[adrian marsh]

Fed up with doing work for wealthy clients who can pay but won't. Seriously considering taking 25% (or more) deposits on any job over £400. I can't be the only one who has to resort to solicitors letters or CC action to persuade these buggers to settle. Anyone else take a deposit on some or all of your jobs?

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Their mentality is that you are the little man and need them more than they need you! I've had this before although I don't take

[Deep Cleaning Solutions]

Are you talking about domestic customers?

[Adrian Evans]

I take deposits on every job now, Even if it's just £20 on smaller jobs, this will make them think twice about cancelling at the last min.. and if they do, i have covered my fuel for the journey there and wasted time.
Since taking deposits i have had only one cancel or let me down 

[Richard Cole]

Adrian

Not had this problem for a while, when quoting i always finish off by saying payment is on completion of work and i accept cash or debit / credit card only. 90% of my customers now pay me via card, the only acceptations i make are for elderly customer who don't like the new fangled concept of paying via cards or those rare occasions when i can not get signal.  Even got a  local council authority to pay me on the day last week via card for £500.

[adrian marsh]

Are you talking about domestic customers?

Yes, domestics. I expect a payment delay on most commercial jobs, that's standard. But it seems the more money domestic clients have the less inclined they are to part with it. Not all I hasten to add, just some. Latest is for a £900 job who "was going to pay in cash but he'd just had to payout for something that day". Promised to forward a BACS payment that evening. Did it arrive? Did it hell. Several polite reminders and a letter before action and still not paid. Next stop County Court. £60 fee but worth the money.

[Adrian Evans]

Adrian

Not had this problem for a while, when quoting i always finish off by saying payment is on completion of work and i accept cash or debit / credit card only. 90% of my customers now pay me via card, the only acceptations i make are for elderly customer who don't like the new fangled concept of paying via cards or those rare occasions when i can not get signal.  Even got a  local council authority to pay me on the day last week via card for £500.

Richard, I hear what your saying chap, I too have not had the problem for a while, but i went through a spell of non payers and no shows a while back, started taking deposits at the end of every quote i visit and have had no issues since, nearly all seem quite happy to pay a small deposit, and i always explain i take cash, cards or bank transfer.. 

[david@zap-clean]

Are you talking about domestic customers?

Yes, domestics. I expect a payment delay on most commercial jobs, that's standard. But it seems the more money domestic clients have the less inclined they are to part with it. Not all I hasten to add, just some. Latest is for a £900 job who "was going to pay in cash but he'd just had to payout for something that day". Promised to forward a BACS payment that evening. Did it arrive? Did it hell. Several polite reminders and a letter before action and still not paid. Next stop County Court. £60 fee but worth the money.

Is the £60 refundable (i.e. your customer claim pays)?

[adrian marsh]

Is the £60 refundable (i.e. your customer claim pays)?
[/quote]

Yes.

[david@zap-clean]

Good - hope you get it back...

I had a customer last week who insisted on a Saturday 08:30am booking - I don't usually like to work Saturdays.  On arrival she claimed to have had a 'leak' so wouldn't let me in, and wanted to rebook for Monday 2pm.  She was a no-show on Monday.

I left a bill, but don't expect to hear from her (EOT).

[COLIN BRIGHT]

NEVER  took a deposit, only ever had one real problem,  i had one guy who's payment bounced, he had moved out and i only had a mobile no, left a message and after a week had no reply, left him a message that unless he payed the £250 i would sell the dept onto a collection agency, also told him that they would immediately double the dept and chases him wherever he went as they knew from his number who he was, also implied that they might resort to some unusual tactics to recover their dept

got home that evening and found my cash pushed through the letter box

[adrian marsh]

Interesting Colin. My guy however, owns a large security business and deals with debt collection comapnaies all the time; so I have a feeling that approach won't work.

I can see this one ending up on that "Can Pay, Won't Pay" programme in a couple of years time. The one where High Court Sheriffs go knocking the door, and the bill has doubled.