Ffs

[hammers4spanner]

Fitted a mixer shower yesterday for a landlady , finished it sent invoice and firstly i get never asked you to do it . Which she did phoned up desperate need for shower gave her rough price and she agreed to it.Now the tenant is saying i was rude and made a complete mess of the job which is ball cocks.
Had several text messages saying that tenant does not want me back so i can't go back to the house and will confirm landlady action in email tomorrow.

Thing is when i finished fitting it i said to me bird got a bad feeling over this one got a feeling she may be a bad payer as she couldn't get her regular plumber to turn up.

Seems to be happening more and more now in this game like its acceptable to treat trades like she it.

How you lot play this?

 

[Masood]

If it's a new customer, deposit before starting work. Cover all the materials and at least 50% of labour. I've walked away from jobs where they wouldn't agree. Oddly, I've only had a couple that wouldn't.

 

[hammers4spanner]

If it's a new customer, deposit before starting work. Cover all the materials and at least 50% of labour. I've walked away from jobs where they wouldn't agree. Oddly, I've only had a couple that wouldn't.

Unfortunately its getting that bad and getting such a lack of trust now it looks like i need to.

 

[REDSAW]

always get confirmation even text admissable in court . never leave job without payment on completion. always or i dont do it simples.

 

[hammers4spanner]

always get confirmation even text admissable in court . never leave job without payment on completion. always or i dont do it simples.

I have tried that payment on completion route and that never worked as a % of my work they are never their so its case of send invoice via email and bank transfer.Which again have to chase money.

 

[Best]

I would still try the approach of gathering evidence - even at this late stage.
Maybe texting, using fairly polite wording would have the landlady falling into the trap of answering. As Redsaw, says, texts are useable in court as evidence.
Would be a good idea to try and contact the tenant, - perhaps 'accidently' just happen to meet them when they are at shops etc, or drop them a letter to see if story the landlady said is true.
Keep all your own personal work diary notes, invoices, photographs of shower (if any), texts, emails, letters, etc, and then take her to Small Claims court if you fail to get anywhere with several invoices and a letter stating she had requested the job you carried out and asking for payment.
Let's hope she makes several excuses - like "didn't ask you to do job" and also " you made a mess", as this will just look suspicious to a judge I reckon.
This is a good example to us all that what we should do with every customer who agrees a job on the phone is text or email them with some excuse, like asking them are they sure 9 o'clock in morning will definitely suit tenant for new shower job? or - Will this brand of shower suit? That way when they reply, you have some proof of job requested

 

[jtsplumbing]

Proberly hasn't got a regular Plumber, just gets different ones then doesn't pay, could be working a fast one with tenant !!

 

[Rickster123]

You sure it's not just you being you hammers?!:biggrinjester:

 

[julesverne]

Did you get any signatures.
Also dont forget they cant use any consumer legislation as they are landlords so its a business to business transaction so things like 14 day cool off period dont apply.
Do you have an address for the landlord.
I had a similar problem A few week back with a bloody landlord just went through a process of sending 3 letters each getting progressivly more demanding. sent letters were a template from the link below and i adapted them to my own use.

https://www.crunch.co.uk/blog/small...11/14/late-payment-reminder-letter-templates/

 

[REDSAW]

I have tried that payment on completion route and that never worked as a % of my work they are never their so its case of send invoice via email and bank transfer.Which again have to chase money.

then you need it all in writing before and after to sign off the work, text will do! then you still may never get paid but you have some bullets.
personally i would never touch them, on odd occasions i do but never chase the job and always go on judgement to whom i am working for or set my terms to get paid (text/email). i never put in more 'goods' than the labour charge, doing that i just loose a few hours pay.
only got caught twice total <£200 for years.