Got a Bouncer – returned chq – what next?

[Mark Bache]

Hi Forbie

I would contact the customer, see what they say. I would not have another cheque off them, I would ask for cash, I would also ask them for any costs incurred from your bank for the bounced cheque.

Regards
Mark

[Kev Mayger]

Speak to who ordered the signage/job first. They may be able to point you in the right direction of whom to speak to about the situation. If it’s a one man band and he’s trying to avoid you. Write a letter (i always find that if you send a hardcopy registered post they cannot say that they havn’t received an e-mail) telling them that the cheque has been returned unpaid. State your terms of payment whether it be 30 / 60 days. Explain YOUR position and that the job was finished to a high standard and that ANY costs incurred WILL be passed on directly to the client. If the situation continues without payment, mention the small claims court in another letter along the same lines. This usually does the trick, no-one wants a CCJ / mark against their name.

Failing this i normally send the boys round!!! Only joking!!! 😀

Hope you get paid mate, you may be in for a long wait though.

Kev

[John Cornfield]

Agree with Kev.

Armed with the letter the bounced cheque and any other paperwork you can go to your local sheriff court and they will help you raise a small claim action for upto £2500 i think.

You can claim all costs relating to the collection and interest also.

Small tip under scot’s law – If you present a cheque at the branch that it is drawn from it can not bounce once accepted over the counter.

We have a guy that bounces cheques regularly. Why do we keep giving him credit because he always comes good and pays the charges he is also a sole trader and so barring bankruptcy i will always get my money. Think he is just bad at admin.

Hope your guy comes good i find the softly softly i am really emabarrassed but…… sort of tact works best.

[David Rowland]

hi, sorry to hear it… we had a thread recently about bad-payments and I cant find it. But you should approach the person and talk to them about it, they may jump to give you cash as some of the startup companies maybe pushing their overdrafts a bit.

[Janine Chrispin]

If you ever need to make a claim for money you can always use http://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk You can make claims against people using this online system.

Failing that, you could always go and reposess your signs!!

Janine