[janis]

Hi there

How do you overcome this problem?  I have 4 invoices that are outstanding over 3 months now totalling over £1000.  The letting agents asure me I will be paid and all they can do is to keep chasing the landlords.  However, it was the letting agent that commissioned the work and I was under the impression that I was being paid by the letting agent.  I welcome any advice on how to get around this problem in the future. Has anyone tried offering an early settlement discount or maybe incorporating a late payment penalty? Do you think that might work. What further action do you think I should take now other than numerous phone calls, emails and reminder letters?

Janis
Healthy Homes

[DREAM CLEAN]

Janis,

Go legal, they will pay on the first letter , they do not need the costs, bad press and leagal hassle

Nick

[mark dew]

https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/csmco2/index.jsp

just send a registered letter giving them 7 days or you will register a claim against them and it will cost £30 which they will be liable for.

If you haven't heard click on the link and take it from there.

[janis]

hi there

Thanks for that! That will definately be my next course of action.  Do I am the letter at the landlords via letting agent or to the letting agent themselves at the risk of not getting any more business albeit unpaid?

Janis

[mark dew]

You need to be sending the letter to whoever commissioned you to do the work. If they claim it is still due to the landlords not paying it is upto them to add these extra charges to their bill themselves.
Not your problem.

[glenda hollis]

You send it to the person who hired you. It is nothing to do with you who has failed to pay, thats just an excuse to not pay you. I would not hire you to clean someones house and then expect you to wait whilst i got the other party to cough up. The contract is between you and me.

You do risk not getting any repeat work if you take a firm position, the question is would your really want to work for this outfit agian after all this bother?

[mark dew]

Don't forget, that until you get paid you have worked for nothing.
It might be looked at by some as money in the bank but it certainly ain't in your bank, it's in someone elses.
I never have bills outstanding at your amount as i'm a window cleaner but it is disheartening to work for 3 months without getting paid.
The bottom line is do you want to take the chance of getting no more work from them. No-one else can make that decision for you.
But as long as you go about it in a professional way, no-one can have any cause for complaint unless they are going to try it on again in future and in that case you are well shot, whether you realise it at first or not.

[janis]

Hi all,

You are absolutely right. Thanks for all your feedback it's has been a great help.

Janis
Healthy Homes

[DREAM CLEAN]

hi,

Did you get a fax or e-mail order?

who ever raised that is the one who should have the legal letter.

Do not worry about loosing them you do not want that sort of worry each month hey?

[jjames]

Hi Janis

I do a lot of work for letting agents. If the landlords are still on their books ( which they should be if they have asked you to do work on their properties ) then the agents  should take the money out of the rent each month and pay you directly. If they are not getting the rent each month then they should get the landlords to deal with you direct. If they are not paying it sounds like they are a dodgy agents. Any respectfull agents would pay within six weeks of invoice date.

justin

[janis]

Hi Justin

Is this issue an isolated one or is this common practice with letting agents?  This is the first letting agent I have dealt with and the plan is to contact a lot more in coming weeks for EOT cleans. However, I am beginning to feel a little discouraged, at least with domestic you get paid on time on a regular basis.  Tell me they do not all do business this way?  Is 6 weeks an acceptable time to wait for payment?  Do you have anything in place to safeguard against extremely late payments or non-payments?  By the way Justin, do have any useful tips on marketing to letting agents?  Sorry to bombard with questions but I  really do appreciate your advice it is a tremendous help to us newcomers in the business.


Thanks everyone for your feedback.


Janis

[jjames]

Hi Janis

This seems an isolated case. I Do constant work for 3 letting agents and get paid very quicky for invoices under £100 and a bit slower for larger bills. This is because most agents hold £100 back from the landlord to pay for small works. All other payments are usually paid out of the rent went it comes in which is why it can take six weeks for payment. It is fairly easy to get work with letting agents and the best way is to go and see them face to face. Take them some prices and a letter so that they have somthing to keep on file. Always rememebr to charge enough for end of tenancy cleans as they can get very messy.

Any other questions just ask

Justin

[janis]

Hi Justin,

Thanks once again.  I have prepared some glossy flyers which I was just going to post but you're right, paying a personal visit to the estate agents may prove more effective. I wish you continued success in your business and I am sure I will be picking your brains again in the not to distant future.

Kind Regards

Janis

[Londoner]

A friend of mine got ripped off by a landlord / letting agent scam where both pass you back and forwards to the other. He never did get paid and it was all down to the  fact that he took the original instruction over the phone and couldn't prove what was said.

Like all things in life there are good and bad, you can't condemn all of them because of a few. Letting agents are naturally going to be a bit slow in paying. Its the nature of the business.