Customer won't pay.

[leolen]

Hello,

Can anyone suggest the best possible way of getting the money back off a customer who won't pay?

It's a conservatory company we worked for installing all the power for it.

It's been ongoing since February and I have took a very down to earth approach about claiming the money back.I have sent a final letter telling them I will take the necessary action if they do not pay.But no reply since.

Now I'm out of ideas and unsure whether court is the next step or debt collection.

I would appreciate your feedback thank you.

 

[Welchyboy]

i wonder if its the same company that i have heard real bad stories about(just started up a new building division)

how much are we talking hundreds or thousands?

how big are the company?

what papertrail have you got as proof you done the works?

Have they given you any reasons for non-payment or just palming u off with excuses?

 

[RISElectrical]

Use a debt collection agency, they will want 2%-10% of final fee but usually a simple letter will get things moving.

Can always add a % on to final account for something to cover the extra

 

[telectrix]

as he says^^^

 

[durhamspark]

I've got a similar problem myself and have spoken to a couple of solicitors who told me there is nothing they can do different to action I can take myself.

Download templates of late payment, final demand and letter before action. Send them via email and recorded delivery in the suggested timescales then if you get no joy use money claim online to take them to small claims court. Doing everything correctly now will increase the likelihood of having a cast iron case.

You can also add interest and late payment fees under the terms of “The Late Payment of Commercial debts (Interest) Act 1998 as supplemented and amended by the Commercial Debt Regulations 2002" which may hurry them along.

If you are going to threaten court make sure you are prepared to carry it out, and if they do not dispute your invoices during the process they will not really be able to dispute them if it goes to court.

good luck

 

[Octopus]

Do a search on the forum for similar threads - there have been a couple of good ones recently, full of positive, helpful advice.

I've recently used:

https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/

and the customer paid up the day the paperwork arrived!

 

[Guest123]

These are highly regarded by members of this forum too.

The Thomas Higgins Partnership | Business Debt Collection Solicitors

 

[sedgy34]

Hello,

Can anyone suggest the best possible way of getting the money back off a customer who won't pay?

It's a conservatory company we worked for installing all the power for it.

It's been ongoing since February and I have took a very down to earth approach about claiming the money back.I have sent a final letter telling them I will take the necessary action if they do not pay.But no reply since.

Now I'm out of ideas and unsure whether court is the next step or debt collection.

I would appreciate your feedback thank you.

i have an idea for you but need more info how much your owed and from how many jobs have you done for this company etc also do you know if there customer has paid them for the conservatory theyve had

 

[rugbynick]

We use Thomas Higgins Solicitors-all done by fax or online. £2.50 for a letter before action which has prompted payment if no dispute

 

[sedgy34]

go and knock the doors, where you did the works you may find there customer knock the cost off what they may still owe that company. this will embarrass the company who havnt paid you they wont want that.

 

[nick182]

serve him with a statutory demand

 

[Geordie Spark]

These are highly regarded by members of this forum too.

The Thomas Higgins Partnership | Business Debt Collection Solicitors

Yes !!!!

I used to use these people and they are good, BUT one lesson that I learned the hard way is that there is no point in trying to recover money from someone who hasn't got any. You then have to resort to "other means" !!! :73:

 

[Bluesknight]

Depends on value of invoices, you could try small claim court as other people have suggested. I have used them a couple of times and always got my money back.

Especially good if it is business to business. Cost me less than £10, customer didn't show up, court gave me option to send in the bailiffs. Takes a few months to actual get the money.

 

[leolen]

Thanks for your feedback, very helpful!

 

[Mike Watters]

go around and plant ur bum on a chair in their office,or follow director to his home and park across his drive.

 

[durhamspark]

serve him with a statutory demand

Am I reading this right and I can just download the form and issue it myself without the need for a solicitor?

Looks like someone has one of these in the post next week!

I'm not waiting months for small claims to get my money, he will have gone bust anyway by then.

 

[Geordie Spark]

go around and plant ur bum on a chair in their office,or follow director to his home and park across his drive.

Sod that ........... pour brake fluid over his car parked in his drive.