How do you deal with customers that refuse to pay?

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  • #29
Went by twice. No one seems to be home. He has inside dogs so someone will be there before long. I know and have worked for the neighbor so I'm going call him today and see if I can get any info without putting the neighbor in an awkward spot. I plan on getting somewhere with it this weekend.
 
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  • #31
I have a buddy that I work out with that's pretty intimidating looking. Thought about seeing if he wanted to go.
 
Maybe, but a cop would also have the intimidation of law, and by just being there would seem to prove he may have some legal leverage even if he maybe really doesn't.
 
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  • #34
Just got back from his house. I made him cry but I got some money and got him to sign an agreement to pay every week til it's paid off. He probably won't but I don't think he wants me back out there. Funny I don't feel as satisfied as I thought I would. I actually feel kinda bad.
 
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  • #36
Yeah. Kinda wish I hadn't done that. According to him he's been going through hard times. Lost his job. Repo man is after his brand new 4 door dodge truck. But I did notice a new roof after the storm damage and I bet the roofers got paid. Seems like the tree man is always the last to get paid on an insurance job. Had a woman call a few months ago and immediately started in on her financial situation. Just had to have a lot of work done on her car and her house and all her appliances went out and all her doctor bills. So she only had a few hundred dollars left and really wanted her 2 big trees removed. Nothing wrong with them just wanted them gone. $1,500 each. Then I was the bad guy because I didn't want to work for almost free.
 
When they whine about money troubles on the phone before I even see the job, it makes me not want to bid it. Some people try too hard to play the sympathy card. But they always seem to have more stuff than me.
 
Yup. Had one that eventually screwed me then died. Always whining about money. Then you go do the job and there would be a new fifth wheel home away from home and a new diesel to pull it. I did not take too bad a hit. His reputation took a bigger one. Funny how you can sense it coming. I started listening to my little voice when i sense it now. I refuse or refer out quite a bit of work i just dont want. Funny. I still stay busy.
 
Damn that’s frustrating! Had a customer not come out of the house after I cleared storm damage to pay. Three invoices, personal letter, countless calls no dice. Not just the money, disrespect and shafting a hard worker. Should have done what @SkwerI suggested and dump a massive log in the driveway. From a tree.
 
Does anyone work on a cash up front basis? Treework seems especially susceptible to getting stiffed. The amounts are low enough to make it debatable whether going through the hassle of court is worth it. We only go after people for large amounts. There's been a bunch of small jobs that got written off. One trump card we sometimes have is the ability to hold data hostage. To complete a job, they need more from us. That of course requires payment for past work, and you get put on the "priority list" of finishing it up when the mood strikes.
 
Grown man cry? PLEASE, the only thing he should be crying about is that he is an IDIOT. Seriously, who calls a company to have work done then cry’s when the bill is do? An Idiot does that.
When he misses the first payment, go ask for ALL of the money. Tell him the crying crap work the first time but you need your money.
Stuff like that gets my blood boiling UGH
 
I have only taken two or three jobs in 35 years where I was leery of getting paid. It’s on those that I ask for a downpayment (25%-50%).
 
I just got burned on a job...but it was partly my fault. A BIG ass macrocarpa, they wanted the branches overhanging the veggie garden, pizza oven, fence and chook hut removed. I underestimated how long it would take me...but then he started saying, the sun still can't reach, the sides need to come off too...that was not part of the original conversation...but I didn't nail him down to specifics in the first instance...soo, long story short he thought I was going to do the whole lot for $1500 which includes stripping the logs and chipping everything...it took me three times as long with all the 'oh but I thought you were going to blah blah blah...' he got two days free, I admitted my initial underestimate and only charged him for one day.
I cut the damn tree in half, took the top and sides off and left it as high and wide as the one behind it...that STILL blocks the sun from the damn veggie garden.
Halfway through I got a sob story about their water bill...yeah right.
The funny thing was the next week my groundies husband got a call from the same guy could he cut some trees, he's an ex faller and told the guy he needed an arborist unless he wants them cut 6" from the bottom...the reaction was....'but that will cost me money!!!' that made me feel a bit better, he actually was a cheapskate and it wasn't all my fault!
Sent them their invoice, they paid promptly...I paid my groundie, serviced the chipper and bought a kebab for myself...lesson learned
 
The three most dreaded/dangerous words on a job....”While you’re here....” A friend of mine was doing a canopy raise for a lady 25 years ago. “While you’re there....could you cut off that one on the left? It looks a little low....” (He cut that one.) “Well since you’re up there, that one looks a little out of balance now...” (Cuts it...) She began again, and he interrupted her to say that it was a flat $25 per limb since the bid work was done. “That looks GREAT!!!”

I heard those dreaded words myself not long ago. I replied, “While you’re writing that check....it takes less ink to write NINE HUNDRED than it does to write SEVEN HUNDRED....” He got the point and we reached an agreement...
 
Last edited:
lxskllr said:
Does anyone work on a cash up front basis? Treework seems especially susceptible to getting stiffed. The amounts are low enough to make it debatable whether going through the hassle of court is worth it. We only go after people for large amounts. There's been a bunch of small jobs that got written off. One trump card we sometimes have is the ability to hold data hostage. To complete a job, they need more from us. That of course requires payment for past work, and you get put on the "priority list" of finishing it up when the mood strikes.
Click to expand...







You rarely get stiffed in tree work because the amounts are relatively small, few people will risk court judgements or other repercussions for 2k, if it’s 20k or 200k its worth trying it on.
 
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