[RO-Sheen]

Before you say 'dump her' I will but I want to get my money first. I clean her windows for £11 every 12 weeks and she now owes me £22.
She owes me for the May clean and July. Her husband left her in June but I have popped notes through her door and sent her emails but she has never responded.
I know she has received the emails because one of her neighbours has told me that she was with her when she opened the email.

I will be over her way next sunday (she lives about 20 miles from me) but if she refuses to pay what should I say?

Although she has split with her husband and she may be short of money she still had the oppertunity to cancel the service before I came back in July and thats what really bugs me.

[geefree]

i would make a special trip one evening and knock on her door and politely demand your money.... that way she will explain everything and you will have a better understanding of whats going on.... and you may even get your money there and then....

then dump her

[RO-Sheen]

Thats what I was planning on doing next Sunday when I'm over there. I would be very polite to her but if she says that she wasnt going to pay should I mention (politely) that I would have to take her to the small claims court?
I know its only £22 but its the principle. If she had contacted me before and gave me the sob story that her husband had left her and she was broke I might have just written it off but the fact that she is just letting me keep coming back and just ignoring my emails/notes annoy me.

If I did take her to small claims court would I get a Solicitor to write to her first or what is the procedure?

[geefree]

i think the more experienced guys will help more....

but for my part if the first calling option failed i would write her a very professional looking letter , with a 7 day payment option... then finish it by saying after that your solicitor will be instructed to take proceedings against her... and will inevitably ruin her credit ratings etc etc....... just lay it on .

[rugby]

when this happens to me i just write the money off,often its not worth the stress trying to get your money out of customers who have no self respect such as this one.

instead of chasing after them for payment, i have an old backpack that i fill with realy poopy dirty water and i give them a free clean instead, and then i just remove  them from george and forget about them,they aint worth worrying about,so i dont

[gerard mcmanus]

If you think she is giving you a rubber ear, then stop cleaning her windows. Explain politely the cost of traveling 20 miles to chase payment and how that effects your business, and without prompt payment it is not worth your while.

Dont make it cound like you are giving up but let her know that if she wants her windows cleaned again then she must settle her bill before you will give her a booking date.

I have had a couple of customers that have seperated from there spouce or a very unfortunate death in there family, and my thoughts and condolences go out to people in these situations. However you still have to carry on working, and they must still pay there gas, rent, electricity and so forth. Many fortunately aren't a problem, but some do take this different from others and I have have trouble with a minority, similar to your story and ended up dropping them after some calls and failed visits.

hope you get it sorted

gerard 

[windowwashers]

I would write a letter. and explain that payment has not been made and late fees have been added, if payment continues to be late the debt will be passed on to a collection agency. This seems to get them to pay.

[gsw]

i have exactly the same with a single mum, £5 front only (i do back and fronts in the other six houses in her row)stupidly i let the debt run to £20.00 but when it was at £15 she apologised and said she would definitely pay if i could just carry on cleaning....guess what?  its supposed to be every 4 weeks and i stopped cleaning 12 weeks ago.... the windows have remained clean!!! so am i to demand my £20.00 (on principal) from someone who clearly cant/wont pay? she is on the social and was 1 of only 2 customers on my books who are because i have found in the past that payment is a problem at some stage.

i was going to put the dirt back on, ie soap them up and walk away and deduct £5 from the bill until settled.... but dont feel its right.

so basically i got mugged off for £20.00, the funny thing is she now avoids me like the plague and even parked her car across the road last month when she saw my van and ran round the back of her house to get in!!!! which i found highly amusing!!

[Tim82]

I have a similiar customer that owes me £80!!!(well off estate) she avoids me like the plague and Ive left countless reminders. Im going to leave her a letter saying im sending the bailiffs round next time I go.

Is there no way we can force them to pay?

[Steve CM]

I have just written off about £300 in bad debt from new customers this year. i used to let it bother me! i can't be bothered with the hassle anymore i just keep moving on and leave them to it. Plenty more decent customers out there

[Sir Squeaky]

I agree, I'd just forget it and move on.

All that time spent thinking about it and letting it bother you?
Not worth £20.

[seandyer2003]

i think the more experienced guys will help more....

but for my part if the first calling option failed i would write her a very professional looking letter , with a 7 day payment option... then finish it by saying after that your solicitor will be instructed to take proceedings against her... and will inevitably ruin her credit ratings etc etc....... just lay it on .

Thats the best way, from a debt collection letter as though its from a debt collection company, only its still under same name and address, just tell her its the debt collection side of your business, and stipulate the terms on it, id say that the letter goes out automatically to non payers after 3 months etc

[michael papworth]

I've got to go with squeaky and rugby here. Just forget it.

She's probably got quite enough on her plate just now. She may not be able to pay the rent/mortgage; buy school uniform for her kids and she may be near the end of here heating oil.

She could probably do without you giving here even more grief for a measly £20.

If you like, go round and tell her than you know how difficult things can be when they go wrong. If she can't pay you right now, whenever she can pay will be just fine with you.

[Tim82]

I'm all for sympathy but more often than not she will just move and be lost forever. Get her details so you can find her if need be. I doubt the electric company will be so compassionate after a few months of no payment.

[Steve CM]

I'm all for sympathy but more often than not she will just move and be lost forever. Get her details so you can find her if need be. I doubt the electric company will be so compassionate after a few months of no payment.

its £20 not a few hundred  : is it really worth the hassle?

[Tim82]

what about £80 like me? over the year it probably adds up to a couple of hundred. look after the pennys...

[tomy jackson]

has  any body got a leter thretning bailiff and deat cleters and credt rateing

[simon knight]

I'm in the "forget it and move on" camp...if it's £20 or under.

I really hate people knocking me (and it's the money not the principle) but frankly the number of man hours spent writing letters, phoning etc is better spent either working, canvassing or more importantly with the family.

[Steve CM]

what about £80 like me? over the year it probably adds up to a couple of hundred. look after the pennys...

...and give yourself unessecary stress for a few quid! it really ain't worth it

[DC Window Cleaning]

just write it off