[jon777]

Hi all,

What do you make of this situation?....

.... Done a quote three weeks ago for sevareall big rooms in a large house.(domestic job)

The lady was very nice and booked the job -£695 was going to take most part of the day, and she asked about a couple of rugs in her garage on my way out. I said I would throw them in free as she booked a larger job and bring them back when we come to clean the carpets.

Anyway my tech turns up at 9 this morning and she is not there. She said she may be a few min late (school run) so he waited,... and waited,......and waited 

10 comes and hes knocking on neighbours doors trying to get a mobile no for her (we only have landline), but no luck.

I tell him to wait as theres nothing else for him to do and assume that she may have confused her days and still might turn up. I said 12 was the cut off point as we could still finish today if shes back by then.


Anyway she rolls up at 11 looking surprised we are still there. She walks past my tech and on the way past says she feels unwell and is going to call me to rearange

I call her and she is very sheepish and dosent really say much apart from she understands but dosent want it done today as she is unwell. I said could she not have phoned us but she does not reply

So, I'm super pi**ed by now but bite my tounge thinking keep the job, the problem is she wouldnt commit to another time.

Its been left as a cancellation but she says she will call to rearange. (She is basically a posh timewaster who had no intention of the work being done today and was surprised to see us still there at 11).

When she calls back and she will because she will wants her rugs which I told the tech to bring back with him she will be told the following.

Once we recieve a cancellation charge of £150 for the day and an additional £100 for the rug cleaning she will not be getting them back?? This covers our costs .
( I know we charge high compared to others but your input on the principle of this is what I'm after)

Also if it does materialise that she is entiltled to them back I will drag them through the gutter first. Can I do this??

Your thoughts please gents... and ladies.

[Mike Halliday]

I'm  a bit confused how you came into possession of the rugs i know you said you would clean them but did your tech go into the garage and take the rugs with the woman's permission?

or did he walk in and steal them, as the woman could say to the police

[derek west]

i read it as he took them on the survey and said he would bring them back cleaned when he came to do the job!!!!

[Mike Halliday]

  When she calls back and she will because she will wants her rugs which I told the tech to bring back with him she will be told the following.

 

[Colin Day]

Roll the rugs up as tight as you can, and ram them up her bottom

Legally, I would have thought that if you damaged the rugs in any way, you'd be bang in trouble! But I'm pretty sure you can hold them 'til she pays you, our garage won't let you take your car/van until everything's paid up in full, so the same rules apply in my book!

[derek west]

still not sure what ya mean mike.

he took the rugs after the survey.
cleaned them
tech went to do the job with rugs in van
women turned up at 11 and said i don't want carpets cleaned today so go away
tech went away with rugs still in back of van.


i could be wrong but thats how i read it

simples

[Derek_Walker]

Personally, I would just take the payment for the rugs and not get bogged down with the other issues.
It is all too easy to get worked up and life is too short. Alot of eccentric people out there.

[derek west]

good answer derek the 2nd

i personally don't think she will ring, they were in the garage so she won't miss them.

[jon777]

took the rugs at survey but they were to be free with carpets

tech took them back today but brought them away with him as she sent us away without doing job

I'm going to bill her for cancellation 150 and 2 rugs 100 but no price was agreed??!


I will not deliver them until both are paid 250.

If I have to legally return them without payment can I put the dirt back in.

sorry original post a bit unclear

jon

[yorky]

You need to be carefull.

Regarding the cancellation charge you would have needed to have that written into the written quote you gave her with your own copy. If it's a verbal quote or in writing without that you don't have a leg to stand on.

If the rugs are high value you have more chance of getting the £100 but again a price was never agreed on as it was only free as part of the job.

[jon777]

the rugs are her husbands and i think he likes them

[jon777]

what about the resoiling can i dump my waste water back into them and dry them

i'm not normally this vindictive but she has really rattled my cage

[Shaun_Ashmore]

What price would you have cleaned the rugs for?

Shaun

[jon777]

probably more than 100. especially as they were to be cleaned off site. more like 150 they are wool runners about 9 x 2

i am more annoyed about the full day booking though and her attitude. so it may sound daft but i think i would rather cut my loses and give her the inconvienience of having to collect these two rugs as it would in some way acknowledge she has completley wasted my time and resources and caused her inconvienience herself.

I surely cant be expected to just take them back with a smile on my face and gratefully receive whatever if anything she decides to pay.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Personally I'd go for the £150 because it's something that you could win in court if need be, if it helps I have had 3 people changing or cancelling appointments for this week and it's only Tuesday, I think people are skint.

Shaun

[Derek_Walker]

I would definately put a price on cleaning the rugs at your normal charge, as these were only free as part of the whole job.

[JandS]

Think you'll lose out on the time thing.
May get paid for the rugs though.
If she says she won't pay for the rugs I do believe
your entitled to return them in the condition they were in
before you cleaned them.

John

[Matt Lindus]

I see what the problem is here. The time in between you booking the lady in and turning up she has come into contact with her husband!

Woman = Spend Money.
Men = Spend Nothing.

Man + Woman + Money = Conflicting Intrests.

Matt

[Nick Head]

This is a tricky one - if she is savvy she could demand you return the rugs as you have no legal right to hold on to them.

If you "re-soil" them she could claim you damaged the rugs

To claim a cancellation charge you will have to prove, as Yorky states. that it was clear on your quotation.

The only legal recourse you have is to send her an invoice for the cleaning of the rugs and the cancallation charge if appropriate and hope she pays. If she refused to pay you can take her to small claims court but of course there is a risk you may not win!

Nick

[Jim_77]

Jon I think the first thing I'd do is phone her.  Be very bold and direct - ask her when she'd like to re-book the appointment.

If she does re-book (and you'll be able to tell if she sounds genuine), problem solved.

If she starts stuttering and stammering, being vague and evasive, you know what's going on!  But you need to ask her why she's had a change of heart!  Matt's "husband" theory is bang on the money in my opinion

Early in the conversation you need to mention the figure for how much the rugs would have cost to clean on their own but don't make a demand for payment

Your next move really depends on her demeanour whilst you're talking to her.  If she has no intention of getting the carpet cleaning done, explain that the deal you made for the free rug cleaning depended on having the other work done.

You might be able to negotiate doing a lesser amount of the carpet cleaning and leave the rugs free still, or half price, something like that.

If she isn't playing ball, then you need to change your mood to mr. tough guy.  tell her the rug cleaning charge stands, and is payable before she comes and collects the rug (I'd get a cheque via post and let it clear, otherwise cash on collection.

Interesting one this, keep us posted