Non paying customer

[jtmellon]

Hi all and a Happy New Year.

I did some work for a Karate School that opened in my town (this place has 2 locations), the other location is a much bigger studio in another town. This school has a well know name in the South Jersey area.

Anyway, month of Nov, I was handing out flyers and walked into this studio in my town and gave them a flyer. Owner ask me how much for cleaning a small area and I give a price (real cheap to as I needed Christmas cash) we agree to a price and a time and I go in do the work with my 16 yr old and this guy pays me cash. No problem.

He tells me that he wants to get the area cleaned once a month from here on in and he will call me.

Around Dec 10 he calls me and thanks me telling me how good everything looks and wants work done on Dec 22 and he will have either check or cash waiting for me that day. So on Dec 22 I pack up the van and my 16 yr old son and I head out to do the job.

We get there and I walk in and some kid (about early 20) is at the desk on the phone with the owner and he says over the phone for me to do the work and he will mail me a check that day Dec 22. So I said well that's not the deal as its cod, but I think your good for it (was I wrong) and we both laugh and we do the work and leave the invoice and go.

So now it's Dec 31 and still no payment. I have called last week and I do not get to speak to him nor do I get any phone call back. I have sent one letter and I am asking for payment by Jan 4. I also called again today Dec 31 and had to leave a message.

Now all this for guess how much: $53.50 that's it. It took me and my son 30 mins to do this job and 15 min is setting up and breaking down, so it's 15 min of real work, I charge the guy $53.50 with tax and he stiffs me.

Is it worth small claims court. To me, it is; just to show this guy I'm not going to take it.

What would you guys do.

[Derek]

give him at least 30 days and be polite with him about it, it's way too soon to worry about getting stiffed imo.

[jtmellon]

Well I am looking at it as this.

1. He told me on the phone when he set up the cleaning that he would have a check then and there the day of the cleaning.

2. He then said a check was to be mailed out on the day of the 22 of Dec.

3. My terms with him were cod in the first place and I broke that rule being a nice guy.

Derek please don't take this the wrong way as I only want your opinion, but if you went to a job expecting to be paid and you were stiffed what would you do?

I know it's only 50.00 but I don't have a huge cash flow coming in each month.

[CleanImage]

It's only been a little over a week during the busiest time of the year for people. Give him a little leeway. I wouldn't sweat it.

[FloorCareMD]

give him 14 days, then simply "repo" your work. (replace the dirt that you cleaned).

Many years ago I had a tire shop stiff us on the vct work we did for their show/waiting room and restrooms. It was 90 degrees inside, no air, and the guy actually removed the toilets in the restroom so that we would clean the area behind the toilets real good as he stated. (P.U.) Never paid. Guy actually said to sue him cause there was no proof we ever did the job. Well, months later we slid a hose through their door and slowly funneled stripper all over the floor as we pulled the hose back.
Almost split a gut laughing so hard as we were doing this at 2:00 am.
Would I do that now??? No. but whenever I see the shop owner around town I always ask him with a smile, " how's that floor of your's looking?"

[jtmellon]

I do like your idea.

[Peter B]

If you want to see action report it to the local credit bureau. Tip i got from a large landlord it is like hitting the business owner where it hurts the most in THE WALLET.. You would have to wait 30 days from time of service.
In order to have the black mark removed he has to pay you first.

[jtmellon]

Never heard of a local credit bureau. I know there is TRW and a few others.

[leofry@1966]

I would give 30 to 35 days... I have a property manager who takes at least that long, and i have to fight for it well not every time but a lot of times, they give me about 6k a year .... its really a tough call i want the work because that's a lot of money but i do get tired of fighting for it... the carpet cleaner is the last to be paid... they are gong to pay the electric bill first and you last, what i am really tried of is them acting like i am doing something wrong by asking for it... LIKE "John we may have to look else where if this is not working for you."

[NJP]

LOL yeah they always pull that crap. My account stalls also but your right, they pay and give plenty of work. So I try to deal with it like you.

[Derek]

yea that stinks if COD was agreed to :-\

we got stiffed once for less than $100. we didn't even consider any claims court...just the cost of doing business, sometimes you run into a liar/bum.

like CleanImage said, it hasn't been that long. just be nice when you speak with anyone there when asking for payment. you'll probably get paid imo

[Pete]

Just my opinion but you have already spent to much time worrying about 50.00. The time would have been better spent getting good contracts. I would still try and get my 50 but I wouldn't waste valuable time on it.
I know we all want to be hard asses and get that loser but it just won't do any good.

[ftgjr]

I know you were hoping for cash, especially that it was the holidays. I've had similar experiences, where the customer was supposed to have payment but didn't get back in time and now had to wait for a check.

I would give 30 days before saying anything. Who knows, maybe you will end up cleaning both schools, monthly. Having steady, recurring work like that, is always nice. Make sure you give them a contract, as they probably do for their students.

[jtmellon]

Well after being lied to on Dec 22 the day in which I was to be paid for a job that was agreed. And after having 2 phone calls ignored and one letter. A simple post to his Facebook acct was able to do wonders.

Yesterday I posted to his FB wall about not paying his bills, he then sent me a message telling me the check was now sent out over the week of Christmas/New Years. Now remember payment was suppose to be made on Dec 22 (this was his idea). And to call him if I didn't get it by Sat Jan 5.

Well today I received it in the mail the check was dated yesterday and so was the post mark. He then calls me today and leaves a message telling me again to call him if I don't receive it by Sat Jan 5 and gives me the check number.

He then tells me he wants to set up service where he pays in advance for 3 months and to call him.

So not only was I lied to but I guess he thinks I am a dumb *****.

Oh well like my 14 yr old daughter says. Do the 3 months, if he does not have the check on the day of service, walk out. No harm no foul. So I guess money is money. And I did get paid.

[Derek]

i knew it

for commercial we always expect 30 days, sometimes it is sooner and if not, at about the 33 day marker i call / email them to see if the check was perhaps "lost" in the mail.