Deposits – what would you do?

[Phill Fenton]

I would charge him for your time and costs so far. If that amounts to less than his 50% deposit send him the difference

[John Cornfield]

Whats the dposit for then if not for what has happened?

Give him half it back and tell him you will credit the rest off the next job. Again nice as nice can be now and the sob story of your time and travel etc.

[Alan Wharton]

In our body shop when a deposit is paid it is NOT refundable unless its a regular customer then its a credit note towards the next job but as you say ALL your expenses need to be deducted from the deposit anyway (we charge £1 a mile btw to collect/deliver a vehicle).
If its a new customer and you are thinking of returning the deposit then surcharge him + ALL your expenses including stock you bought in .
May be worth looking at your wording on your paperwork reguarding cancelled jobs and deposits, on ours it just says all cancelled work will carry a surcharge of £xx and a non refundable deposit.

[John Harding]

All good advice, dont worry you have the deposit and possesion is 9/10ths of the law in most cases, anything you refund (if any) is to his good fortune and as said a credit note against future work may be an olive branch.

John

[David Rowland]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deposit

As you have a deposit, which I suspect you acknowledged with paperwork, it is your choosing to return some of the money. If you have given this guy “something” from the time (site surveys etc included) then they have to expect that. I would say you should balance out the payment and return some for good business measure but try and talk him into having a van done or something.

[Chris Hooper]

quote :

Whats the deposit for then if not for what has happened?

That’s what I reckoned!

quote :

May be worth looking at your wording on your paperwork regarding canceled jobs and deposits, on ours it just says all canceled work will carry a surcharge of £xx and a non refundable deposit.

That’s what I will have to do – my wording is a bit vague on the T&C’s

quote :

I would charge him for your time and costs so far. If that amounts to less than his 50% deposit send him the difference

Somewhere in that – and a credit note to the next job is an amicable solution –

Thanks for the quick response – everyone. I can sleep a bite easier now -it was bugging me.

Chris

[Alan Wharton]

On the subject of Deposits, do you all charge a deposit for all your work you are going to do even a £2-300 van job? (?)

[Martin Pearson]

Like Phil I would invoice for the time and work done, also for any materials which cant be used for other work, you could even supply these to the customer. I would then refund the difference.

I am actually quite surprised you are asking a question like this on the boards, surely you must have some sort of company policy on this sort of thing, can’t believe it is the first time it has happened to a franchisee.

[Chris Hooper]

Thanks Martin – no buts its the first time it is happened to me unfortunately and it was worrying me slightly. As far as the franchisee bit I prefer and appreciate the common sense views and opinions that are on the boards than any dry old manual on the subject. Gotta admit that’s one of the reasons I joined UKSB.

Cheers mate. have we met sometime?

Chris

[Lee Harris]

Hi Chris

It’s never happened to us yet but I would agree with Phil & Martin on the action to be taken.

Thinking about it, I’ll have to look at our T&C’s.

regards
Lee

[Chris Hooper]

THanks for the advice everyone – I am going to try taking the word deposit out of our vocabulary completely. It implies “refundable” – simple deal is payment is due in advance on all work – bigger jobs for non account customers can pay in two installments half at time of order and half on delivery or prior to installation.

As per the advice received we have latered our terms and conditions to include under what circumstances we make a refund on custom work,

[Shane Drew]

quote Chris Hooper:

I am going to try taking the word deposit out of our vocabulary completely. It implies “refundable” – simple deal is payment is due in advance on all work – bigger jobs for non account customers can pay in two installments half at time of order and half on delivery or prior to installation.

You make a good point here Chris. Deposit does imply that it is refundable. Might look at my T&C’s too. I have been caught a couple of times, by solicitors. And when they threaten to take me to court I back down. Don’t work for solicitors anymore 😥

[Chris Hooper]

Shane – this was exactly the same as me “solicitors” firm ordered and cancelled half way through due to relocation falling through.

[Hugh Potter]

i have just begun to put some basic T&C’s on the bottom of my larger quotes,

something along the lines of……

Terms and conditions.
Upon confirmation of an order, a deposit of 50% will be payable,
The final artwork will then be supplied to be signed off as agreed.
The balance of 50% being due on the day the installation is completed.

Any cancellation of the order will incur a design charge, and any purchased material costs being deducted from the deposit.

Any materials supplied remain the property of Drag-On Signs until paid for in full.

Custom artwork remains the copywrite of Drag-On signs, The artwork, and or permission to reproduce said artwork, may be purchased or obtained upon request for use on company stationary etc.

Full T&C’s available upon request. (just so i can change anything i might have forgotten ! 😳 )

do any of you in the know think i’ll have problems with these T&C’s ??

[Lorraine Clinch]

Shane, Chris

just goes to show, you can’t trust a solicitor!

[Shane Drew]

quote Lorraine Clinch:

Shane, Chris

just goes to show, you can’t trust a solicitor!

Don’t get me started Lorraine 👿

One of the solicitors was also a local government Labor party poly here. He lied to me first – but I proved him wrong, then tried to bully me – but I called his bluff, then he ended up threatening me. I was not a happy camper…. I was never going to win tho. A poly AND a solicitor…. what was I thinking 🙄

[Peter Normington]

a deposit is an act of confirming a contract to supply and buy.
If either party do not keep to the terms, the deposit is then legally the property of the party who has not broken the terms.
Peter
Getting it back is another problem.
If you hold it and the other party dun the poo, its yours, in fact you could sue for the balance, if you were so inclined.
Peter

[Brian Little]

im sorry Chris if this sounds a bit rough ….a deposit is a deposit they dont get there money back …thats the whole point of it your in the right …

Brian