Collecting debts

[DRC]

Yes,chap round here had reputation for getting heavy with folks,but even good payers became scared to deal with him,incase they upset him by asking when he was coming to silage.

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

for a contractor best thing is a small white board fitted to the left hand side of dash, just where you can see it when standing on the ground at the door, write across the top with a marker pen, "list of names of late payments" leave the rest blank and never fill it in, if someone asks you what it for, say anyone paying there bills late you put there name on it, if they say its blank, say i dont have any late payers, they then think they dont want to be the first name on the list, and send payment by return

 

[roscoe erf]

Yes,chap round here had reputation for getting heavy with folks,but even good payers became scared to deal with him,incase they upset him by asking when he was coming to silage.

if he only got heavy with the bad debtors whats to be scared of

 

[IANTO]

An interesting thread, and to some extent shows the attitudes in different areas.

Purely by coincidence, the plumber I use called today and dropped off a bill dated 10th April 2013, for work done in December 2011. I had forgotten all about, but remember the Central packed up a few days before Christmas. Offered to pay him there and then, but had no time to wait. He said, just drop off the cheque next time you pass, knowing full well that I rarely pass his house.

From a personal perspective my work is provided through a Ltd. Company. Being mainly accountancy, form filling etc., most I invoice ones a year, and am generally paid 12 months later. For larger customers for whom I work on a monthly or weekly basis, I submit 6 monthly invoices, and am paid when they receive the next invoice. These are all creditworthy customers who I have known for years.

I rarely take on new Clients, unless I find it a challenge, and depending on who has recommended them and local feedback, either insist on a deposit, and stage payments monthly, or invoice when the job is finished.

On the basis, that these are one offs, I quote much more than my normal rate, but over the years many who I did a "one off" for have become regular Clients.

While I ask them to be perfectly honest with me, and I will advise them what they can "get away with" I know full well, that at times they are economical with their explanations.

At the end of the day, I complete the returns and other forms or provide advice on the basis of information supplied by them, and they sign it.

They know full well, that if they decided to pee me about, I could make things difficult for them.

In 35+ years of being self employed I have never had a bad debt, and never had to make a threat.

Anyone like Multi-power who worked for someone obviously has information he could use if he decided.

Nobody, and I mean nobody is squeaky clean, and as a last resort, when all else fails, you can always threaten them with the information.

Might not do you any good, but you will have the satisfaction of making things more difficult for them in future.

 

[multi power]

An interesting thread, and to some extent shows the attitudes in different areas.

Purely by coincidence, the plumber I use called today and dropped off a bill dated 10th April 2013, for work done in December 2011. I had forgotten all about, but remember the Central packed up a few days before Christmas. Offered to pay him there and then, but had no time to wait. He said, just drop off the cheque next time you pass, knowing full well that I rarely pass his house.

From a personal perspective my work is provided through a Ltd. Company. Being mainly accountancy, form filling etc., most I invoice ones a year, and am generally paid 12 months later. For larger customers for whom I work on a monthly or weekly basis, I submit 6 monthly invoices, and am paid when they receive the next invoice. These are all creditworthy customers who I have known for years.

I rarely take on new Clients, unless I find it a challenge, and depending on who has recommended them and local feedback, either insist on a deposit, and stage payments monthly, or invoice when the job is finished.

On the basis, that these are one offs, I quote much more than my normal rate, but over the years many who I did a "one off" for have become regular Clients.

While I ask them to be perfectly honest with me, and I will advise them what they can "get away with" I know full well, that at times they are economical with their explanations.

At the end of the day, I complete the returns and other forms or provide advice on the basis of information supplied by them, and they sign it.

They know full well, that if they decided to pee me about, I could make things difficult for them.

In 35+ years of being self employed I have never had a bad debt, and never had to make a threat.

Anyone like Multi-power who worked for someone obviously has information he could use if he decided.

Nobody, and I mean nobody is squeaky clean, and as a last resort, when all else fails, you can always threaten them with the information.

Might not do you any good, but you will have the satisfaction of making things more difficult for them in future.

belive you me i have plenty of , lets call it unpleasent information on him , but he gets away with so much already i wonder if it would realy hurt him

 

[Y Fan Wen]

its still not going to do your reputation much good sorting somebodys teeth out, even if they do deserve it

There are some I would be highly amused to learn they needed a dentist, but if it had happened to someone who didn't have a reputation, then I probably wouldn't go to that contractor again.

 

[Walterp]

walter why do you not good ? is that a reflection of who the person is ?

If it's who I think it is, it's a waste of time and energy.

And a lien is where you can hold onto something you've worked on, like a car (the famous 'mechanic's lien') or a file (the 'solicitor's lien') but otherwise you'd be pushing the envelope to grab a bit of kit and expect the Police to just stand by. Maybe they would, but it wouldn't be the way to bet.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Maybe I just have a very blinkered view of life, or have had a very sheltered upbringing, but I have not the slightest bit of interest in anything someone may have done wrong, nor would I use it against them if I did, even if they owed me money.

I think that it is all a sad reflection of the world we live in.

I have done work and been told by others there will be no hope of ever being paid. I have been paid, on time, and to the surprise of others. Maybe it's because I always try to do the job in the best way I can, pleasant and on time and above all fair at all times. Works for me. My late Dad was a true gentleman, straight as an arrow and well respected. The only people who messed him around money wise were those who took advantage of his pleasant and gracious manner. Whilst I like to think I am as fair as he was, I am a bit firmer.

I'm not suggesting that anyone on here hasn't done the same, but it's a bit sad when you need to resort to having a bit of gossip to spread.

 

[IANTO]

Maybe I just have a very blinkered view of life, or have had a very sheltered upbringing, but I have not the slightest bit of interest in anything someone may have done wrong, nor would I use it against them if I did, even if they owed me money.

I think that it is all a sad reflection of the world we live in.

I have done work and been told by others there will be no hope of ever being paid. I have been paid, on time, and to the surprise of others. Maybe it's because I always try to do the job in the best way I can, pleasant and on time and above all fair at all times. Works for me. My late Dad was a true gentleman, straight as an arrow and well respected. The only people who messed him around money wise were those who took advantage of his pleasant and gracious manner. Whilst I like to think I am as fair as he was, I am a bit firmer.

I'm not suggesting that anyone on here hasn't done the same, but it's a bit sad when you need to resort to having a bit of gossip to spread.

I know exactly where you are coming from. "Live and let live."

In the past 5 years, I have been "reported" to the Local Authority for opening Entrances to a local road without planning permission.

In the first instance, there was no case to answer, as the opening was on to a track that I owned. In the second instance, I had photographs to prove, that there had been an ancient entrance to the field at this point.

Using the Freedom of Information Act, and leaning on the Local Councillor, I discovered that in both cases the complainant was a large and well known local farmer. Well respected locally? No. He does as he pleases and gets away with it. In the last two years, or so, he inherited 200+ acres from a relative. Has bulldozed Hedges and cut down probably a 100+ mature Oak and Beech Trees.

If I as much as "Fart", I have some official trying to stick his finger up my arse.

Rules are rules, and should apply to everyone.

 

[York]

in '92, when the Russians where still on the way back home, I was offered a old, full functional WWII tank. Cost was per kg for 1 DM, now 50 € Cent. I declined. Should have taken it as less than a year later a big contractor wined of all the money he wasn't paid on time. He said this tank would be the right thing to drive in through the village and just open the front to with the canon.

Anyway, till now I can also say that I have little problems. One of my rules is: excellent service and if someone does not pay on time and needs a reminder letter he is told in the reminder that this is the last "reminding letter" and he can not even get any work done if he pays upfront. No more reminder will be send.
Works for me.
York-Th.

 

[Bumble Bee]

I had a good one the other day.
The local shoot owes us money. It is now 6 months over due. They said they could not pay at the end of last season, and would pay us back a bit at a time this season.
Last week, the shoot captain (lease holder) let slip too my brother that " you might get paid at the end of this coming season, if we have any money left"
So I rang him up. I asked him if this was true. He said yes. They have no money. I told him that the invoice did not have 'optional' in the terms of payment, and that I would be coming after him personally for the money as he was responsible. Too cut a long story short, he is supposed to be coming round tomorrow to pay (or punch me on the nose).
I cannot believe how some people think that we are here to fund their lifestyle choices

 

[nick...]

I don't think you are alone.most gamekeepers are like that in my experience living in rented tied property and living on social security and having nothing
Nick....

 

[Bumble Bee]

This is not the gamekeeper. This is the guy who rents the shoot. He has his own business, drive a new disco, but complains that he has put enough of his own money into the shoot.
Fair enough, but he should not expect me to fund it. After all, it is his shoot, not mine.

 

[DRC]

Amazes me how people can justify the cost of shooting.Isn't it about £32/bird shot on an average shoot.
150 bird day for 10 guns,£4800,and you might only shoot 10 birds if you draw an unlucky peg[or a rubbish shot]
I like to take my dog beating on a do it yourself type shoot.I stopped going on the one that was more commercial when the keeper started letting partridge out of crates he had placed under cover so they flew straight over the guns!

 

[nick channer]

Amazes me how people can justify the cost of shooting.Isn't it about £32/bird shot on an average shoot.
150 bird day for 10 guns,£4800,and you might only shoot 10 birds if you draw an unlucky peg[or a rubbish shot]
I like to take my dog beating on a do it yourself type shoot.I stopped going on the one that was more commercial when the keeper started letting partridge out of crates he had placed under cover so they flew straight over the guns!

150 bird days are usually no more than £300.. Estate next to us where my dad shoots is £1000 day but they regularly shoot up to 400+ ( not last yr admittedly). And he shoots 20+ on drives... Others have 50 shots and very few birds mind..

 

[Sussex Martin]

If you can't pay the bill then you should not either buy the item in question or have the work done, no need for bullsh*t after recieving the invoice.
I have a cheque dated 05/04/07 (bounced) from an ex customer that has disapeared, I know he will eventually resurface and I will bump into him and will get payment or he will have to accept the consequenses.

 

[DRC]

150 bird days are usually no more than £300.. Estate next to us where my dad shoots is £1000 day but they regularly shoot up to 400+ ( not last yr admittedly). And he shoots 20+ on drives... Others have 50 shots and very few birds mind..

That would be very cheap here.With the price of wheat and paying beaters etc,nobody is doing sold days at £20/bird.
A 400 bird day with 10 guns,ie-average 40 birds killed each[£25/bird,is still cheap for shoots i know].If you Dad kills 20 a drive,he would soon be eating into the day on his own or do they only do a small number of big drives.
I much prefer, these days, the friendly syndicate i beat for[av 40-50 birds shot].And as it neighbours my farm i get invited once or twice/year.
A nice walk seeing my dog actually having to look for pheasants,rather than herding them towards the guns and being told to keep her back incase too many go at once,followed by lunch all together and £25 in pocket is the type of shooting i like these days.
Spending £1000/day to shoot wouldn't be on my priority list,but if you enjoy it and can afford it why not!

 

[yorkie]

if you go with a machine make sure it is his years ago whent into a dealers to pick a tractor up walked in workshop was gorping around at saked them why they had our tedder on lift with atractor under it with a wheel off they said was some one elses who owed money and they had picked it up as payment,he had had it borowed from us.

 

[JD-Kid]

if people can't pay say before you start cover fuel and wages at least for the contractors up front

contractor i used to work for one outfit we worked for only payed 6 monthly there were weeks we pulled out and chopped silage for cash just to cover costs

myself only had one bad payer that pee'd me around a bit he payed in the end tho bit of lost the bill etc etc 2 months later payed ..

never had anyone owning me money longer than 3 months 99% payed within a month i'm not a bank so pay up simple as

 

[Wonga Man]

Thanks for all the responses and sorry I haven't been back sooner (been out collecting my wonga

)

I have managed to collect most of it now, and the rest we have come to various agreements about how it is going to be paid off. So far it seems to be going OK.

What I have learned / changed:

- Invoices are now going to be created the week the work is done and will be posted that day as well
- A statement will be sent 1 week before the invoice is due reminding them that they owe me money
- A further statement will follow every week from then on if they still don't pay
- The day the invoice is due I will be phoning them askign for the money
- I will be charging invoice on all invoices that are overdue and this is now very clearly shown on the invoices
- I will be much more careful taking on new customers in the past who's payment history I do not know

I was worried that these new measures would alienate my customers but in truth it will have no effect on the good customers and the bad customers can sod off if they don't like it . It has been a good learning experience for me because this could very nearly have taken me under.

Thanks for all the advice