for those of us in business

[kostello]

enjoy........

http://www.dump.com/vendorclient/

 

[nev]

=D> =D>
Do you think it would have a detrimental effect to business if one included that at the bottom of any emailed job quotes

 

[petermillard]

Priceless! Thanks for posting

 

[Jamesc]

So true, I think I will post a link to some of clients - those with a sense of humour anyway

 

[Benchwayze]

I couldn't understand it.
Guess it's a good job I'm not in business then? :mrgreen:

 

[markturner]

We just finished a job for a very rich client in Clapham, who did not want to pay for anything, place dripping in Gucci, yet quibbling the tiniest things on the bill. We left her all the left over paint at her request in the newly finished room, all neatly stacked on a dust sheet, in the middle of the empty room.

Next day I get an email with a photo of the new carpet in the room with a big paint stain on it and a request that we pay £1,200 for the new carpet, as its our fault apparently that her husband came in there that evening to look at the newly finished room and kicked one of the cans over and spilled the paint through the dust sheet onto the new carpet. She says she asked my painter to take it all downstairs, and he did not, but knowing her, I cant see her letting him walk out at the end of the job without doing exactly what she wanted......

This is after we have already been back twice to complete snagging lists despite us walking through the job twice with her and she professing herself very pleased with everything. And the final payment still outstanding 4 weeks.........

They talk about rogue traders, what about rogue clients.......

 

[kostello]

Sorry to hear about that. I've had my own share of awkward clients so I know how you feel.....

Was she a wealthy bored housewife with nothing else to do?

 

[markturner]

Hi well, she is certainly wealthy, but it's more a case of some people, they just expect the rolls royce job but only want to pay for a BMW....any excuse not to pay up - every stage payment through the job was at least 2 weeks late, you know the sort of thing........plus, that's being completely unreasonable - her husband knocked it over, not us!

 

[kostello]

Should have been looking where he was going....

I once did some work for a family where the lady of the house was refusing to take her meds...... And not accepting help from mental health services........

I shook every time her name was mentioned for nearly 10 years

Edit for spelling

 

[rafezetter]

We just finished a job for a very rich client in Clapham, who did not want to pay for anything, place dripping in Gucci, yet quibbling the tiniest things on the bill. We left her all the left over paint at her request in the newly finished room, all neatly stacked on a dust sheet, in the middle of the empty room.

Next day I get an email with a photo of the new carpet in the room with a big paint stain on it and a request that we pay £1,200 for the new carpet, as its our fault apparently that her husband came in there that evening to look at the newly finished room and kicked one of the cans over and spilled the paint through the dust sheet onto the new carpet. She says she asked my painter to take it all downstairs, and he did not, but knowing her, I cant see her letting him walk out at the end of the job without doing exactly what she wanted......

This is after we have already been back twice to complete snagging lists despite us walking through the job twice with her and she professing herself very pleased with everything. And the final payment still outstanding 4 weeks.........

They talk about rogue traders, what about rogue clients.......

Speak to your painter and see what he says, if she asked and he didn't - his fault. In a small claims case she needs to PROVE you were negligent, not you having to prove you were not, plus him kicking over a can - if left in the middle of the room... any judge is going to look at that fact suspiciously. Plus WHY did she ask you to leave it all in the middle of the freshly done room on a good carpet in the first place? That also seems dodgy to me.

Sh'e also have to prove replacing that carpet would be £1200 by providing a receipt of its original cost.

Tell her you'll expect final payment as normal then you'll look into her other claim which was not part of the completed works and would be seen by any judge as a separate issue and a separate claim.

Unless you know by annoying her you'd lose lots of potential referral work, I'd call her bluff and say it's her clumsy husband's fault, otherwise she might try other suspicious crap after; because it sounds to me like after refurb'ing the room she's decided to change the carpet and wants to pin the cost on you - maybe because she thinks they overpaid and it's their way of getting you back. Some people truly are asshats, the rich especially so.

And from now on, buy yourself a dictaphone and record every customer conversation and if done on the phone; send an email after as a trascript of what was said and get them to agree by email to what was agreed including any costings.

You might even go as far as to vet the clients - they expect referrals from your past clients so can they give referrals from their past tradesman - can they prove they made all final payments, did they make payments on time - vetting is a 2 way street....

 

[finneyb]

Speak to your painter and see what he says, if she asked and he didn't - his fault. ...

Not sure I agree that the painter is at fault - did she complain eg a telephone call to the office? Seems the type that would do so. And the paint left overs left at her request - for what reason? Seems to me she wouldn't soil her hands with a paintbrush.

Why hasn't she claimed on her house contents insurance or is she going to do that as well as charge the contractor?

I find the small claims court procedure excellent for recovering debt. Bet it wouldn't get to Court.

Brian

 

[RobinBHM]

Ive been working on a quote for a customer that is now on its 5th re-design and spec. Decent job, 5.3m x 3.5m orangery and 17 flushfitting windows. Its been going on for 3 months.

Today I get the inevitable phone call.......'We need you to look at the price, its going over budget, and that's without the underfloor heating, floor tiling, LED downlighters blah blah blah.....

I think I will watch that clip every morning before starting work!!