Chasing money owed from a customer

[E31Shrew]

Would appreciate any advice as to the chances of getting some money owed by whatever means possible! Total order value was £40000.00 for over 80 32" LCD TV's and other kit for a hotel refurb. All went well at first, bearing in mind the invoice was raised in March of this year. Have spoken to the client on numerous occasions with the same old " I'll pay £1000.00 a week for the next 5 weeks. Blah blah. He now owes £4900.00 and is no longer taking my calls. Have sent final demand letter .zzzzzz asking for settlement by the end of this week.
I cant reclaim the TVs as my client was a subcontractor and resold to the hotel so retention of title probably wont apply...or does it?

Has anyone used any 'serious' debt collection agencies or sold the debt for say 20% and had success? Or am I chasing hot air?

Thanks a bunch for any advice

[MentalSarcasm]

There's a PHer that runs a debt collection agency.

[xllifts]

James28uk is your man in the business forum

[Simpo Two]

Stay in the Honeymoon Suite on lobsters and champagne until the bill reaches £4900, then walk out without paying?

[E31Shrew]

Simpo Two said:

Stay in the Honeymoon Suite on lobsters and champagne until the bill reaches £4900, then walk out without paying?

If only it was the hotel that owed the money!

[MentalSarcasm]

xllifts said:

James28uk is your man in the business forum

That's the cookie! Found his website:

http://www.geminidebtrecovery.com/

[xllifts]

MentalSarcasm said:

xllifts said:

James28uk is your man in the business forum

That's the cookie! Found his website:

http://www.geminidebtrecovery.com/

Thanks couldn't think of the Company name

[Plotloss]

Debt collection without court sanction sometimes works, sometimes doesnt. If you get a punter that knows the law, you're stuffed.

As the amount is under £5K its a small claims matter.

No need to get bent over by lawyers, you can do it all online and represent yourself should it see court.

www.moneyclaimonline.gov.uk

[Simpo Two]

E31Shrew said:

Simpo Two said:

Stay in the Honeymoon Suite on lobsters and champagne until the bill reaches £4900, then walk out without paying?

If only it was the hotel that owed the money!

Ah.

Have you got a bit in your T&Cs which says 'property does not pass until...' etc? In which case you could embarass the middleman by suggesting you pop round to the hotel and reclaim 10 screens because they're still actually yours... and that you might tell them in passing how much they *actually* cost... thereby making Middleman look a bit a of chump and possibly losing him future business.

I hate it when nice deals go sour because wkers try to pull a fast one.

[E31Shrew]

MentalSarcasm said:

xllifts said:

James28uk is your man in the business forum

That's the cookie! Found his website:

http://www.geminidebtrecovery.com/

Brilliant. Thanks for your help. Continually amazed at the knowledge 'on tap' at PH!

[xllifts]

E31Shrew said:

MentalSarcasm said:

xllifts said:

James28uk is your man in the business forum

That's the cookie! Found his website:

http://www.geminidebtrecovery.com/

Brilliant. Thanks for your help. Continually amazed at the knowledge 'on tap' at PH!

Never under estimate the power of Greyskull PH

[bennno]

You surely don't run your own business and need to ask this on an internet forum?? What do your t&c's say?

You write to the person you sold them to confirm that you will be recovering them and cc the hotel asap

[E31Shrew]

Simpo Two said:

E31Shrew said:

Simpo Two said:

Stay in the Honeymoon Suite on lobsters and champagne until the bill reaches £4900, then walk out without paying?

If only it was the hotel that owed the money!

Ah.

Have you got a bit in your T&Cs which says 'property does not pass until...' etc? In which case you could embarass the middleman by suggesting you pop round to the hotel and reclaim 10 screens because they're still actually yours... and that you might tell them in passing how much they *actually* cost... thereby making Middleman look a bit a of chump and possibly losing him future business.

I hate it when nice deals go sour because wkers try to pull a fast one.

Yup...T&C's shows 'retention of title' but worry is, as you quite rightly said, that my client has resold the product to the hotel as part of his refurb contract. A good deal of our AV work was with developers but for obvious reasons this has now slowed. Guess I've learnt my lesson now!

[xllifts]

What has just made me spill my coffee laughing my nuts off is your a MITCHELL asking for debt cllectors

Sorry but my sense of humour is warped at times

[Simpo Two]

E31Shrew said:

Yup...T&C's shows 'retention of title' but worry is, as you quite rightly said, that my client has resold the product to the hotel

Aha, so he's sold goods which weren't his.

Let's try 'Handling Stolen Goods'...




Dang, if I was a lawyer I'd either be veryrich or in prison

[xllifts]

coyft said:

Really don't understand why you are chasing the hotel for payment as the devt lies with the contractor you sold them to. Chase him for the money...

He isn't he is chasing the original purchaser

[E31Shrew]

bennno said:

You surely don't run your own business and need to ask this on an internet forum?? What do your t&c's say?

You write to the person you sold them to confirm that you will be recovering them and cc the hotel asap

In a perfect world we would all be covered by every bit of small print but sadly in the real world, we give terms when doing business then all of a sudden it can go tits up!...I'm probably not the only one in the last few weeks that has taken a hit with some scrote who has taken them for a ride.

[pitmanSX]

Throw him off a tall building.

I'm being serious.

Scum like this can weasel their way through the courts so they pay nothing and you take the hit. fk him, sort him out.

Edited by pitmanSX on Wednesday 15th October 23:41

[blindswelledrat]

In my experience (and I have had lots of experience of s in the building industry not paying) -you are not being paid because he has no money.
He has stopped taking your calls because he doesnt even expect to have any money from now onwards.
Legal action tends to result in getting a CCJ but not your money! (there are exceptions). Still worth trying if only to ascertain the difference between 'not paying' and 'can't pay'

If theres any chance you might have retention of title I would strongly suggest calling the client and telling them you intend to repossess. The chances are they still owe your client some money and may redirect this at you.
Its a long shot but unfortunately they all are at this stage.....

[pitmanSX]

blindswelledrat said:

In my experience (and I have had lots of experience of s in the building industry not paying) -you are not being paid because he has no money.
He has stopped taking your calls because he doesnt even expect to have any money from now onwards.
Legal action tends to result in getting a CCJ but not your money! (there are exceptions). Still worth trying if only to ascertain the difference between 'not paying' and 'can't pay'

If theres any chance you might have retention of title I would strongly suggest calling the client and telling them you intend to repossess. The chances are they still owe your client some money and may redirect this at you.
Its a long shot but unfortunately they all are at this stage.....

"Throw him off a tall building."

Then move on.