Problem client

Some months back I acted for a client (we'll call him Jim) who had been sacked for incompetence. Jim worked in a role where he handled a lot of money - cash and cheques - and because of poor accounting techniques he cost his company about £30K, disovered on audit. He was sacked, but they docked him about £900 in wages - everything they could stop basically - no notice, no holiday pay etc.

I threatened to sue them for unlawful deductions from wages and after a bit of argy bargy they paid up, sent me a cheque payable to Jim.

Jim decided he didn't want to go to the Tribunal on an unfair dismissal claim. I sent him a bill for £175 + VAT which was damn cheap for what I did. He didn't pay - many reminders later, still no ££ - so I sued him. He admitted the whole amount so I entered judgement. By this time, with the court fee, solicitor costs on issue, and on entering judgement, the total claim is £337. He filled in the means questionnaire from the court saying that he was living with his parents, and was receiving benefit. He offered to pay at £10/month.

I rejected the offer as it would take nearly 3 years to pay, assuming all the payments were made. I asked the court to order £50/month as he had conveniently overlooked the money I recovered.

The court has made an order. £10 a month it is.

I'm bloody furious. How the hell am I supposed to run a business... I now ask all my clients for £ upfront.

Grrr.

[Jayneflakes]

Sorry to hear that Ed, hope that you do not end up in that situation again. Some people really do carry a curse with them and he seems to taken your share of good will for a ride. Hope that your next client has a little more integrity honey. Hugs XXX

Yep, getting the money out of folk is always the difficult bit.

Try not to get ****ed off too much about it and treat it as a business from which you pay yourself a salary.

If it was somebody else's business you'd only see it as an allowance for non-collectable accounts on one side of your balance sheet, and a non-collectable account expense on your income statement. It's just 'cos it's your own business and that makes it personal that it ****es you off.

[jamesterror]

Thats the great society we live in, just like all nurses needing a degree really.

I know how you feel Ed.

I'm owed my last invoice from the previous contract I did.
There was a problem client (hes an idiot and my mrs can do a better job as an architect)
Who has snagged the job and decided hes not going to pay my client as changes he issued have not been carried out.
(It has come to light that the changes have yet to be issued and this is why they have not been carried out.)
I have had to give him the heads up on my new contract as he wanted me to go to another job for him and I had already commited myself elsewhere.
I was told today that he was holding my money until I go back and do the changes even though everyone has agreed that they are an extra, chargeable Item.
I have been asked to go to a meeting to discuss when we will be able to do the extra works.
After explaining that I will be in the office tomorrow to collect my payment in cash (just under 2k) before I enter into a meeting for extra works as all of my time is chargeable and if he wants me to work for him, then I will need paying, he has agreed that hes going to pay...

God I hate idiots.

If it goes t*ts up tomorrow Ed, do you want some work..?




I'll pay you when I can

[timwilky]

This is why I only ever did work on instruction from organisations that should pay, solicitors, insurance companies etc.

No way would I work directly for joe public.

BTW Ed, I will be going ahead with that little matter. Do you your cut up front?

Ed, that is disgusting,

Shame really that we can't trust people anymore and the honest people have to be tarred with the same brush, but I agree with the fact that you are probably going to have to charge people upfront in future as it seems like the courts will not support the victims anymore in criminal and civil matters.

Do they calculate interest on it then like a loan would or do you merely get the tenner until its paid up to what he owed you?

[Gazza77]

You ought to see some of the repayment plans I've seen in the past for staff who have been overpaid in error. £50 a month to repay £11k in overpaid wages after they left for example...

What an ****.

I hope my company paid you the fee's for the work you did for me Ed!

Originally Posted by Gazza77

You ought to see some of the repayment plans I've seen in the past for staff who have been overpaid in error. £50 a month to repay £11k in overpaid wages after they left for example...

To be fair this is the companies fault for making the mistake in the first place.