[H2GoKent]

As it says. Got a custy who owes me 3 cleans always been a slow payer but now she's just ignoring my notes envelopes etc. I know how do it online. I know I might throwing good after bad. But might be satisfying. So has anyone sued a resi customer?

[p1w1]

No wouldn't dream of it to be honest, as annoying as it is when these sort of people do this it would just not be worth it

[Ian101]

Redirect ur energy and time in finding 2 new and better customers u will feel good everytime u clean them but just keep knocking till u get ur money

[H S and Son]

I have a domestic customer who owes me £55 for a clean. Its been outstanding for 6 weeks, she was in when I did the clean but buggered off before I'd finished, she has ignored 2 telephone calls Ive made in an atempt to request the outstanding money from her. She was sent a recorded delivery letter 3 days ago, which she picked up from the Royal Mail sorting office according to the P.O. threatening her with court action if we do not receive payment for the services she has requested we offer her within 14 days.

Before any bleeding hearts suggest its a hard line to take, she lives in a property in its own grounds, she has a nanny that changes her childrens underwear and a gardener that weeds her garden and cuts the grass.

[idealrob]

Yes, plenty of times, never lost, last one was £310, cost me £30, got the lot back, all settle before courts date.
The best big bad debt was £28,000 about 16 yers ago for  big PLC, Dupont, after 4 months, and soilicitors letters, the solicitor contacted them and as the debt was more thn £750 , he could put something like a winding up order on the company, i forget the official name he used, but because of the debt, the stock market would have to be informed by Dupont, needles to say the sent a motorcycle courier, from Wales with the check and got it within about 5 hours, great feeling of satisfaction, and stops people taking the mick.

idealrob

[steve rix]

Loads of times use moneyclaimonline, its a court in Northampton, always worked for me

[Seymour Sunshine]

How about this as a short and effective note:


*******************************************
Dear Madam,

It is with very deep regret that I have to inform you
that I have removed you from my client list.

You will appreciate that I cannot afford to provide a
service to those who do not pay for it. You may care
to note that it is much easier for a window cleaner
to find a reliable customer than it is for a householder
to find a reliable window cleaner. The greater loss
is yours, which is as it should be, since the fault is
yours.

The sum involved is small and is hardly worth my
while to chase up. I shall write the debt off and put
it down to experience. Of course, your conscience
may prevail upon you to pay the debt, in which
case you are most welcome to do so.

Yours sincerely

A. Scrimwagger


Splashem and Leggit Window Cleaners

*******************************************

That makes things plain without being overly offensive - and it's one that she won't want to show to her neighbours!

[H2GoKent]

Thanks for that, all good replies.
Years ago when I was 20 I worked as a Solicitors clerk so the process doesn't frighten me, and I think if I did a warning letter it may well open their wallet.

[H2GoKent]

How about this as a short and effective note:


*******************************************
Dear Madam,

It is with very deep regret that I have to inform you
that I have removed you from my client list.

You will appreciate that I cannot afford to provide a
service to those who do not pay for it. You may care
to note that it is much easier for a window cleaner
to find a reliable customer than it is for a householder
to find a reliable window cleaner. The greater loss
is yours, which is as it should be, since the fault is
yours.

The sum involved is small and is hardly worth my
while to chase up. I shall write the debt off and put
it down to experience. Of course, your conscience
may prevail upon you to pay the debt, in which
case you are most welcome to do so.

Yours sincerely

A. Scrimwagger


Splashem and Leggit Window Cleaners

*******************************************

That makes things plain without being overly offensive - and it's one that she won't want to show to her neighbours!

I love this letter, it's polite but sets out the case quite cheekily, I think I shall nag until they pay, then send them a version of that.

Cheers

[Richard iSparkle]

wouldn't go near that letter if i were you!  its what we all wish to say, but i try to look at what i am trying to achieve. 

either decide to let the debt go and chase other clients like ian suggests, or do what i do which is send people who have ignored all other letters a letter threatening court action.  i actually copied it from a letter i got off BT for a disputed bill, and put them on red paper.  if they are a home owner they will respond to that 70% of the time, if they don't, i would write it off if below 100% or go small claims court if over.

the letter written is amusing for us, but it will make the client fell aggrieved and cause bad feelings.  that's not really how you want to leave any customers, or ex customers as they will bad mouth you.  bad publicity is much more interesting than good publicity and they will tell people.  just act professionally at all times...  however frustrating it can be...

[richard jagger]

I have never read such non sense as bad publicity when they owe you money, its the bad publicity when the truth come out .They are the one owing a window cleaner who works for a small fee and people are prepared to rob you of you hard earned living.
Until we start as a industry, to see things in the same light we will always be treated with  such contempt. A lot of businesses act together to achieve what would be regard as good for their industry or profession.e .g. doctors  solicitors or insurance companies, you will just have to pay up.
I would say sue them at small court. If this happened more often this will soon stop.
Take step to prevent this type on nonce by adding to your terms of business.
All legal costs of recovering out standing none payments will be for the customers account as the recipient of  (Company's  Name)services.  This be a fore warming of what will come if they do not pay.If this is bad publicity then so be it.
I have operating business for over 40 odd years.If you put up with nonce it never stops its human nature to try and push the boundaries a bit. We need to stop being so clever ass and start being smart.

[C-Thru.]

Yeah I'm just in middle of it all now, drop final hearing papers to county court tommorrow.
I'm suing for £1464, but total in court is now £2600 with added interest and compo.
Did the usual, letters and phone calls all to no avail, started court proceedings £95 and they sent me a cheque for the original £1464 and a letter politly telling me to stuff the rest up my arse.
Guess what, the cheque Bounced three times, happy with that more evidence in court!
they aint got a leg to stand on, i should be on for over three grand by the time I fifnish with them B'stards.

Do it! every time if its a decent amount, even more so if its a commercial debt, there are so many laws against late payers now to protect US! Interest & Compo and the like.

Goochie.

PS loads on line help out there if & when you need it.

[richard jagger]

GOOD ONE, GIVE THEM HELL.

[bobplum]

why do you clean three times if they are not paying?

[H2GoKent]

wouldn't go near that letter if i were you!  its what we all wish to say, but i try to look at what i am trying to achieve. 

either decide to let the debt go and chase other clients like ian suggests, or do what i do which is send people who have ignored all other letters a letter threatening court action.  i actually copied it from a letter i got off BT for a disputed bill, and put them on red paper.  if they are a home owner they will respond to that 70% of the time, if they don't, i would write it off if below 100% or go small claims court if over.

the letter written is amusing for us, but it will make the client fell aggrieved and cause bad feelings.  that's not really how you want to leave any customers, or ex customers as they will bad mouth you.  bad publicity is much more interesting than good publicity and they will tell people.  just act professionally at all times...  however frustrating it can be...

Are you seriously suggesting that once you send them a letter threatening legal action they will be nice about you.
It's walking away that makes these people feel it's ok to do it.
I will write to them, then I shall go for a summons and CCJ.
And in answer to BOBPLUM, yep fair comment, not done it before, and hopefully won't again, but sometimes it happens.
And I'm sure your reply will be, 'Not to me'.

[bobby p]

some of these posts  where the debt ran up in the £1000s surely must have been commercial and long term  .  surely not a £10 pounder house, to god , that you cleaned 100times and no money

 i had a couple of folk try to pay me a year or more in advance for what are basically tin- pot  jobs but i wont do it that way.  

id like the lads with big money owing,to write explaining how it racked up so high -just so i can  not let it happen to me

[bobplum]

wouldn't go near that letter if i were you!  its what we all wish to say, but i try to look at what i am trying to achieve. 

either decide to let the debt go and chase other clients like ian suggests, or do what i do which is send people who have ignored all other letters a letter threatening court action.  i actually copied it from a letter i got off BT for a disputed bill, and put them on red paper.  if they are a home owner they will respond to that 70% of the time, if they don't, i would write it off if below 100% or go small claims court if over.

the letter written is amusing for us, but it will make the client fell aggrieved and cause bad feelings.  that's not really how you want to leave any customers, or ex customers as they will bad mouth you.  bad publicity is much more interesting than good publicity and they will tell people.  just act professionally at all times...  however frustrating it can be...

Are you seriously suggesting that once you send them a letter threatening legal action they will be nice about you.
It's walking away that makes these people feel it's ok to do it.
I will write to them, then I shall go for a summons and CCJ.
And in answer to BOBPLUM, yep fair comment, not done it before, and hopefully won't again, but sometimes it happens.
And I'm sure your reply will be, 'Not to me'.

NOT TO ME

when i started two years ago the lad i trailed had this rule,never clean the second clean if they owed you money and i have always stuck to it and i found this keeps your debt list down and keeps the situation simple
i suppose we live and learn but my advice woulsd be never clean if they owe

good luck

[H2GoKent]

The previous clean idea works works in theory, but not in practice. People forget or they are away when you call and out next time. 2 cleans is my maximum.
These are large houses and people go away for long holidays at times, and the house is one of a row of big houses I do.
I have never let someone go passed 2 cleans without payment, but I let this one slip, hey ho you live and learn, and I've been doing this for 8 years.

I will attempt to recover the money politely but will take the legal route if needed
after all I know where they live. 

[Perfect Windows]

For domestic customers send them a nice letter pointing out they have missed payment.  Then send them a tougher one.  Then send them one saying you're taking them to court.  Have them all set up as form letters, so you don't need to keep writing them.  Mine have a spot for me to write in their address and the clean date.  The court one is all typed. 95% of people will pay somewhere through this process.

Then, if they ignore them, forget it and move on with your life.

Are you better potentially spending a day in court or a day cleaning windows?  Is anyone seriously suggesting that even a couple of domestic clean values is worth the hassle and aggro of going to a case that you could lose.  What if they deny ever having set eyes on you?  What if they have "witnesses" to say that they saw you look round the property and push a slip through their door without cleaning? Etc, etc, etc.

Move on.  It's business, not personal.

Vin

[richard jagger]

Its because it business they have a small claims.If its was charity I would agree with you.