Millsy 82]

Well got a fictitious email from her yesterday claiming all usual balony we have all heard before to avoid payment.

The twist however is that she is a copper which could make things awkward if i do decide to push through.

Be nice. Be professional and then send a letter recorded delivery requesting full payment within 30 days then leave it. Then take her to court. It will definitely be frowned upon in her career.

 

[Millsy 82]

Was he claiming he did not know about the CCJ?

He said he didnt think they would take it that far.

 

[hammers4spanner]

Its funny if you park your car on a private car parking area and overstay , they are all over you like a rash with theeats of court.

What i found odd from her email she states she has since moved and i am not to send anything at all to any address of hers. Contact through email only.

 

[Millsy 82]

Its funny if you park your car on a private car parking area and overstay , they are all over you like a rash with theeats of court.

What i found odd from her email she states she has since moved and i am not to send anything at all to any address of hers. Contact through email only.

They are all over you but rarely take you to court as it's not worth it.

 

[Scott_D]

Its funny if you park your car on a private car parking area and overstay , they are all over you like a rash with theeats of court.

What i found odd from her email she states she has since moved and i am not to send anything at all to any address of hers. Contact through email only.

Maybe reply that you need an address for the the CCJ / debt collector so will have to send it to what ever police force she works for to be forwarded on