Hi peeps, Helped a friend of the family out in good faith, I had given him an Estimate based on his F&B spec. He was getting late with payments to the point where I to send an email to point out my disappointment, that's when it went pear shaped. During the job he wasted a lot of my time by going of the specification however I completed a couple of rooms and he paid in full. I had to walk of the job because I could see the line had been crossed, I told him I would invoice for the recent work I had done, which he agreed. He owes me just under £1500 He now sends me an email saying rooms are incomplete and paid in full! What he is doing is adding on windows that we're not estimated for so he doesn't have to pay remainder. What would be the best way going forward? Solicitors?
I'd get the family involved seeing as he's a 'friend', May shame him or strike fear into him first before going down the messy legal route. If that doesn't work threaten him with small claims court, and look to pursue through that. Also do your very best to let all and sundry know that he's a cowboy customer.
Tell him to make an offer that suits you both or small claims court it is. But put a series of letters/emails together showing you are trying to resolve it and giving him chances and help
What makes it worse, it looks like it was engineered so I would walk! So that all the dirty and dusty work was completed. I even gave him a cheaper rate and gave him materials at my price.
You could ask a few family members for a "loan" as you are short of cash. When they ask why tell them because the person won't pay. Much easier to play the sympathy card than just moan. Nothing like an angry grandma or aunt wading in.
Having done what you've done and been in your position before I can honestly tell you that the sooner you let those thoughts go, the better. If you don't it will eat away at you and cause more sleepless nights, which in turn will lead you to not think straight, which will impact on your next job and day to day life. The worst part is knowing you've done things to help someone out and they've s.hat on you and tried to do you over, but console yourself with the thought that they are a thoroughly worthless human being, and that you have more integrity in your little toe than they have in their entire carcass.
You have to option to make the family away and shame him, so do it. Earlier this year I had a job for an investment banking firm, where for probably a good 6 months they would not pay. Every time I rang I was told I would be paid the next day, which went on for ages. When something went wrong they rang me, and i said I'd only visit if I was paid, within 24hrs I was paid the full amount and then some. That was £16K so it hurt... And before anyone says I should have taken it to court, I don't see much chance of a one man band vs a 15-man legal team winning. They also pulled the 'job incomplete' card, which included additions that were not included in the quote.
Last finale letter giving them 14 days to pay in full, then money claim online, really easy to do for very little money outlay, this can be added to the claim so no loss to you, its a bit slow in getting to court, the courts take a dim veiw of peeps who don't pay there bills so winning will be easy. https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/web/mcol/welcome
Hi Dr. Does this really have anything to do with your family? Yes, I know you say you did this job to help out a family friend, but that was your decision and was then an issue betwixt you and this cove. You gave an estimate - was this a normal quote or a very 'reasonable' one? Was the work to be done by you listed in reasonable detail? Can you show - prove - that the expectations of the customer then changed - he moved the goalposts/ changed the spec? Can you demonstrate this clearly? Do you have a record of the emails and other communications between you? Do they show clearly that you were reasonable and the customer was not? Do you have a record of what led up to you 'walking', or could the customer simply claim you went off in a 'huff' one day? Is there anyone else - ideally someone impartial - who can back up your claims? Ok, if 'yes' to most of that stuff - ie if you reckon you have pretty decent evidence to prove what happened here - then moneyclaim.gov the guy as Phil says. If he is a chancer, then he will almost certainly cough up as soon as that legal letter hits his doormat. If he knows that you have good evidence. Once you win the case, if there's any delay in payment then 'sheriffsoffice' him and sit back with a smile on your face. If, however, you have not kept proper records and if there's an equal chance that he could successfully blag his way at the hearing and claim that you let him down, then you are stuffed, and will hopefully learn a lesson from this. What does your family think of what's going on?
That can get messy, if they don't know where to draw the line, a ruff up soon becomes a broken leg or two. Still.
Astra, Good advise there. Gave him an Written & verbal estimate that generalised woodwork. He asked me to give him a rough price on his F&Ball specification, he sent me the document which included; colour scheme, for walls and ceiling and woodwork which included: doors, picture rail, architrave, skirting sand Window Sill, No mention of windows. (Which are rotten metal critle) The first mention of windows was a after estimate had been submitted and I said I would only paint the wood frame if I got time, No price was given He is now trying to make out that all the windows were in the Estimate.
That sounds like enough info to 'get' him the legal route if needed. If the original spec included such detail as windows sills, but not actual window frames - and you have good reason to have not included them in the quote (poor condition), then any adjudicator should accept your view that the frames were definitely not included and you obviously wouldn't do such a long and labour-intensive task without further charge. I do not agree with post #15 that the legal route is usually ineffectual. If you have a solid case and can demonstrate it to be so, then the legal route can be very satisfying. It is simple, it is cheap and knowing the reaction in that household when the letter is deliver is very satisfying indeed... Better still is if they then try not to pay up. The sheriffsoffice response will be even better - try and attend to witness the carnage I am not being nasty. If a customer is trying to cheat a tradesperson - as this person appears to be doing - then they deserve to be well and truly hammered.
You may be right D A am no expert on legal matters but if he wins will he get full payment in one hit or will tiny monthly payments
If the sheriffs get involved,they will expect it in one lump,if he don't pay, then then keep adding their expenses, & it's very satisifying when they seize property/assets.
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