[keyser soze]

if you were owed money what figure would be the least amount you would take someone to court for.. anyone on here taken someone to court or do generally people write these amounts off.

[Perfect Windows]

If you take someone to court and they choose to defend, you'll be taking at least a morning off work to attend.  

With that in mind, I'd say that anything under half a day's money would be daft and possibly a full day's money might be a better figure.

To be honest, I would never bother; I'd just take the cost of the lesson about that customer on the chin.

I've never sued anyone and I'm very happy about it.

Vin

[William McCafferty]

as vin has said, to go to court, the debt needs to be worthwhile, before that happens you have several options the first is to level late payment and interest charges, then you pass the debt onto a company that deals with these type of things, they of course add charges, the original debt is now more than doubled, and the person concerned knows this so they will normally pay before it gets this far.

Unless of course they have no money and have nothing that you can snatch.

I went to the debt company once (a networking friend did it for free) and I got paid within 5 days, but the debt was many thousands.

[keyser soze]

i dont like people taking me for a ride.. so im not bothered about the morning off . it would be nice to see their squirming face in court.. if they bother turning up .. i can always work late a couple of days to cover time off....

[Perfect Windows]

I have to disagre with that, I'm afraid.

When I hear of people suing "for the principle" I'm afraid I wince.

Forget it and move on.  You're a better man than them; let that be your payoff.

Vin

[keyser soze]

please explain why it makes you wince vin

[A@R WINDOWCLEANING]

I know its not the right thing to do but one custy owe me 55 quid i knew he was avoiding me this went on for 4 months and after loads of phone calls still no joy .so when i saw his van in town i propped a 3 inch nail against every tyre .like i said it makes me as low as him BUT BOY IT FELT GOOD !!! now i think we are quits

[Perfect Windows]

please explain why it makes you wince vin

Because once it's "a matter of principle" common sense often goes out of the window.  People forget to balance risk and reward.

1. They may pay you - you have your money
2. They may contest the case - you have to go to court
3. You may win the case - see point 5
4. You may lose the case - you lose the costs
5. After all that, they may just ignore the judgment - lots do.

I don't know how much it is but you're talking about working late to make up for lost time.  Is it really worth that?  For me, life's too short to bother.

All my own opinion, of course, but I'd rather clean windows than start court proceedings any day.

What's happened has happened.  Move on is my motto.

Vin

[Johnny B]

I have been knocked more times than I care to remember, but I would never, ever bother to sue for my losses. I just walk away and waste no more time worrying about those who proved themselves unworthy of my services.

John 

[Jackal]

in 2 1/2 half years iv proberly lost around £400 - £500 in bad payers but i just end up forgetting about them as you begin to realise that they aint worth it and i would never bother taking them to court cant remember any of these custys ringing me asking why i havnt been cleaning there windows i just forget it,

i remember 1 custy that i was knocking on her door and saw her drive past,she saw me but mus'nt of thought i saw her and she waited up the end of the street for a few mins with her car lights off, i drove off to the end of the street and stopped,she then went back to her house, i could not believe how pathetic that was,the things some will go to not to have to pay it was a £8 house,think if i ever see some again i would have to say what i think of them

rant over 

[Granny]

Hi Andrew
Don't put the cart before the horse - think 1st.
I once went to a solicitor to ask about suing.
The very first question he asked was not about right or woring but "Have they got money or means. There's no point suing someone without either."
If you don't know find out first.
G.

[tompoole]

Allow 3 cleans  or £60 if no payment I drop them and don't take back.

[TomCrowther]

The non payers used to drive me mental. I felt they had done me for the £20, £50 whatever and I took it really personally. I realised after a while that the only person "suffering" was me. The person who owed the debt didn't give a monkeys.
So what I do now {after ringing/txt/writing} is just delete them from George and write the debt off. It's then gone from my business and it's like a switch has been flicked in my head and I no longer care about it. Trying to get them in court is just going to increase your level of anger.

[keyser soze]

ii wonder what your opinion would be if all customers didnt pay... too many people out there who think windies are  a push over . i can see why now

[Perfect Windows]

ii wonder what your opinion would be if all customers didnt pay... too many people out there who think windies are  a push over . i can see why now

Frankly, that's a ridiculous argument.  If no-one paid not one of us would be in business and this forum wouldn't exist.

You started this post asking what amount you should sue for.  You've since made clear that it's a point of principle for you, which suggests to me that the amount doesn't matter, so it's probably been a waste of time asking in the first place.

All the way through, I've tried to be clear that it's amatter of personal opinion. Your personal opinion is that legal action is a worthwhile approach whatever the sum, which is fine.

99% of my customers (not just a number plucked out of the air, that's my real %) of customers pay their bills fine, albeit some with a (gentle) reminding prod.  That's despite my being "a pushover".  I choose to focus on the 99% rather than wasting time on the 1%.

Vin

[Window Washers]

that part that Vin just meantioned focusing on the 99% rather than the 1% is spot on.

I have not had the need to take people to court for the odd £10 or £40, I write it off, but they would never be a customer again.

I too focus on the people that pay, you will always get a few bad eggs, you will lean in time to let things go or they eat you up inside.

I used to hate people thinking they could pull one over on me and I would hound them for my money and stress myself up.

if it is a low amount I try three times after I just remove them from my thoughts and gain a new customer that pays.

Principles will cost you time and money on this matter nothing more nothing less.

Move on is good advice 

[TomCrowther]

I dunno, you try and give the guy some useful advice and he turns out not to want it and tries to insult you at the same time?

[Perfect Windows]

if it is a low amount I try three times after I just remove them from my thoughts and gain a new customer that pays.

Mine get polite reminder, a slightly more firm reminder and a threat of legal action.  Then I just forget them.

One secret that helps is that I do the reminders every week.  Then it becomes just another, emotionless job and I simply can't get wound up about it.

Vin

[AC Window Cleaning]

If its a new customer,i clean them  once,try to collect twice a week for 3 weeks and if no joy i wont clean the next month-i still try to collect (after the "im finding it difficult to catch you in letter).
If no joy-binned.Some will ring and ask where i am,i will say pay and i clean,yeah thats this time upfront aswell please.No point in letting yourself be messed around.
Existing customers will get 2 cleans then binned.
Imo there is absolutely no reasonable excuse as to why they cant pay after 8 weeks.Maybe theyre skint? maybe theyre out all the time? maybe they dont wanna pay??
None of the above is any good to any of us.
Imagine trying to ask your bank if you can pay double next time on your mortgage or going into morrisons and walking out with your weekly shop then saying you will pay it next time your in?
They would tell you to get fxxxed

[keyser soze]

I dunno, you try and give the guy some useful advice and he turns out not to want it and tries to insult you at the same time?

sorry if you took that as an insult .. just an observation in general