unpaid

[fizzbomb2008]

I have just completed 2 weeks of plastering work now the client is refusing to pay and claims the work is unacceptable. The finish to my mind is acceptable.

[tubeway]

And your question is?????

[gardener2]

Did you work as an employee or direct for the client?
Ask the client to set out his concerns in writing. Ideally take an experienced tradesman with you to form his opinion.
Did the client see work in progress and make any complaint at the time or wait till you finished?
Then tell him he must allow you to correct any workmanship without charge within a reasonable time.
If he engages someone else to correct or finish the work he can only deduct that cost from what he owes you.
So much depends on the extent of his complaint,it often happens that a client refuses to pay anything due to small easily corrected faults.

[tubeway]

The customer is NOT always right - I always try to give them the benefit of any doubt, but the customer who comes in screaming "The customer is always right" usually follows it up by saying something that is incorrect.

[fizzbomb2008]

things have gone from bad to worse. I went back under the clients instructions. She wasnt there, her husband pointed out things she wasnt happy with (some of which wasnt even anything to do with myself or what i was asked to do) I corrected what i was asked to and left. Was told cheque for my work was in the post. Received another call from client tonight saying the cheque hasnt been poted, i am not being paid and she was not prepared to discuss it further. where do i go from here?

[fizzbomb2008]

Also, 2 days before i finished the job she had asked me if i could fit her in for more work later in the month. Never complained while the work was ongoing. I feel as if they had no intentions of paying from the beginning but not sure where i stand. Im self employed and have never come across this before

[meglet]

I would send them a letter saying that if they weren't happy with your work then they need to detail all problems they have and give you the opportunity to put them right (within a certain time frame). It is only fair that they give you the opportunity to do this. Explain that if they refuse to do this you will have no alternative but them to the small claims court. It is also worth pointing out that if they lose at the small claims court it was adversely affect their credit score in the future and they may find it difficult to get credit.


they will find it difficult to get credit in the fue

[meglet]

^^^ apologies for extra bit there!

[fizzbomb2008]

Thanks meg, I did ask to go back and discuss their concerns she just doesnt want to co operate. I did explain that I would have to try and collect my cash through the small claims court (in a polite way) and was given the response "Do as you please you will lose" I also told her that until this has been resolved that the work I carried out should remain untouched (not sure if i was within my rights) this also didnt seem to phase the client and she hung up. Im not one for confrontation but feel I have been totally ripped off.

[meglet]

Take it to the small claims court then Fizz. It'll cost you around �35 (which you get back if you win or they settle) and if you lose then so be it. But if you win they are FAR worse off.

I once refused to pay a surveyor for plans he had done for my property. I paid for the first set but they were wrong and had to be done twice more. They were STILL wrong so I refused to pay. He took it to the small claims court and I paid up rather than get (I think it's a) CCJ against me. This would have made it impossible to get credit I was told.

[fizzbomb2008]

sent them a letter, again politely explaining that i would seek to claim money owed thru small claims and today ive received one back! with the heading "supply of goods and services act 1982" and just saying they are not happy with the work. can anyone advice what point they are trying to make by this???