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onemanband

Joined: 26 Dec 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: NCA90

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 14 12:28 am Post subject:

[quote="Ty Gwyn:1389430"]

onemanband wrote:

What length of time are we looking at ?

From time the job was finished/Bill sent/handed over, to the present time?

Dunno if you're asking me what I was asking or if you're re-asking OL what I was asking ......
but yeh timescale is relevant

If she forgot for a week, then went on 2 weeks holiday, yes it's out of order, but you won't get any recommendations or follow-up work by sending snotty letters.
If however it's been longer and you get fobbed off with excuses and broken promises, then yes take it to court.

As yet you haven't spoken to her. She could have genuinely forgot, been unavailable or have a genuine reason. Yes it's out of order, but being hasty could cost you future work.

Where you hasty or have you given reasonable time ?

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4613
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 14 12:36 am Post subject:
Re-asking,as time is relevant in the case, If your in business often ones accounts are settled by the following Month,and as a GP presume the surgeries accounts are handled in a similar manner, If one want`s paying quicker,its best to hand the bill to the customer from ones receipt book,ready to sign payed with thanks.

Flamin'Panda

Joined: 09 Feb 2014
Posts: 464
Location: Azores

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 14 5:59 am Post subject:

12Bore wrote:

Nick wrote:

OtleyLad wrote:

Thanks for the support/advice.
I have sent an email, text and taken a letter to the GP practice where she works (she wasn't there today). In them all I have said she has until the 7th of March to pay in full or else I will submit my claim to the Small Claims Court (I mentioned the extra cost she would have to pay (plus interest) should this happen).
I have used the online facility a couple of times before and got my money back eventually - even though on one of the occaisions they got themselves a fine for contempt of court by ignoring the first judgement and ended paying more to the court than to me.

Hopefully the thought of that will change her mind.

This is good, but, tbh, text and email aren't the best way. Hard copy, every time, when you need to press a point.

I believe that fax counts as legally "served".

Could be wrong, but I think I read some time ago that emails now count as being 'legally served'.... Perhaps the citizens advice could help.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15998

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 14 7:16 am Post subject:
Certainly e-mails count as a written document these days, but not sure about any further as legal documents. Hope she responds now Otley Lad and pays up.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 14 7:19 am Post subject:
It's only partly about legality. Texts and emails just get ignored. Put it on paper.

Colin & Jan

Joined: 03 Mar 2006
Posts: 203
Location: Dover, Kent

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 14 8:01 am Post subject:
Doctors are notoriously bad payers. I have a couple of friends (building trade) who have had big problems with payment from doctors. One said he will never work for anyone else in the medical profession unless it was money up front.

Flamin'Panda

Joined: 09 Feb 2014
Posts: 464
Location: Azores

Posted: Fri Feb 28, 14 7:37 am Post subject:
Any further updates?

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Mon Jun 09, 14 5:32 am Post subject:

I had rationalised that this wasn't worth the stress and never did apply to the small claims court - so since my last email to her 5th March nothing happened.

Out of the blue saturday (that's 3 months later) I got an email from the doctor apologising profusely for 'misremembering of our communication, and my amnesia about the fridge' (referring to the work I did in her kitchen). Now she wants to pay up in full.

Amazing. I wonder what suddenly prompted her to come clean?

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Mon Jun 09, 14 6:53 am Post subject:
Don't celebrate till you actually get the cleared payment. What do your T & C's say about when payment is due? I vaguely remember a case where a smallish company did work for a bigger one & their T & C's did not specify exactlywhen payment was due. The smaller company lost in court as the bill was not "due" to be paid as no terms were agreed.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15998

Posted: Mon Jun 09, 14 7:52 am Post subject:
We have a bit at the bottom of our invoices that says payment is due within 14 days. That said, we expect larger organisations to pay up within 30 days as that is their usual method, but push if it is anything beyond that. Glad she now says she is willing to pay up Otleylad. Hope the money comes through quickly and with no more hassle for you.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Mon Jun 09, 14 8:25 am Post subject:

Flamin'Panda wrote:

The problem with the small claims court is that you still may not get your money. Crickey, how many people in the UK carry on normal lives with bucket loads of ccj's to their name.

You do have to take steps to enforce a CCJ. You can, if push comes to shove, force their house on the market...

wizz

Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 561

Posted: Mon Jun 09, 14 8:57 am Post subject:
to misremember = to purposely forget....?

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Thu Jul 24, 14 12:05 pm Post subject:
Despite her confession she didn't come up with money. So i went via the small claims online. It cost me �25 but she has paid up. Waiting for the cheque to clear...

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Fri Jul 25, 14 9:33 am Post subject:

OtleyLad wrote:

Despite her confession she didn't come up with money. So i went via the small claims online. It cost me �25 but she has paid up. Waiting for the cheque to clear...

The cheque cleared today. Stupid that she dealyed payment for over 5 months and it cost her more in the end due to the court fees. It cleared just in time for me to pay for next months advert in the local traders mag

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Fri Jul 25, 14 9:38 am Post subject:
At least it didn't come until after the traders mag so that you had to pay �25 in bank charges or suchlike...

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