Non Payer - What do i do?

[Darren Coxill]

I have recently completed a full rewire for someones property. I always take payment in 3x instalments. Upfront, After 1st fix then lastly on completion. The job has been an absolute nightmare. His plasterer was laid off with back problems prolonging 2nd fix. I lost a weeks work as it wasnt ready then the customer couldnt understand that i had already committed to other work well in advance so therefore had to book him in when i had time. The property was completed 4wks ago and since then he has done his utmost to come up with as many different reasons as he can to avoid paying. His main focus now being that he requires my company wholesale receipts for the lighting he has had installed. I have provided all receipts from my company for all materials supplied and work completed. From the outset he was given two quotes.. 1, Labour and Materials (no Lighting - Customer to supply) 2, Labour, Materials and Lighting to be supplied by myself. He chose the latter. I have tried to explain to him that i require these receipts for HMRC purposes and that they are in fact addressed to my company on my trade account but he doesnt seem to get it. Since i have refused he has become slanderous, putting a false review on a local trade sight and also accusing me of handling stolen goods. I have tried to deal with the matter in a professional manner but do not seem to be getting anywhere. I have applied to the small claims court to seek payment of this. Can anyone please give any advice they have if any on these matters.

Thanks

 

[trev]

How much does he owe you? If it's over £750 I think you can go straight for a bankruptcy petition.
Talk to a solicitor about your options mate.

 

[Plonker 3]

If you have submitted a claim to the small claims court, then leave it at that. Don't contact the customer unless they contact you first and keep a record any attempt they do. The courts will be used to dealing with these sort of people.

 

[geordie]

Debt Guard is a hassle-free, online business debt recovery service offered by a well-established group of solicitors. Prices start from just £2. to help recover commercial late payment. cheap place to send letters or directcollections ltd face to face collection company

 

[polo1]

What do your T&C's say? Follow them to the letter and instruct action as soon as you can. As for slanderous or libellous actions on his part, I would be consulting a solicitor to protect my reputation.
Oh, and I would be at the guys doorstep with a few quiet words of advice!
regards

 

[7029 dave]

Take a pair of cable croppers to the CU

 

[snowhead]

And the only receipt he should be expecting is YOUR receipt, not your suppliers receipts.

 

[Darren Coxill]

My T&Cs are that final payment is due on full completion of works. This was completed 4wks ago now. He is adamant that i supply him with the receipt for the lighting installed but as this is in my company name on my trade account i am reluctant to do so. I personally think that as soon as i did this there would be another reason that would come up for him not to pay. I have provided him with 3 separate receipts for works carried out and materials etc. Has anyone ever took this to the small claims court?? I am more than happy to provide them with all the necessary paperwork they require. There is £1215.00 outstanding.

 

[trev]

The guy wants the suppliers invoices so he can haggle on the bill. Screw him, they're your bills not his. He has no right to them, if he really wants to know prices it's pretty easy to check them on the net. The fact that you may get them at a better price than he would is neither here nor there.

 

[Darren Coxill]

That is exactly what i thought. he has received a receipt from my company for each stage of work carried out. The first 2 were no problem and was happy with them receipts now its final payment its an issue.

 

[Rockingit]

How much does he owe you? If it's over £750 I think you can go straight for a bankruptcy petition.
Talk to a solicitor about your options mate.

Not quite. You can issue him with a statutory demand which is the first step towards a bankruptcy petition, this is free, looks quite scary and is a very good tool for making peeps cough up. But, it's actually all just a bluff. The court filing fee (the bit that YOU have to pay to start the actual proceedings) is currently a whopping £1440.00, added to that you won't stand a chance of processing it without a lawyer so easily double that. So, now you're spending £3k, at least, just to guarantee that all the secured lenders (banks, building societies etc) get first slice and you get the nothing that's left over.

Hope the bluff works, but if he calls you on it then you're into small claims (£165 filing fee plus £335 if it goes to a hearing).

 

[Octopus]

For any court claim to be successful YOU need to demonstrate that you have given the person reminders, polite ones to pay.

You can then issue a letter entitled "final demand" which needs to include the following statement

"if full payment is not received by --- --- 2015 I shall refer this matter to the small claims court without further reference to yourself".

good luck

 

[Darren Coxill]

I actually find it quite funny because he is asking for receipts for the light fittings as they are his (according to him) however he hasn't asked for receipts for everything else cu, sockets, switches, cable etc

 

[Darren Coxill]

I have done this on numerous occasions without any luck. he is determined he wants my suppliers receipts for the light fittings before he pays to which i am not willing to give him as he has receipts from my company for all works. since then i have been accused of handling stolen goods

 

[trev]

Call the police. They'll come to see you to investigate the stolen goods claim, once that's done you have more fuel to your fire.