[Matt Read]

I did a job july last year ,hall/stairs..picked key up from householders work did job returned key(pain in the arse ....don't normally pick keys up but was doing a favour ) .phoned customer approx 2 months later chasing payment...got husband...'no probs will send cheque off' .

no cheque ..sent 2 reminder invoices around beginning of october .

0ct 22nd my baby daughter arrives 2 months early,, very ill ,,so i'm not really working.

sods law customer hubby  phones up 2 days after birth..' about these reminders
..i will pay but you've caused a problem with my floor boards ..they seem to have warped'
i'm not in the mood obviously so Karl from connoisseur kindly agrees to step in and help me sort it (karl is most qualified carpet upholstery flood/fire damage bloke of all time !)
He leaves sum messages...no reply from customer.
goes quiet ..i assume the customer was trying it on so i wrote off chasing  the payment to avoid any hassle.

until yesterday feb10 2005...customer phones up 'i do want to pay but i want you to take a look at floorboards please'
i oblige...the house is an old hall ent terrace...job is so long ago i can't possibly remember the floorboard condition so i dispute that it's down to me and arrange for karl to give a second opinion.
customer is always very nice which i find unsettling !
i'm 11 years in as a carpet cleaner and don't overwet there was also underlay .
thats the story so far ..awaiting Karl to do his visit.
any viewpoints appreciated.

Matt

[Mark Roberts]

What condition were the floorboards in?

Mark

[dave401uk]

i find it very hard to imagine, HWE dammaging the floor boards, your custermour needs to recive a county court writ asap,this should make him pay swiftly :

dave

[Mark Roberts]

I agree with Dave. I would have sent one after 1 month depending on value of job.
Have a word with trading standards and see where you stand.
Never admit liability!!

Mark

[Ken Wainwright]

Is there watermarking on the back of the carpet? Ditto underlay? Ditto floorboards? Has dye run on gripperods? I doubt this very much.

I once attended, with a Bsc qualified industrial chemist/carpet inspector,  a similar claim from a custard who was trying it on. His surveyor friend had taken measurements with his moisture meter, which my friend than did some calculations from. The cleaner would have had to have left the carpet under about 2" of water to create those readings!!

I would suggest, without any knowledge of your own particular case, that the warped floorboards occured from some other cause. After all, how many of us have attended flood situations and still not had warped floorboards?

Safe and happy cleaning
Ken

PS Please do take this situation seriously though. Be totally professional at all times. Are you an NCCA member? Are you insured? These are two sources of advice.

[Matt Read]

the floorboards did seem raised in one area and there are some line marks on the carpet.

the line marks/draught marks (running along the floorboards ) are not uncommon in my opinion..i see it a lot in older houses and i've always put it down to bad /no underlay (in this case i think the underlay has worn away in places) .

i know i'll get replies saying i shud have turned the job down but i'm certain i didn't wet the carpet enough to soak thru the backing.

Its the timescale more than anything ,,i'm happy to take things on the chin if i deserve it but its a ridiculous amount of time between job and complaint.

my insurance have said if it didn't get resolved and with all the facts they would probably fight my corner. but i don't really want a claim on my unblemished record ! i'm tempted to say take me to small claims court.

[Mark Roberts]

As you have said, the timescale is more than 6 months. This is why I would seek advise from trading standards before insurance and the rest...

Mark

[Ian Gourlay]

Are you in NCCA perhaps they could help.

Do you offer satisfaction or money back.


Does client keep phoning ypu.

If he does not let sleeping dogs lie charge next tewn customers a premium to cover losses.

Who knows he has done you a favour by forcing you to increase prices

[David_Annable]

Matt

The custurd dosn't want to pay.

You have played into his hands by allowing it to drag on for so long.

Youv'e done the job you should get paid for it.

Dave

[Dave_Lee]

Matt,
Anything could have happened in the interim period. They could even have had a flood or a burst that has caused yhe problem, or something else, so dont get involved, just insist they pay they pay your bill. Ive learnt the bitter lesson, of not entertaining any claim outside of a 'reasonable time'.  I think you will find the trading standards would suggest within one week for for any complaints with regard to the nature of our line of business. As your client is way beyond a reasonable time period, I wouldnt have thought you have any problem.
Dave.

[Len Gribble]

Matt

did a job july last year ,hall/stairs..picked key up from householders work did job returned key(pain in the arse ....don't normally pick keys up but was doing a favour ) .phoned customer approx 2 months later chasing payment...got husband...'no probs will send cheque off' .

From the above I take it you run your business on credit really helps the cash flow! And on the problem very laid back.

Len

[strakercleaning]

My terms state " that any queries arising from this work must be stated verbally within 24 hours and in writing within 7 days"
We know that items will have dried within hours and anything amiss will be noticable by that time.
Had one such 'chancer' many years ago, who after i proved the stains were made after my visit, did make a full apology................ looking up from where he landed 
I like to think that i can be FIRM BUT FAIR

[strakercleaning]

ps. Must add that he got the free nose job because he ranted off at the Estate agent who recommended me and sullied my name with them.
My reputation was straight with agent long before his nose :

[John_Flynn]

Matt

You mean that you never lift the carpets and inspect the floorboards before starting to clean?? Hehehehehehehe.

Do as suggested eariler in post talk with Trading Standards, they will help you, they understand about these Custards.

[Matt Read]

Thanx for the comments chaps,
Karl is doing his visit tomorrow  for me.. but from what you've all said i think i'll try trading standards and if they agree it's outside a reasonable time limit the custard can chase me.

Len ..i don't do 'credit' as such but in 11 years this is the first customer i have had to chase...i try to offer a professional yet personal service and have always received payment within a month in the past ...perhaps i am too trusting but as most jobs are "payment on completion" its only the odd customer or two who pay invoices by post.. maybe i've been lucky....or us carrot crunchers in norwich pride ourselves on paying our bills ! Obviously commercial customers are a different story.

I'll post the outcome on here as soon as there is one !

[Len Gribble]

Matt

A hop-picker to a carrot cruncher

I have certain rules with domestic customers they pay me on completion, some have tried it on can you send me an invoice my reply I do better than that I can give you a sales invoice now! Think of me being like M&S.

Commercial as you say different ball game so are domestic bouncy cheques.

I have no doubt in your professionalism but one word of negativity from a customer I would have been round that day/night and walked away with the cheque.

Len

[Paul Redden Countryfresh]

I think the Board edges were already curled on edges ( common problem )
now the carpet is cleaned it shows more as the carpet no longer has a dull matt finish, as the surface is now more reflective as the light hits it. Another factor is having underlay would normally disguise the problem, off course no underlay would only compound the problem.

I'm sure he's not a gold-digger just needs some friendly explaining of the scenario.

[Matt Read]

Update on the claim : took mr strakers advice and rearranged his nose...in court next week looking at 3 months for gbh ! Just joking ... Karl kindly did his visit and having looked underneath the carpet it was the underlay that had turned to dust and fallen down the floorboard gaps which is why the ridges were more visible. Customer accepted this explanation from Karl on his visit by saying" looks like a new carpet or polished floorboards then " to his wife before walking off to eat his tea ,leaving karl to replace the carpet and let himself out ! Some people ! Many thanks for all of your advice(well most of it ) specially Karl obviously ...i owe you a few beers mate .

[strakercleaning]

Glad to hear that it all turned out for the good.

ps...........any nasal rearranging never to be carried out in front of witnesses making it difficult to prove ,as being ex RMP, my word is as good as his. 

pps............GBH if hit repeatedly but only ASSAULT/ ABH if hit once  :
 If witnesses are present then provoke custard into 1st move then claim self defence...........but no more than 2/3 strikes.