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Green Pro Clean Ltd

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8,103
Location
Nottingham & Derbyshire
Ok so this is a brief guide / walk through as to how to recover a debt / file a claim with the Small Claims Court against a residential client.

Now many will say 'Oh just write it off, it's only £10' or whatever the price is but in my book the price is irrelevant, it is principal.

If I let a customer get away with two months of window cleaning and I do nothing about it except drop them when they see another window cleaner they will pull the same stunt and get away with more free window cleaning. Unacceptable. If I take action they will think twice before taking liberties with a fellow windy in future.

I have in the past successfully filed against a residential customer and done so as a matter of principal.

The key thing to remember is that being able to take action begins at day 1 when you sign them up as a new client, you need both first and last name and full address minimum, this will make your life easier as you go as you will file against 'Mary Roberts' instead of just 'Mary'

This is my final demand by text for payment.



Now many will say 'oh you don't have a contract etc etc' well the news for you is that a verbal agreement is still a contract under English law. Also you will be very hard pushed to find a Judge in England that has not had a window cleaner at some point and this is in your favor as the judge already understands that window cleaning is a verbal agreement.

I have sent three of these today and given them till Friday to make a payment.

Ruth Fern

Leila Simms

Jackie Cole

I will update you all on the process as it unfolds I know full well that Jackie Cole will not pay as she has ignored previous threats of action. But we will see.

Some on here may also suggest Thomas Higgins solicitors £2+ VAT letter but Higgins will only chase a debt above £25.01 and if proceeding to court can actually end up costing you money so really IMO only worth while for a sizable commercial debt.

Will keep you posted

 
Too right about principles,

I'm sick of getting shafted over 'small amounts'. I'm glad someone's keen to take it further.

I'm just not sure if in the end it's worth it. I say that because my uncle got scammed out of 1k when buying a round a few years ago. It went to court and my uncle won. The guy didn't even turn up though and to date my uncle has never received any money. You keep having to pay out for bailiffs etc if you want to keep pursuing it- even though you've won in court.

It would be great if there was a post on here where anyone who has taken action against customer can post to show if it was successful or not. If more do it it would build confidence and I bet more cleaners would try it.

 
When reading the text exchange between you when your customers that have not paid to me read like a short story :clap: I was getting quite excited to see what the end result would be..any further updates

 
Does it cost money to file the claim and how complicated is it . I have an £18 debt 2x £9 cleans from Jan and Feb and considering going down this route but don't want to be bogged down in official paperwork

 
So the £40 ad min cost that you threaten to put on, is that a figure plucked out of the air or do you have to justify it if it goes to court and is the £25 for filing the claim part of that £40

One other thing can you file a claim on line.

 
No, the figure is not plucked out of thin air. It's my hourly rate. If it ever got to court justification is no issue, I have billed 1/3 of costs only - an hour to get to court, at least an hour to wait and be seen, an hour to get home so £40 = 1/3

The client has been asked and asked and informed that these charges will be added, they have still chosen to ignore you. The time alone spent recovering the debt is chargeable, simple as that.

 
I don't know the ins and outs of it but i am under the impression that anything it costs you to chase the money up is chargeable to the customer

I did hear of adding interesest as well but not sure if that is just rumour

I need to look into it ..not that i have any non payers at the mo but handy to know

 
Title says it all RC 'Commercial debt recovery' Do you think they will chase granny Smith for £10?
they do other services aswell not just commercial

they would write a letter before action

 

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