[simbo]

Hi,
I have been refused payment by a building company on stock cleans. I was taken on to clean just sparkle 6 houses month one windows in and out plus hoover dust etc, next month just hoover dust.
I was called to do a handover clean which i have done but before i got there company man on the phone ranting at me for not being there etc, did not give a time but turns out the purcheser was with him. He went on that the toilets had not been flushed and had caused a smell, anyway fair point but i only flush toilets and put down limescale remover on handover due to the risk of any leaking i might be unaware of.
 Did the clean and fella pleasant enough but hurrying me along a little even helping out, made my apologies and on my way. The following day i get a call to say they will not pay my invoices as i could not have done the cleans and basically saying i had not even been to the sites even though on first visit 2 of their men were working on house i was in and having to pick up keys from estate agents.
Whilst i do see his point on the toilets i feel this is completely out of order saying we had not done anything, would you take them to court over this as it only £300 but i am angry.
paul

[BDCS]

Its what you really think that counts. Do you think you deserve to be paid ? if yes then persue it to the end, if not walk away and sack yourself. I use Daniel Silverman to chase debts

[Adam P]

maybe say that you'll accept something in the middle else you'll have to chase the money through courts etc. i'd say if you'd done the work you should be paid even if it wasn't satisfactory as from what i understand this wasn't 1 days clean but 2 months? they had plenty of time to let you know they weren't happy with the standards if so. also £300 for 2 months seems cheap.

[simbo]

it was cheap, but did the work only thing they can pull me on is the toilets but does not give them right to say i have done nothing at all which is completely untrue. The payment is an issue but more important the smear on my work i get the feeling they were looking for any excuse but not going to let them get away with it.
cheers paul

[Denise l]

Sorry to hear . I have had duplicate job sheets printed now and get thm to sign it as satisfied immediatly a task is finished. Also take before and after pictures on my digital camera. You have to play them at their own game and be one step ahead of what they may try and use as an excuse for not paying.

D

[Pristine Clean]

Sorry to hear . I have had duplicate job sheets printed now and get thm to sign it as satisfied immediatly a task is finished. Also take before and after pictures on my digital camera. You have to play them at their own game and be one step ahead of what they may try and use as an excuse for not paying.

D

That's exactly what we do. Take plenty of before and after pictures. They are a handy weapon and often needed.

And always get a signed off sheet for satisfactory.

It seems to be part an parcel with this type of work. They always try to find away of not paying. Why this is I do not know.

Dave

[simbo]

glad its not just me then, never had a complaint before so was a bit stunned by it all but from a bit of investigating seems yhis lot have done this a lot. I suppose we are easy target but i will persue this as am so annoyed, times tough enough for us must be real tough for them if they are having to resort to these sort of tactics.
Any advise on taking them to court would be gratefully received
paul

[Pristine Clean]

Don't take this the wrong way but for £300 quid its not worth taking them to court.

If it is more like £750 + you could get a winding up order in place but that costs money.

Write a letter to head office explaining. You can do the small claims court and issue a CCJ online that does not cost much at all.

Or use a company to write them a letter like a debt collection agency - sometimes works.

Dave

[simbo]

was thinking the small caims court, but is not really about the money just the fact that its making me out to be a bad company and dishonest which is way off the truth, going to write first and give one month to reply first though.
paul

[BDCS]

Have you met him face to face to discuss the matter ?

[Gilbert Sprous]

BDCS hit the nail on the head.  I was thinking the same thing when I got to the end of the post.  I will be honest, through my experience in cleaning and in the Army for 20 years, people have a tendency to talk a lot of sh*** when they are on the phone.  They feel that they can hide behind the wires.  You dont even have to be aggressive when you go.  Although you have to have the intenstinal fortitude to handle confrontation on a face to face basis, you will find that in most instances a person will have a whole new attitude when talking to you face to face.  I have been able to handle many situations, even with people that seem to be very aggresive, by just telling them, hold on a few I am coming over to talk to you.  Even if you are not one to handle these situations well, if you are right and you do it a few times it gets easier.  I would drop by and speak with the project manager personally at his or her office and if their attitude does change get something in writing stating that you at least did what you say you did and charge them accordingly.

Gilbert

[cml]

Hi, it's your business and your service; price was agreed before hand so no compromise unless you agree that your performance was unsatisfactory.

It sounds as if they were working to a tight deadline and if so was this information given to you at the start.  You indicate no time was given therefore it is unreasonable for them to expect you to work to their deadline without knowledge.  Something is not right here.  Why allow you to continue with works if they were not happy.  Did they expect to get your service for free? The question is if they were so unhappy do you know whether they had hired someone else to do a reclean because they were unhappy with yours?  I am guessing not.  Therefore they obtained a benefit from you. i.e. if you had not cleaned the property it could not be handed over and therefore a service was rendered however unsatisfactory for which payment should be made.  No Court is going to allow them not to settle your invoice, nor offer part payment of some sort.  They'll be best advised to pay invoice or force to pay via the courts either way you will be paid.  (liquidation excepted)

You need to demonstrate that your company small or otherwise will stand their ground on pursuing this payment otherwise this may not be the first and last time you experience this. 

Good Luck

[simbo]

thanks all, i am going to contact them first then do small claim if i have to as they are way out of order.
paul

[jeff68]

Buy a paintball gun and blast away at the windows and house(in disguise that is).You may not get your cash but they will have to pay someone to clean it...Lol..

[simbo]

have done very similar once jeff, very satisfying