How long until you start legal action?

[Farma Parma]

its my PET hate in any walk of life is asking someone to supply or do work for you then not promptly square them up.
but leaving it months & months is a mugs game... use the legal system even if it costs you its the only way with sum heros...
if i was bigger & harder than whoever it was well u can imagine if we met up how things might go....

 

[Paul E]

Go round on Christmas morning when they've the family round, make them look like twits.
My friend knows a bailiff - says christmas is the 1 day people pay up with no problem.

 

[Thick Farmer]

Go round on Christmas morning when they've the family round, make them look like twits.
My friend knows a bailiff - says christmas is the 1 day people pay up with no problem.

This works. I called with some slow paying tenants the day before Christmas Eve and explained that if they didn’t cough up I’d ‘help’ them to move out in the morning.
First response was that they were skint, but after I explained that if I was going to have a rubbish Christmas because of them, then they could have a rubbish Christmas because of me... suddenly they found £1000 under the bed!!
Merry Christmas!

 

[Timbo]

Over my dead body. fudge them. I'm owed a small amount by one person but it's the actual point, most costs can be claimed back I think. It's not like I'm going to do more work for them so make life as difficult as possible, plus the satisfaction from that and telling anyone who'll listen.

Just call by and collect it.

 

[ARW]

I don’t think you lot understand, I could loose half a day calling round these jobs, at the moment we just don’t have the time, we have a hedgecutter running flat out and I’m part of the 4 man fencing team, Sunday is reserved all day for seeing jobs and moving sheep. So it’s much easier to delegate the job to the professionals

 

[Happy at it]

I'd visit and ask them in person, before starting any nonsense. How much time would really it take to phone during the day and call round on the way home?

Some people are different, maybe they're just used to dealing with people that don't ask promptly for what's owed; and get complacent. Our fencer has been repeatedly asked for a bill for work done in 16; and every time says ah we will get in sorted no panic.... men like that won't do anybody looking money paid up any favours.

 

[Jim75]

Just call by and collect it.

Don't think you quite understand when someone doesn't want to pay you they do whatever they can not too. Have been round a few times already. Husband never there who is apparently the reasonable one.
I'm not going to go and pick something up either (it's crossed my mind) because I'll end up getting flack and being the bad guy so will have to be done right.

 

[Oldjack]

Large tree trunk across their drive, pin ur business card to it so they clearly understand payment is due.
Works every time for me

 

[d williams]

I don’t think you lot understand, I could loose half a day calling round these jobs, at the moment we just don’t have the time, we have a hedgecutter running flat out and I’m part of the 4 man fencing team, Sunday is reserved all day for seeing jobs and moving sheep. So it’s much easier to delegate the job to the professionals

You shouldn't have to anyway next time when quoteing the job explain materials paid for on delivery labour with the boys on completion they no like find someone else

 

[S J H]

You shouldn't have to anyway next time when quoteing the job explain materials paid for on delivery labour with the boys on completion they no like find someone else

Then they know exactly how much your labour costs and complain when you earn too much. Same as deposits, I've never taken one, because if I'm late I'm not in anyone's debt.

 

[Kevtherev]

This works. I called with some slow paying tenants the day before Christmas Eve and explained that if they didn’t cough up I’d ‘help’ them to move out in the morning.
First response was that they were skint, but after I explained that if I was going to have a rubbish Christmas because of them, then they could have a rubbish Christmas because of me... suddenly they found £1000 under the bed!!
Merry Christmas!

 

[d williams]

Then they know exactly how much your labour costs and complain when you earn too much. Same as deposits, I've never taken one, because if I'm late I'm not in anyone's debt.

Your business to charge what you want got nothing to do with them how you split your labour and materials they must have been happy to give the job
Maybe it's getting older or wiser but been there got the t-shirt and found by the time you've chased those sort of people your profits gone sometimes better of not even dealing with them

 

[Kevtherev]

Yes cut out the bad payers and concentrate on the good ones but new customers you do work for is the great unknown.

 

[roscoe erf]

i've always liked the idea of 'selling a debt' to an agency....i hasten to add i've no experience or knowledge....but it just seems satisfying to get some cash....whilst knowing a whole load of hassle is heading the miscreants way

waste of money tried that and all it did was make the debt bigger small claims court much more successful

 

[chipchap]

The whole process starts with only working for people who you know will pay within a timeframe you are happy with.

 

[Kevtherev]

waste of money tried that and all it did was make the debt bigger small claims court much more successful

Friend of mine keeps texting them up to 20 times a day
‘Show me the money’
Seems to work

 

[Surgery]

Leave it till next month , sfp will hopefully be paid in start of next month so no excuse from then on , this will take you , inexcusable I know , to six months too which write to them email etc of interest and possible small claims court action start of Jan.

 

[mo!]

Five months is plenty. Don't waste any time "going round", get the proffessionals in. Threats and blocking people in will not play well in front of a judge. Use the law, that's what it is there for.

 

[kill]

how long should you leave a customer before you start legal action?

As soon as it starts getting to you but atleast a month after the original invoice date I guess.

 

[smj1]

If you want it back just go via small claims court. Dead easy to do. Solicitors letter is a waste of money, debt collectors have no authority. Just be prepared that you might get bugger all at the end of it.