customer debt & debt collection

Ive been doing so much chasing of debt lately its driving me mad. I know its only the odd tenner here and there but it all mounts up and really annoys me!

Do many of you have an issue recovering debts? do you write a lot of it off? I cant seem to let people get away with it lol.

What sort of debt level do you run at?

If they don't pay after several reminders and when I show up with the invoice in hand or snail mail a copy, I just bin them and write it off. 

Decided not to get worked up over non payers. I sleep better at night now.  :1f609:

jamiesmack said:

Ive been doing so much chasing of debt lately its driving me mad. I know its only the odd tenner here and there but it all mounts up and really annoys me!
 
Do many of you have an issue recovering debts? do you write a lot of it off? I cant seem to let people get away with it lol.
 
What sort of debt level do you run at?

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I've had to write of a fair few jobs due to not paying. Its really annoying

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Drives me f in crackers why ask for ur windows cleaned when ur not willing to pay , all my new customers either get told leave money out or set up direct debit if they don’t want to they can jog on , been collecting wAy to long just hate it more by the year


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I thought I'd lost £50 a customer owes. It was 2x cleans dating back to November. Sent text reminders and an invoice through the post and still no payment. I turned up on the doorstep on Tuesday. The wife answers the door and I explain I'm owed money. "Ooh, I didn't know we had a window cleaner." she exclaims. I'll get hubby to sort it. Within a couple of minutes he's on the phone saying he'll sort payment and that he doesn't want his windows cleaned anymore. I said that I'm fine with that but it's a bit naughty to ignore paying me. £50 is now in my bank and I have one more slot on my round.

Never write off a debt - these scumbags will do the same to another windy further down the line, I’ve sent out 4 final demand letters today. If they don’t pay by the end of next week they will be taken to the small claims. I don’t care if it’s a tenner or £££’s they will pay me for the service they asked for. I know a few cleaners around me and once an ex customer is on my black list I send the details to them so they don’t get ripped off either. Also - I don’t let it get to me - and sleep very well at night, we have methods to get people to pay what they owe so why not use them?!?!?


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I’ve just been talking to my mrs about this. Part of her job is chasing debts / rent arrears.

Do you think this is a service window cleaners would pay for? Say for instance, you send customer details to her for her to chase up, and then pay her a percentage of every successful payment?

jamiesmack said:

I’ve just been talking to my mrs about this. Part of her job is chasing debts / rent arrears.
 
Do you think this is a service window cleaners would pay for? Say for instance, you send customer details to her for her to chase up, and then pay her a percentage of every successful payment?
 
 

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Very good idea

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The messers I try to get onto GoCardless, in the past I’ve said I’d have a jubilee on the debt if they signed up, it works for me.

Trad-Man said:

Very good idea

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I suppose it’s no risk for the window cleaner if it’s no payment / no fee. 

Sounds like a bloody tv lawyer advert lol

Easiest way is gocardless if you have cashflow problems but BACS is the best...its free, shortly followed by cash.
There are one or two estates i wont work on without money up front via BACS. and i charge a lot as its rough. One estate is so rough we wont provide a service to it full stop. Not worth the risk to our van or gear, or personal safety. Many companies ask for a BACS payment up front, or a deposit, saves messers.
As for the ones who’ve got money but dont pay, i once saw a sign outside somebodies house on the telly, big letters “DONT WORK FOR ME, I DONT PAY”
I imagine that was rather embarrassing for them as the whole street could see it.
Or if you’ve got time to take people to court over a tenner fair enough but ive got a kid & stuff to do, karma gets back at everybody one way or another so relax.





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jamiesmack said:

I’ve just been talking to my mrs about this. Part of her job is chasing debts / rent arrears.

Do you think this is a service window cleaners would pay for? Say for instance, you send customer details to her for her to chase up, and then pay her a percentage of every successful payment?

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No. 

What percentage of £10 do you think they want to part with? 

This post is just another reason I have all my customers on GoCardless only.  No alternatives. 

I have in the past sued a handful of customers and won.  No need now ad they all pay GC. So why pay someone else for something that takes 5 mins to do yourself? 

What happens with go cardless if the customer doesn't have the funds at the point that you make the request? I have a handful of customers who have to time their payments to coincide with pay day. They always pay, but they need to be in charge of when it leaves their account. Would Go Cardless be a nightmare in this situation?

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Beccy said:

What happens with go cardless if the customer doesn't have the funds at the point that you make the request? I have a handful of customers who have to time their payments to coincide with pay day. They always pay, but they need to be in charge of when it leaves their account. Would Go Cardless be a nightmare in this situation?

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In that situation you can set the payment to come out on a specific day of the month that’s suitable for the customer or if the GoCardless payment is requested on the day ( most window cleaners do this) of cleaning and there is no money in the customers account youd be notified by email and on your GoCardless account and then you can request the payment again, no extra charge no I’ll effect to customers credit rating etc just a click of a button. 

Our debt level runs about half the round value at any one time sometimes more never less lol


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Mixed opinions.

ive sent plenty of court letters before, got paid for most, let a couple go

Ive done a few through small claims and got paid

But one i sent to small claims a few months ago mad me re consider.

He basically denied that i had been, said someone was home all day and i definately hadnt been and not left an onvoice (i had) and said fine take me to court im not paying.

When i realised i would have to take the day off work to attend court and it would be in the hands of the judge whether i won or not i decided it wasnt worth all the hassle and stress over £12

yes i know it all adds up but the way i see it now is that there are always going to be ***** who dont pay, its a hazard of the job, an expense on the business and all you can do is find out who they are, get rid of them and keep looking for new ones.

I had one recently who made all sorts of excuses by message and ignored letters

Try ignoring me when i bang on your door and demand the money you owe me lol

Soon got paid

Also sent email to another threatening an admin fee of 20 quid and small claims court.. got paid within half hour with half arsed excuses

Drop then carry on but don't let the money outstanding slide.. you have earned it and deserve the respect of being paid promptly for the service