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Suffolkcleaners

  • Posts: 735
NON Payer
« on: January 11, 2016, 05:28:36 pm »
Hi Guys. I'm sure we have covered this subject dozens of times and it's very very rare i get a non payer. It's a £12.00 job and they owe 3 times(Oct,Nov,dec) I called to collect about a week ago and the daughter answered and said her mum was going to cancel. So i said that's fair enough but still £36.00 owing,she said my mum will call you.

I have sent 2 text message reminders(the last message politely requesting payment within 7 days)-Ignored.

Another few weeks have gone by and i have just tried to call her and politely ask for the payment and left an answer phone message to contact me ASAP to confirm cancellation and make payment. I have also put a couple of bill reminders through her door.


What shall i do next? In 20 years in the business this has happened maybe 3 or 4 times i think they just randomly decide not to pay although i haven't managed to speak to her directly yet just her daughter and i don't generally collect as it's too time consuming.

Would you let it go? Or send an official letter threatening action? It's a tough one cos i don't exactly want abuse coming back to me but at the same time it does anger me that they just decide not to contact me or pay. I thought i would give her the benefit of the doubt with Xmas and all that or who knows she could have had a personal tragedy as up until that point she did pay ok although she did usually let it roll to 2 or 3 cleans. It's a relatively newish job(only been doing for a year-was picked up through a canvassing company)

Would anyone be kind enough to give me a template letter or advise what i can say to make her pay? Thanking you in advance :-)
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Clever Forum Name

  • Posts: 5942
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2016, 05:31:45 pm »
Wouldn't mess about. I would send a thomas higgins letter. Costs £2 plus vat.

You have two types of letter to send, by law you can send the second letter and potentially claim compensation.

My last one resulted in being taken to court.

A £42 debt is now being paid off at £10 per month. Her total bill is £211 now.

Feel free to ring or email me. I do have an office letter you can send out which is a bit more nicey nicey.

I just would not bother. Go down the Thomas higgins route with a proper letter.
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AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 23689
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2016, 05:42:14 pm »
Was she a good payer up to that point?

I would knock at the door at a time when you know the householder is home. I would knock loudly and whoever answered I would ask loudly to speak to the householder and ask for my money.
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It's a game of three halves!

Suffolkcleaners

  • Posts: 735
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2016, 05:43:34 pm »
Sorry to sound stupid but how do i acquire this thomas higgins letter. What do i need to actually do? Is the letter still polite? Or shall i send a polite letter first before the thomas higgins?
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Suffolkcleaners

  • Posts: 735
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2016, 05:45:29 pm »
I have knocked once already granville but i would have to go out of my way to collect it on an evening. I only tend to knock when working  in the area which is once a month
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Suffolkcleaners

  • Posts: 735
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2016, 05:46:40 pm »
As per original message i knocked and the daughter said the mum would contact me. My gut instinct would be to send one proper letter(Polite letter) and then go down this thomas higgins route. Any advice on how i can word it?
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Ian101

  • Posts: 7887
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #6 on: January 11, 2016, 05:50:25 pm »
if Thomas higgons or knocking is a no go then you could accidently post the reminder and a strongly worded letter to next door neighbour by accident  ;)
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Clever Forum Name

  • Posts: 5942
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #7 on: January 11, 2016, 05:55:48 pm »
You would need to sign up here....

http://www.thomashiggins.com/

Takes about 7-14 days to set up. Forms and ID etc.

Then you can send out letters at £2 each plus vat.

Polite? No its threatening court action lol

By law you need to in writing give them 7 working days to pay. After that game on.
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Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #8 on: January 11, 2016, 06:01:42 pm »
I'm sure that would make her day.  ::)roll
I would not waste anymore time on such a small amount as she sounds like she is in the crapper money wise anyway.


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Smudger

  • Posts: 13252
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2016, 06:41:04 pm »
Quote from: Smurf on January 11, 2016, 06:01:42 pm
I'm sure that would make her day.  ::)roll
I would not waste anymore time on such a small amount as she sounds like she is in the crapper money wise anyway.

Agree, surely the time spent chasing and worrying over this outweighs what you'll gain...

Darran
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A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

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Craig downey

  • Posts: 112
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2016, 07:09:56 pm »
for the sake of £2, i would send the letter before action and hope the prompts a payment.  if it doesn't I'm not sure i would escalate it further?  Looking at the fees, i can't work out if you pay all the fees in the hope that eventually you get paid off the debtor. also a lot of mention about this being commercial debit collectors, do they actually chase  up domestic stuff?
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SB Cleaning

  • Posts: 4232
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2016, 07:18:36 pm »
Quote from: Smurf on January 11, 2016, 06:01:42 pm
I'm sure that would make her day.  ::)roll
I would not waste anymore time on such a small amount as she sounds like she is in the crapper money wise anyway.
+1

I would let it go it ain't worth the hassle.
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Don Kee

  • Posts: 4854
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #12 on: January 11, 2016, 07:20:45 pm »
Baseball bat
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dazmond

  • Posts: 23599
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #13 on: January 11, 2016, 07:21:51 pm »
id write it off.i couldnt be bothered messing about with thomas higgins letter for £36.

sounds like the womans got real debt problems.

if its only happened 3 or 4 times in 20 years then you ve been very lucky mate.

just think of all the xmas tips you ve had over the years or over payments here and there.everything balances out in the end. :)
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price higher/work harder!

SB Cleaning

  • Posts: 4232
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #14 on: January 11, 2016, 07:25:06 pm »
Why clean it 3 times with out payment anyway ???

I will go 2x on long standing customers who are usually good payers and just forget...If it's a fairly new custy I would clean once and no more without payment.
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Walter Mitty

  • Posts: 1314
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #15 on: January 11, 2016, 07:39:39 pm »
Thomas Higgins letter - £2
Half a dozen eggs - £1.20
Scratching her car with a Mastercard - priceless
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Clever Forum Name

  • Posts: 5942
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #16 on: January 11, 2016, 07:42:23 pm »
Quote from: Walter Mitty on January 11, 2016, 07:39:39 pm
Thomas Higgins letter - £2
Half a dozen eggs - £1.20
Scratching her car with a Mastercard - priceless

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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stan stansfield

Re: NON Payer
« Reply #17 on: January 11, 2016, 10:30:56 pm »
only clean 2x then stop untill i get paid,
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Bungle

  • Posts: 2255
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #18 on: January 11, 2016, 11:03:14 pm »
If she's in the doo doo money wise, at least she could tell op to stop cleaning her windows instead of wasting his time. Get a TH letter sent!
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We look at them, they look through them.

paulben

  • Posts: 1041
Re: NON Payer
« Reply #19 on: January 12, 2016, 06:26:38 am »
If you see her in street or anywhere there are a lot of people then with a loud voice ask her for your money only did it once had money next day
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Do not steal the government hates competition
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