Customer not paying bill in full, what can I do

[JonnySouth]

Hi all, I'm new on here but wanna pick some brains. I've recently finished a job I was doing boarding out a loft inc fitting light, and erecting a plastic shed in a rear garden and also cutting down some large branches which were over hanging the garden.

I quoted and did two quotes for the shed, one was for fitting shed on slabs and the other was just for fitting on a level area soiled area in the garden, (she requested this quote).

Anyways she went for the cheaper quote, and it worked out to 1 and half days work. I started in the garden with the branches and then moved onto levelling the soil, however the ground was really uneven and ideally a slab base was required, so I left that and jumped on the loft stuff which I finished by the end of the day.

She got home from work and I told her about my issues with laying it straight onto the soil and that the shed wouldn't sit right, however she insisted that was how she wanted it. I siad was wasn't happy about doing it that way, but if she was happy then so be it.

Right, so turned up the next day to finish off and she asked me when I was going to finish off the loft boarding. I told her I'd finished and she said she thought I was doing 6m x 10m!! I said that I'd only quoted for 6ft x 10ft, (this is when alarm bells started ringing), she disagreed and thought I was trying to diddle her at which point I told her she could check all my receipts against what I'd quoted, this seemed to shut her up although she wasn't happy. She then asked me to do some more boaring in the loft and she would pay the extra for materials and labour.

So I went out got the materials, did more boarding, and then started on the shed, this was around 2pm. I managed to level off the site as best as I could and erect all the walls and doors, but ran out of light to finish off the shed. I told her I could come back Saturday morning to finish off the shed, but she said her son could do that and not to worry.

I sent my invoice and she sent me a cheque but omitted £90 as I hadn't completed the works as originally quoted! I asked her for extra and she told me if I wanted it I'd have to take her to court!!!

This pi$$es me off big time and I wanna know what I can do, I've been advised to forget it and don't even bother going through the courts as its pointless and can cost.

Some advice please Thanks.

Jon

 

[nickso]

brick her window.

 

[JonnySouth]

Believe me I want to, thought about slashing her tyres also my missus won't let me tho Doesn't want me doing anything criminal. I've also thought about going round on xmas eve late, and turning off the water to the house so no water for xmas day

 

[Mark Br]

All depends how strongly you feel about it:-

Option 1 - call her bluff and take her to small claims court, probably enough to scare her in paying

Option 2 - give it a just over a year, Christmas eve turn her stop cock off and fill it with concrete

Option 3 - forget it, and never cross her door again.

Good luck, I hate customers like this.

 

[1john]

Small claims court will cost you about £30 and she will have to pay it when she loses, I would do it on principle, for any amount of money no exceptions. If you are in the business of giving £90 away then you can send me £90 too!!!!!

 

[Mark Br]

Small claims court will cost you about £30 and she will have to pay it when she loses, I would do it on principle, for any amount of money no exceptions. If you are in the business of giving £90 away then you can send me £90 too!!!!!

On principle I would do the same. Has only come to it once and she settled before it got to court.

 

[1john]

even if it doesn't work you are only down £30 and they have a CCJ against them.

 

[studips]

you will have to appear in court, so you will lose a days work, half a day if you are lucky.

don't forget to charge for that lost days work having to sue her. i don't know ifd you can do that, but worth finding out.

otherwise, expanding foam up the exhaust pipe and onto the brakes of all 4 wheels

 

[1john]

If it goes that far then AFAIK you can claim for your lost earnings. Most people just pay up.

 

[mattylad]

Petrol on the shed, a lighter in hand and a request for the money.

Light a cigarette and throw it away.. whoosh - I bet the shed costs her more.

 

[londonboy]

Petrol on the shed, a lighter in hand and a request for the money.

Light a cigarette and throw it away.. whoosh - I bet the shed costs her more.

You've been watching too many die hards!

 

[JonnySouth]

Thanks for all the advice, would love to burn her shed down tho. Luckily this is the first time this has ever happened to me, I think I start with the court proceedings I'll let you all know how I get on...If I fail you'll probably see me on crimewatch

 

[joinerjohn]

As suggested concrete in her outside stop tap for mains water (after turning off the water at night. (Or turn it almost off ) Personally, I'd use Postcrete.

 

[nickso]

As suggested concrete in her outside stop tap for mains water (after turning off the water at night. (Or turn it almost off ) Personally, I'd use Postcrete.

hmm, quick setting.

 

[HandyHands]

Before you proceed with the legal proceedings, send her another invoice/reminder, stating a date by which the outstanding balance must be paid. Make it clear that if the balance isn't paid, then you will commence legal proceedings against her for the outstanding balance, interest on the outstanding balance, and all your legal expenses.

I've only had to take this route twice in the past 6 years, and in both instances the customer paid up - 1 after the warning letter, and the other after starting the process (a £60 bill for a weekend callout ended up costing them 3 times as much)

There are a number of example letters on the internet with the correct wording - just have a google. Good luck.