Half-non-paying customer

[WaterTight]

Did a job, allowed full day for it. Of two items supplied by customer one was faulty, could not be installed. Did 80% of job anyway and finished up about 3pm. Told them they need to get item replaced (bought online.) Customer now wants to pay half of agreed price as job "half finished." Told them I am owed the full bill and to complete will be extra.

No written quote was given. Talking a couple hundred short if they only pay half. But just checking I'm in the right. Whether or not that helps me out or not.

 

[Rickster123]

You're totally correct. This is the drawback for customers who buy their own gear. Not your fault or responsibility.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

also any guarantees for the items will be between your customer and their supplier

 

[Ray Stafford]

Morally, you are in the right.

Legally, it depends on what you said (or wrote) in your quote. The contract between you and your customer is founded in your quote/and or their purchase order, modified by whatever you can convince a judge is implied or accepted custom and practice.

What people on an internet forum think of the rights and wrongs of it, has no legal force.

 

[WaterTight]

well since there was no written quote (99% of what i do is under 500 quid and payment issues are super rare so i get a bit casual with things) i'll have to hope being morally right wins out.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Yep, it's their problem

Custards are bad, not all but some.

Quoted to do a job, turn up today, custard says 'oh & if you can just do that as well'

Nope, not what was discussed

Oh, I thought....

Nope, it's never been mentioned. Told her willing to walk away for £25 wasted time, she agreed to do work!!!

 

[jonnyswamp]

I don't think you've got a leg to stand on legally unfortunately, take the half payment with a smile and make arrangements to go back to finish, plus extra to cover the fact it was 2 visits and not what was originally agreed
Just be tactful with your explanation of why you have to charge more and hope it appeals to their better nature
If they really are arseholes, put your foot through their telly on your way out

 

[Leo21]

If you finished at 3 and allowed a full day, why not knock 20% of? Of course your in the right, but why antagonise your customer. Live to fight another day my friend.

 

[WaterTight]

I don't think you've got a leg to stand on legally unfortunately, take the half payment with a smile and make arrangements to go back to finish, plus extra to cover the fact it was 2 visits and not what was originally agreed
Just be tactful with your explanation of why you have to charge more and hope it appeals to their better nature
If they really are arseholes, put your foot through their telly on your way out

That's my plan B, yeah. The first bit, not the TV-boot thing.

If you finished at 3 and allowed a full day, why not knock 20% of? Of course your in the right, but why antagonise your customer. Live to fight another day my friend.

I did deliberately mention to her that I'd done 80% not 50% just in case I have to barter down from my current suggestion of 100%. Hopefully 80% has become subliminally more agreeable as a result.

 

[jonnyswamp]

Hope it works for you fella, I,m with you on the boot thing though. But if you accidentallly turned it off, p!ssed through the vents on the back of it, then left it off for the custard to turn it back on later............
Well, couldn't possibly be your fault could it, you'd be miles away by then:yinyang:

 

[hammers4spanner]

Thats the problem with doing lots of smaller jobs you become lackadaisical in what you should be doing legally to make customers pay.I have had so many jobs where customers mess you about over £40 it borders on utterly tight.
Am still pondering to get them to sign a document of sorts to cover my back end before starting anything.