Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Mike #1 on February 23, 2014, 11:27:06 am
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Needing to use Thomas Higgins what details do i need and how easy and straight forward is the service to use .
Custy owes £14.00 and despite calling back a number of times and hand delivering and Invoice with payment options and then a few days later hand delivering a letter and a copy of invoice .
The Letter made a further request for payment and informed them that i would add a further charge for non payment if not made within a certain time and also informed them that non payment would result in legal action been taken .
Over a week now and no payment or contact made >:( >:( >:( . Mike
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Hello Mike,
It's very simple and easy to use. Once you have registered, takes a few mins.........
"Our service is simple, to start your collections right now, simply log on to www.thomashiggins.com and access your account through the client login tab. Your password will be sent separately. You will be prompted to check your account details are correct. Then go to “Create a Letter Before Action” and enter your debtor’s name, address and the sum owing, or if you have a large volume just email us your file. We will, on the same day, send a Solicitors 7 day Letter Before Action (LBA) chasing payment – its as simple as that! We charge £2.00 plus VAT for each LBA."
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Thanks for that mate do you know if i can also add on the £20.00 non payment charge i said would be added to the outstanding debt .
I am going to wait till maybe Tuesday to see if a cheque turns up , Even though i gave the option of PayPal which i Know i would lose some on charges but i have a PayPal button on my website .
So I have tried to be polite and give them some straight forward options to pay . Mike
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Too much messing for £14 IMO.
I'd write it off after knocking her door one last time.
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Its the principal Dazmond they were a custy for about 4 years or so and the wife never carries money , So always had to call back when husband was in but in recent months he has changed his working pattern .
So is working a lot longer hours when i spoke to the wife last time she had a dont care attitude and just said sorry you will have to call back , I have been chasing the debt for about 3 months now .
In the past i have offered them different payment options so i could get paid without having to call back 4-6 times and this drags out over weeks .
They have got money as husband is involved with the family business , It is the pure ignorance i cant stand i had them down as good custys in the past .
But now not to even just call me and ask if i can call and collect money >:( >:( >:( . I have a lot of custys close to them so it is not like they are never going to see me again i park right next to their house due to location .
I almost feel guilty for taking legal action but why should i be walked all over which is what it feels like . Mike
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I almost feel guilty for taking legal action but why should i be walked all over which is what it feels like . Mike
You're making it feel personal and you really don't have to let it be that way. They'd probably have treated me exactly the same.
Use the letter or don't use the letter, whatever, but you don't have to let these folk wind you up.
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Cheers Tosh , I am not wound up as such i am stressing more about having to take action .
Due to some personal circumstances i struggle to deal with hassle or confrontation and it has taken about 2 1/2 years for me to be able to deal with certain things just want to get my confidence back and not feel walked over .
And feel as i carried out a service they requested then i am due my payment . Mike
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In-between decisions is a stressful place. You're either going to do it, or you're not. Make your mind up quickly, do whatever needs to be done and the stress will go. But many of us come to window cleaning because we want a less stressful way of life, so why add it for the sake of £14?
Just let it go, in your head too, shrug shoulders, and focus on your good customers. This will no doubt happen again at some stage; it's pointless getting annoyed when it does. It's just part of the job.
And if you chat with some builders, they'll be to give you some proper horror stories where they've purchased materials, paid for staff, and then been done over. We have it easy sometimes (not the guys with huge accounts 'n' staff).
And it really isn't personal; they'd have done it to me too.
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Been a windy for over 13 years so have been ripped off a few times in the past , Thought i would make a stand this time . Thanks again Mike
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Over 14 quid? Jesus...
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Over 14 quid? Jesus...
It is the principal why should i or anyone else be ripped off , You cant walk into shop get what you need and say to the assistant or owner will pay you later and walk out that would be theft .
But customers ripping the window cleaner or another tradesman off dont see that as been dishonest they may class it as victory because they saved themselves some money ??? ??? ??? .
If most people accepted been ripped off or that ripping some one off was the right thing to do it would be a wonderful world NOT . ;) ;) Mike
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write a bad online review on his family business might make him sit up
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Completely understand where your comming from mike, but the time your spending chasing up this 14 quid, surely it took you about 15 mins to do this 14 quid job...time ur pin round chasing up 14 quid u cud have done another job and got paid
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Yup, I've had this happen to me more times than I care to remember. I now just see it that they have wasted a few minutes of my time, and I am sure not going to stress about it or waste any more time or effort on them. My satisfaction comes by telling my local window cleaning colleagues (most of whom are close personal friends) who won't touch their windows with a bargepole or anything else.
John
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Completely understand where your comming from mike, but the time your spending chasing up this 14 quid, surely it took you about 15 mins to do this 14 quid job...time ur pin round chasing up 14 quid u cud have done another job and got paid
Point well made Bill i do agree , But as i have already informed them of potential legal action i am going to go ahead and that will defo make them sit up , Thanks for input lads . Mike
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lol robertphil
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write a bad online review on his family business might make him sit up
BACK OF THE NET ;D ;D ;D . Mike
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Ive wrote loads of money off in the past.
My round now is pretty much all decent customers that have been on the books for ages, so minimal problems with payment.
I do have a new customer that owes £30 for 2 cleans that im pretty sure shes trying to avoid paying. Ive stopped doing her house but have been to see her on a couple of occasions, to be given excuses.
Never tried this Thomas Higgins letter but might test it on this lady ;D
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For the sake of 2 quid James i would do mate . Mike
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Had a couple do this to me over the years - always small amounts (similar to yours) - annoying, but It's part of the game.
I dealt with it by telling all their neighbours that they've knocked me, got my revenge a dozen times over, it's the custie conversation that keeps on giving.
On the plus side she'll probably hide from you every time you're working in their street - Imagine that! Not being able to walk out of your own front door for fear of running into the windie - FOREVER!!
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I have a custy that owes me £30 and has said she cant pay so will give the £2 letter a try
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Just forget about it and move on and at night throw a mud ball her windows.
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“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In those choices lie our growth and our happiness.”
If this is winding you up then it is because you are letting it. It's a difficult concept to grasp but the frustration you are feeling is a result of your reaction to it - not your response to it.
You are right that they are the lowest of the low to do this but then plenty of thieves walk into small businesses every day and help themselves to stuff worth a damn sight more than £14.00. A butcher friend of mine got stung recently by a customer for £8,000.00 - bang, they closed down and no sign of payment ever coming. The 'Takes a thief to catch a thief' programme last night showed how shoplifters mass steal and show no remorse.
If you are going to go down the letter route, then, as Dazmond says, just get on with it - but you must treat it as a normal part of your business and take emotion out of the equation. Otherwise you will keep getting stressed - when you know they have received the letter - how will they react - will they keep you waiting - you'll keep checking Paypal and bank statements to see if they have paid. And after all that if they choose not to pay you are back in the same position you are today - then you might get more stressed thinking whether you should take them to court or not.
I too have people that don't pay for the service I have provided - it used to really wind me up but it got so bad I had to change my outlook or that frustration would have turned to anger and the problems that can bring; I even had one recently that outright told me to my face he was not going to pay me.
But all it has cost you is your time - yesterday I cleaned the wrong house a couple of doors down from the actual one - all I could do was laugh it off and I do the same with bad payers - you will meet many of these types of people and you must choose how you respond (not react) to this stimulus.
Cheers, Tom ;) ;)
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i allow for a certain amount of bad debt every year.last year it was £81.the year before was £36-50,the year before about £30.
this is a drop in the ocean in the great scheme of things.annoying as it is some people just WONT PAY!!luckily its very rare that a customer of mine doesnt pay me.
if you ve been chasing her for 3 months for £14 id write it off,move on and forget about it mike.its just not worth it mate.
best wishes
dazmond
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I find talking face to face, maybe with the husband might just do the business call on a Sunday or Saturday morning. I ill not go in a looser and will stand my ground and if I get no joy would tell him to his face would tell he is stealing fro a poor window cleaner him being a better off business man.Then ask him what his customer would think of him if they knew how mean he is. It will upset him,but I will not care. Then tell all if he did nothing how he steals from the poor windy.
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Yesterday, I finally asked a persistent late payer the magic question.
It was, "Would you ask a banker to clean your windows?"
I'm sure you can have a reasonable guess at what came next.
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I agree with the OP who says that it's the principle of the matter. I can also see that it's annoying and therefore stressful. I chase money through Thos Higgins, as long as it's worthwhile. I sent a LBA for £15 and didn't get paid. I dropped it and didn't take it any further - just didn't add up financially, but seeing the house still winds me up >:( But then I laugh to myself as I go home to my paid-for detached 3 bedroom house with and acre and a half of land and think about their scuzzy little property with a fridge in the garden.
Personally I'd send the LBA and then drop it if it doesn't work. Anything over £25-ish i'd probably pursue, and have done. And won in court. And been paid. More painful for the custie long term. To do this you better have water tight terms and conditions and have followed best practice in giving time to pay "If you are having trouble paying please contact us" (so we can be further shafted by allowing you to pay 50p per month) sort of thing.
£14 is a lot of money to some people and why shouldn't he be paid? You can't walk in to Tescos, help yourself to £14 worth of filet steak and walk out with no intention of paying.
All in all a LBA is good value for money, but its best not to let it stress you if possible.
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“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In those choices lie our growth and our happiness.”
If this is winding you up then it is because you are letting it. It's a difficult concept to grasp but the frustration you are feeling is a result of your reaction to it - not your response to it.
You are right that they are the lowest of the low to do this but then plenty of thieves walk into small businesses every day and help themselves to stuff worth a damn sight more than £14.00. A butcher friend of mine got stung recently by a customer for £8,000.00 - bang, they closed down and no sign of payment ever coming. The 'Takes a thief to catch a thief' programme last night showed how shoplifters mass steal and show no remorse.
If you are going to go down the letter route, then, as Dazmond says, just get on with it - but you must treat it as a normal part of your business and take emotion out of the equation. Otherwise you will keep getting stressed - when you know they have received the letter - how will they react - will they keep you waiting - you'll keep checking Paypal and bank statements to see if they have paid. And after all that if they choose not to pay you are back in the same position you are today - then you might get more stressed thinking whether you should take them to court or not.
I too have people that don't pay for the service I have provided - it used to really wind me up but it got so bad I had to change my outlook or that frustration would have turned to anger and the problems that can bring; I even had one recently that outright told me to my face he was not going to pay me.
But all it has cost you is your time - yesterday I cleaned the wrong house a couple of doors down from the actual one - all I could do was laugh it off and I do the same with bad payers - you will meet many of these types of people and you must choose how you respond (not react) to this stimulus.
Cheers, Tom ;) ;)
In the same manner you laugh it off when you hit your thumb with a hammer?
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£14 is a lot of money to some people and why shouldn't he be paid? You can't walk in to Tescos, help yourself to £14 worth of filet steak and walk out with no intention of paying.
True, but if they catch you, Tesco are utterly unemotional in deciding whether to prosecute, try to recover the money or forget it. Their decision is based purely on whether it's worth the time and money chasing you versus the effect on their business. When you get emotional (about anything) you make bad decisions.
Vin
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“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In those choices lie our growth and our happiness.”
If this is winding you up then it is because you are letting it. It's a difficult concept to grasp but the frustration you are feeling is a result of your reaction to it - not your response to it.
You are right that they are the lowest of the low to do this but then plenty of thieves walk into small businesses every day and help themselves to stuff worth a damn sight more than £14.00. A butcher friend of mine got stung recently by a customer for £8,000.00 - bang, they closed down and no sign of payment ever coming. The 'Takes a thief to catch a thief' programme last night showed how shoplifters mass steal and show no remorse.
If you are going to go down the letter route, then, as Dazmond says, just get on with it - but you must treat it as a normal part of your business and take emotion out of the equation. Otherwise you will keep getting stressed - when you know they have received the letter - how will they react - will they keep you waiting - you'll keep checking Paypal and bank statements to see if they have paid. And after all that if they choose not to pay you are back in the same position you are today - then you might get more stressed thinking whether you should take them to court or not.
I too have people that don't pay for the service I have provided - it used to really wind me up but it got so bad I had to change my outlook or that frustration would have turned to anger and the problems that can bring; I even had one recently that outright told me to my face he was not going to pay me.
But all it has cost you is your time - yesterday I cleaned the wrong house a couple of doors down from the actual one - all I could do was laugh it off and I do the same with bad payers - you will meet many of these types of people and you must choose how you respond (not react) to this stimulus.
Cheers, Tom ;) ;)
In the same manner you laugh it off when you hit your thumb with a hammer?
Oh Lord!!!!!
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If you are spending time chasing debts getting stressed over it, then write them off and move on. Life's too short for minor debts from crap customers, dump them and enjoy life again :)
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I have a custy that owes me £30 and has said she cant pay so will give the £2 letter a try
Send her letter, Saying you are sorry that she has fallen on hard times and not to worry about it, slip in a twenty and wish her well for the future.
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Its the principal Dazmond they were a custy for about 4 years or so and the wife never carries money , So always had to call back when husband was in but in recent months he has changed his working pattern .
So is working a lot longer hours when i spoke to the wife last time she had a dont care attitude and just said sorry you will have to call back , I have been chasing the debt for about 3 months now .
In the past i have offered them different payment options so i could get paid without having to call back 4-6 times and this drags out over weeks .
They have got money as husband is involved with the family business , It is the pure ignorance i cant stand i had them down as good custys in the past .
But now not to even just call me and ask if i can call and collect money >:( >:( >:( . I have a lot of custys close to them so it is not like they are never going to see me again i park right next to their house due to location .
I almost feel guilty for taking legal action but why should i be walked all over which is what it feels like . Mike
Hi M&M
I would send the letter, just do it
But i think the answer lies in the above statement.
These people should have been dropped years ago, due to your nice nature and willingness to appease and keep the custom its now back fired slightly,
good luck
bob