Customer Wont pay

[hounddog 4]

get the £1000 first mate then try for the rest, if they don't pay make them spend the £850 on some new window's

[MuttleMcTuttle 21]

Hounddog's suggestion is a good one, but could possibly get you into further trouble...

 

It sounds like they are taking the p*ss and make a habit of this sort of thing. Personally, I'd take them to court as I think you have a fair case and the price you charged for the work doesn't seem unreasonable. Sounds as if you didn't give them a quote for the extra work, and in any case, an estimate is only an estimate.

 

In the past we have taken a few cases through the small claims court, which was a fairly simple procedure, and we did get the money eventually. Good luck, hope you get your money because there are a lot of twats out there who think they can get away with this sort of thing.

[Guest buster321c]

HAd an indian do a similar thing with a front door once . He tried to haggle the price , then said he only had x amount and ide have to have it , even though he`d been given a quote and agreed the price . After half an hour , i lifted the door off the hindges , put it in the van and went . He phoned me in 15 minutes saying he had all the money , cheeky twat .

[martyn789 0]

thats good advice!!!!! i once did a fencing job for some asians who tryed to blag the price after job was done so i started ripping it all out and the fecker soon payed up then!!!!!!!!

i had the same problem with the Asians when i block paved there drive patio and put up a fence for the and they didn't wont to pay so i riped the fence dawn then i dug the patio and the drive up with the jcb and left it in a big pile on the drive they phoned the police and the sed you should have payed me and there is nothing that they could do

[fin and fur 2]

I would agree with the suggestion that you take these people to court, find a good lawyer local to you who specialises in this sort of work.

 

May i also suggest that in future you consider joining an organisation such as the professional contractors group etc who will help out with such legal issues should they arise in future, i think they charge somewhere around £140 per yr, which could be worth every penny and more if you come up against non-payers again

 

all the best

 

fin and fur

Edited August 29, 2009 by fin and fur

[Malt 379]

There was a a bloke like that round here, he was well known for it. He owns a good few properties dotted around the place, & caught quite a few of the local boys before people cottoned on to him. It's a small place around here and he can't get no one to do his maintenance work know.

 

The worst was when he had a concrete pattern print drive done. It was a huge job, £16,000 worth. He tried to get out of paying for it because there were a few hairline cracks here & there. It went to court, an inspector was sent out. He went back to court & said it was one of the tidiest jobs he's ever seen. Result was the bloke then had to pay the £16,000, something like £2000 interest, and £1500 court costs,

 

Some of these people get away with it once, then try to do it to every tradesman. I know one plumber who went back into a property and stripped the new boiler out, and refused to come back and refit it unless the customer paid the original agreed price, and the cost of refitting it up front. It worked!

[Foxgun Tom 75]

I was a self employed contractor for over 20 years in the building industry and there is a massive difference between a quote and an estimate, a quote is a fixed price and if accepted it!! is a contract wether verbal or written an estimate is open to fluctuation and and agreement should always be arrived at, with both parties!!

 

You can always sue them in the small claims court at your local sherrif court? this is'nt as costly as it sounds! as the paper work is supplied by the court and all you have to do is fill in the details of the monies claimed and what for, these people obviousley own their own home and thats an asset!! if your successful with your claim you can demand that sherrif officers do a poinding with a view to selling some of their possesions, The first time a letter appears from court is when most people pay up??

 

I once sued a guy for just over £1,500 he refused to pay!! the court sequestrated him threatened to sell his house, and it cost the stupid fecker nearly £8,000 because of costs incurred which were awarded against him.

 

check with your local sheriff clerks office the cost of serving a summary cause notice on the fecker!! you'l be surprised at how inexpensive and easy it is!! as the law in Scotland changed a few years ago allowing the public/small firms to pursue debts owed to them. The fact they're also in breach of contract re: the quote which they accepted could also cost them? but!! that would be expensive to take to court?

 

 

Tom

[greatwhitehunter 47]

happened to a friend of mine and he said he would take off wat he installed, they refused to let him in the house. after that he told them he would get some "friends" to knock the door and they would let him in. they soon payed up....

 

id do the same, its theft mate its asif they just crashed into your £5000 car and it got scrrapped but theyw ill only offr you £2000. they are cheeky b*****ds, makes you want to get violent on them .....

[micky 3,325]

A few years back ,i rebuilt a chimney for a old lady ,when it was all finised ,the gutters cleaned out, ,and the scaffold down ,and taken away, she complained about the work ,and refused to pay,after a weeks argueing, iwent round ,i took the old bricks out of the skip and stacked them in her garden ,then went up on the roof and slung the new chimney into the skip,pots as well ,she took ME to court ,and i had to pay £675, which included £40 for a telly areail which wasnt there in the first place.

ALLWAYS GET STAGE PAYMENTS, AND IF YOU CAN ,TAKE PICTURES.