People owing you money & asking them for it.

[sbl]

Dh is a plumber and people regularly "forget" to pay him.
I've just met one of these forgetful people as they came up to me on the way out of the supermarket to have a look at lo.
I knew this person quite well as I went to college with them.
Anyway she say's Hi and I say oh Hi how are you? Funny we should run into you but we were actually out at your house the other day with a receipt for some jobs dh did for you that were left unpaid.

The reaction....Not me love.
I know she owes the money but now she's denying it dh say's he's not going to bother looking for it and I'm a little annoyed he's making me out to be the bad one.

Did I do the right thing?

 

[AP]

I would have done the same hun! Cant believe she had the audacity to say that though!

 

[sbl]

I couldn't believe it myself. I waited until we got out of the shop so nobody heard and she was embarrassed but I coudn't let it go.
It's quite a substantial amount of money too but dh is too soft.

The use of the word "love" really got to me.

 

[sue_88]

Hmm not quite sure how you can run a business where you then don't get paid.

Any contract signed etc?

If not it would make good sense to introduce something like that for the future.

Unless you can prove she owes the money - she sounds like shes not going to hand it over.

 

[Piggywinkle]

Hmm not quite sure how you can run a business where you then don't get paid.

Any contract signed etc?

If not it would make good sense to introduce something like that for the future.

Unless you can prove she owes the money - she sounds like shes not going to hand it over.

^^ This ^^

Make sure there is paperwork in place for every job, if that's not the case already. With proof, you could take them to the small claims court. Just the threat of this would make a lot of them pay what they owe.

The cheek of it!

 

[sbl]

Of course we have got paper work to prove he has done the work. I did state we went to her house with receipts.
We get half upfront and then half after the work is done, more often than not no one is home when my husband it there so he usually calls back for the money or they call to our house.
Most do this with no problem.
Some close curtains, walk to the other side of the street and even move house to avoid paying their f**king bills.
I'm so annoyed!!

 

[sue_88]

Of course we have got paper work to prove he has done the work. I did state we went to her house with receipts.
We get half upfront and then half after the work is done, more often than not no one is home when my husband it there so he usually calls back for the money or they call to our house.
Most do this with no problem.
Some close curtains, walk to the other side of the street and even move house to avoid paying their f**king bills.
I'm so annoyed!!

In that case, a quick letter through the post threatening court action as PP said (small claims court costs about £70 - not as expensive as people make out)...stipulate the terms of the payment (i.e pay within 14 days) or take action.

People can't just not pay for th stuff they have done, but a lot will try and wriggle out of it. It's down to the business owner to secure their money.

Issue court action regardless of whether they are old friends / known acquintances etc as these are the likely people who will try take advantage.

 

[little_cookie]

How patronizing to call somebody your own age "love". How embarassing for her (and for you!)

Some people have a nerve. Give your DH a kick up the arse. That money isn't just putting food on the table for him- its putting it on the table your child as well.

Its like accepting cheques. My Dad is a driving instructor and will now only accept cash b/cos he would always end up with cheques bouncing and wouldn't do anything about it.

 

[Abz1982]

id deffo pursue it through small claims............just to get back at her for calling you love! I think you can claim the actual costs, and have them pay for what it also cost you to get the money back etc.

 

[little_cookie]

id deffo pursue it through small claims............just to get back at her for calling you love! I think you can claim the actual costs, and have them pay for what it also cost you to get the money back etc.

Assuming you win- yes you can claim the money they owe plus the court costs. Otherwise- your out of pocket for the money and court expenses.

 

[discoclare]

Unfortunately this is standard. I'm sure others self-employed in the same line of work will tell you they have been through the same thing time and time again. My Step dad was a CORGI registered gas engineer and this used to happen to him all the time. Not just in building service type work either, my ex was a graphic designer and was always failing to get full payment from clients (some of whom were well known businesses).

I would write a threatening letter an hope they cave in and pay. But from friends and family I have in these types of work, I think most people just accept that they will end up writing some payments off as bad debt. Your post suggests that you already know that this sort of thing is common in that line of work. People are as****es.

 

[weewdy]

I would get your oh to go back and disconnect the water from outside and refuse toturn it back on until he getsthe money owed to him.

 

[suzib76]

I think your oh needs to sort out a system for billing people and asking for money, followed by court threat if people do not pay

While I agree that it is perfectly ok to ask for payment for a job i think it looks bad professionally for him if his oh is asking people when you randomly bump into them in the street, I would find that very undermining tbh. I have my own business and if we ever have to go anywhere, even just the garage to arrange for the car to get fixed, dh never becomes involved in discussing things as it is my business.

It would be much better if he had a time limit for sending bill 1 followed by bill 2 followed by final reminder followed by official court proceedings letter. People are also much more likely to respond to something official, rather than the tradesmans mrs mentioning it in the street

 

[sbl]

I think your oh needs to sort out a system for billing people and asking for money, followed by court threat if people do not pay

While I agree that it is perfectly ok to ask for payment for a job i think it looks bad professionally for him if his oh is asking people when you randomly bump into them in the street, I would find that very undermining tbh. I have my own business and if we ever have to go anywhere, even just the garage to arrange for the car to get fixed, dh never becomes involved in discussing things as it is my business.

It would be much better if he had a time limit for sending bill 1 followed by bill 2 followed by final reminder followed by official court proceedings letter. People are also much more likely to respond to something official, rather than the tradesmans mrs mentioning it in the street

Thanks for that but if she hadn't had the cheek to come over to me in the street I wouldn't have said anything. The simple fact is I would not allow somebody to come over and have a friendly chat with me while they owe ME and my family money.
This person has moved house and changed her mobile number surely that calls for mentioning it on the street does it not?
While I agree it probably does sound unprofessional, I had no choice but to do so.
If you read back also she has gotten numerous official receipts from us and phone calls.

 

[smileyfaces]

You were absolutely 100% right to say something! Cheeky mare! Realy hope you get your money back x

 

[cat lover]

i would be sooo pissed off, what the hell is wrong with people?!

 

[Abz1982]

i would be sooo pissed off, what the hell is wrong with people?!

its not just people..............i will admit that my work does not pay its suppliers by their payment terms. To the point where we have had a supplier lock lorries in the yard until we pay for the items on the back of the truck (they load then hold it) and a few have gone bust and we at work reckon it is because we will have owed them hundreds of thousands.

Its shocking, but seems to be what big companies do to small ones

 

[smileyfaces]

Abz that is awful

 

[calm]

My parents used to own a bar, and I still remember the cases of people that would have things on the slate. My mum would always make a list, and I remember one couple who swore blind they had never even purchased a long list of things. It makes you feel like you are either mad or stupid! I personally hate asking people for money too, but lately I make myself do it. I think you did the right thing XXXX

 

[Bex84]

My dad had his own small buisness and it was always happening. My parents were struggling to get enough food for us, pay bills etc. We were been told to stay at back of house due to bayliffs and our house was completly tied to his work with the bank. My dad made us promice never to have own buisness. They couldent even just close due to debt as would have meant my parents lost our house. People are awful when they dont pay and dont realise how they can effect that persons life