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- Thread starter plumb-tech
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- screwfix
Got £450 out of her in the end so only lost £50, funny because i do a lot of work in her block of flats (4-5 a month), was there the other day and she came over to me and asked if i could come back and tighten something that was loose, i just laughed at her and told her to p*** off.
P
Puddle
turn of the outside stopcock and fill with cement is good as you can watch the action unfold
S
Sazn Rai
Im having the same problem. I installed a new shower and now am having problems getting the payment. I had initially spoken to the person living there before commencing work. We discussed the price and everything and he agreed with us. When we began the work.. oh my god.. the place was so dirty and filthy.. they were living like animals.. roaches and insects and dirt and hair everywhere... Just after that I wanted to leave the place immediately. But we had an agreement so we did the job. We hadnt prepared an invoice then so we said we will send an invoice 1st, then you can pay us. So I made the invoice, sent him. But now its been over 3 months and still we arent getting paid. We went to the place and found out that the person we had been talking to has ran away from there.. he ran away back to his country owing everybody money. There still were people living in that flat, so we thought of contacting the landlord. Because in the end the landlord must be the one paying. But the people living there say they dont have the number, they just have the bank account number of the landlord and each month they pay the rent. No contact. I was so furious with them.. we went many times trying to talk to them to reach a conclusion.. Its been a week of just getting there and returning empty everytime. I talked to one of the people who other people living there claims hes the the person in charge. So when I had a chat with him over the phone, he says I cant do anything. It had been so frustrating for us that we said we dont need the money, we will just take out the shower and leave. But they wont even allow us to do that. They say they will call the police and they say that the police will support them. I dont know what to do.. I'm hating myself so much for not taking the full payment before hand.
I dont know what to do. I've done my plumbing course from FTC .. Level 1 & 2 and im sure I can work with that certificates. City & Guilds Plumbing Level 1 & 2.
I dont know what to do...
I dont know what to do. I've done my plumbing course from FTC .. Level 1 & 2 and im sure I can work with that certificates. City & Guilds Plumbing Level 1 & 2.
I dont know what to do...
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Bubblecraft
I had a couple last year who refused to pay the final balance. It was an insurance job which they extended into more work. They moaned about the extra 3 days it needed to do the extra work & refused to pay. I was running my self into the ground to try & meet the dead line as I couldn't knock back the next 2 months of work.
I had to cut my losses with them & they got away with £1250. It nearly broke me.
Lesson learned though!
...They got rattled for insurance fraud after that!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - Couple a' Tools
I had to cut my losses with them & they got away with £1250. It nearly broke me.
Lesson learned though!
...They got rattled for insurance fraud after that!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - Couple a' Tools
D
dontknowitall
Normally I issue an invoice and sort payment on completion of the job but this job was not complete (first fix done, and date made for completion of final fix.)
Was phoned last week and told I didn't have to return as builder would finish off job, so could I send an invoice.
I've just typed up an invoice and added a 7% chunk to the value. Payment for original amount if paid within 14 days. If they pay within around 21 days with the lesser amount I don't mind as it's only a week late.
I love it when they pay late as it's extra hour's dough for doing nothing, even if I do have to wait for a month or two.
However, if customers (these ones should be fine) end up not paying after around 3 months I will chase a bit, perhaps think of something to shame them into it then leave it as a bad debt. One or two people are like that but most have a reason for not paying.
I'm on my guard if no mention of payment is made during the process of getting the job and/or doing the job. I'm also on my guard if someone asks how much a job is before mentioning anything else. I walk from a job if I'm worried about not being paid. I'm here to do plumbing, not chasing debts - that's someone else's job and I'm not willing to pay someone else to chase my debts or go through the worry of not being paid and being out of pocket.
As I said in an earlier comment, communication is the key - just about all the time the customer would be happy to pay but has an issue over something. The only thing they have over you is not paying as they fear you'll abandon them and they'll have to pay someone else to sort it out.
Hope the issues are sorted quickly.
Was phoned last week and told I didn't have to return as builder would finish off job, so could I send an invoice.
I've just typed up an invoice and added a 7% chunk to the value. Payment for original amount if paid within 14 days. If they pay within around 21 days with the lesser amount I don't mind as it's only a week late.
I love it when they pay late as it's extra hour's dough for doing nothing, even if I do have to wait for a month or two.
However, if customers (these ones should be fine) end up not paying after around 3 months I will chase a bit, perhaps think of something to shame them into it then leave it as a bad debt. One or two people are like that but most have a reason for not paying.
I'm on my guard if no mention of payment is made during the process of getting the job and/or doing the job. I'm also on my guard if someone asks how much a job is before mentioning anything else. I walk from a job if I'm worried about not being paid. I'm here to do plumbing, not chasing debts - that's someone else's job and I'm not willing to pay someone else to chase my debts or go through the worry of not being paid and being out of pocket.
As I said in an earlier comment, communication is the key - just about all the time the customer would be happy to pay but has an issue over something. The only thing they have over you is not paying as they fear you'll abandon them and they'll have to pay someone else to sort it out.
Hope the issues are sorted quickly.
A
alexterry
I agree asking for a 50/50 payment before and after the job is always a fail safe. If someone isn't willing to do this then they're more likely to be one of those who doesn't pay once you've finished!
I dont agree with this. I would never pay anyone 50% upfront before doing any work for me, and I would never ask for 50% upfront either from one of my customers. If it was a massive job with thousands of pounds in materials, I may ask for some money to cover the materials cost but only once they were on site and certainly not before.
I never ask for money upfront, or indeed until a job is finished, if alarm bells are rining when quoting then i will just politely refuse to do the work. I Have had a couple of people not pay up though, but never been enough to cause major stress, and I have a LONG memory for things like this and don't mind telling anyone that asks about it (every one knows everyone around here).
Nothing up front, but if a lot of money on materials I ask for payment on delivery and if it's a big or long job I agree stage payments.
If I get a funny vibe when looking at a job they either get a price that's double or nothing from me at all.
If I get a funny vibe when looking at a job they either get a price that's double or nothing from me at all.
I ask for money up front but nobody has yet had a problem with it at all. Only about 1 out of 20 even ask for a receipt for the money given up front. But I do come across as very trustworthy (I know everyone thinks they do...this can't by definition be the case..) I seem to be instantly trusted by people who leave me alone in their homes with blank cheques after the first meet. The flipside of this personality I have is I also come across as a total pushover and therefore have been stung a few times in the past. Hence money upfront.
Plus who wants to spend weeks out of pocket waiting for money? Cash flow is important.
Plus who wants to spend weeks out of pocket waiting for money? Cash flow is important.
its not just customers i find that can be awkward helping mates out can be just as bad !!The amount of times i have helped out other plumbers when they need a push on a job and then come friday when its payment time the phone is suddenly off!!!Then get the text sorry mate busy at mo will sort you out later ,,,,,, which turns out about three weeks later and then get the how much was it ???Oh sorry only got hundred out will pay the rest tomorrow !!!does my head in .
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dontknowitall
I'm one of those who ask for money on completion, except for one job where I asked for interim payments.
I've never been asked by any tradesman for money upfront and only once for interim payments. I suppose round here we're more trustworthy, but also bad names travel quickly in these parts (whether it applies to a tradesman or a customer).
There is obviously a risk involved with my method, but I assess that risk before I take on a job and I like to trust my customers to keep to their part of the bargain. So far, with a couple of exceptions, so good.
I've never been asked by any tradesman for money upfront and only once for interim payments. I suppose round here we're more trustworthy, but also bad names travel quickly in these parts (whether it applies to a tradesman or a customer).
There is obviously a risk involved with my method, but I assess that risk before I take on a job and I like to trust my customers to keep to their part of the bargain. So far, with a couple of exceptions, so good.
M
Mike Jackson
I feel it's more professional to ask for money on completion on most jobs. Most of my materials are on credit accounts so I don't have to pay for at least 30 days. If it's a big job I'll ask for stage payments with the first one when materials arrive on site so that the customer has the comfort of knowing that if I do a runner they've at least got the materials.
I'm always suspicious when asked for money up front.
I'm always suspicious when asked for money up front.
M
mfaf
I always ask for all materials to be paid up front that way then I know there commited, never had to reduce prices but I do remember doing a re-fit at an indian takeaway for a builder time to pay up and the owner had been keeping a tally on all the cups of tea and curries the lads had and wanted it knocked off his bill the builder went manic we all thought they were free must have cost him a few quid
T
tamz
Everyone will get stung at some point. Small claims courts work to an extent but you can't get blood from a stone and the inconvenience and cost time wise to yourself sometimes isn't worth the trouble. This is where a bit of revenge may be satisfying for a day or 2.
I think money up front comes across as unprofessional but if it works for you why not.
If i added all the money i've been bumped for over the past 25 years (mostly by builders going bust) i could buy a new Aston Martin for cash and still get change.
I refuse to do work for any builders now no matter who they are.
To Sazn
You are on a hiding to nothing here. The landlord is not bound to pay as he never authorised the work. You should have walked out the door with the tenants cash on completion or a shower under your arm.
It has cost you a couple of hundred for a lesson in life. You will know better in future.
I think money up front comes across as unprofessional but if it works for you why not.
If i added all the money i've been bumped for over the past 25 years (mostly by builders going bust) i could buy a new Aston Martin for cash and still get change.
I refuse to do work for any builders now no matter who they are.
To Sazn
You are on a hiding to nothing here. The landlord is not bound to pay as he never authorised the work. You should have walked out the door with the tenants cash on completion or a shower under your arm.
It has cost you a couple of hundred for a lesson in life. You will know better in future.
D
dontknowitall
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