-
Where do I stand with this one?
About 3-4 years ago I did 3 vans for a firm who decided to blame me when the vinyl pulled out of the recesses on their sprinters.
When I visited them for payment they were using a steam cleaner to wash the vans and the guy doing the washing was blasting the vinyl in the recesses.
I explained this was the reason why the vinyl has come away and was met with the reply "You telling me now we can’t wash the fcking vans?
As a result they decided to threaten that they’d get the job done elsewhere
and send me the bill……….yeah right. 4 years later they are still driving round in the same vans with my sign work on them. The vito I did didn’t move which proves I did the job correctly. The bill came to £1650.00. My problem is these were done when I traded as a Limited company and now I don’t. It was not long after I had a heart attack and at the time didn’t really have the energy to argue. But now they really are taking the p!ss. 👿 -
28 Replies
-
Karl
as i understand it if the Ltd Company no longer exists then you can’t go after the money.Kev
-
I think your right mate. 🙁
-
without going into who is wrong and right with the reason for any failures.
Personally, as soon as they made it clear you were not getting paid, ide have stripped the vans. I would rather not get paid than not get paid and watch my work driven around for free. as you say, they now have several years out them.anyway… lesson learned mate. when it comes to the expense of a wrap, you need at very least the cost of the media as a deposit.
-
Put it behind you Karl and move on, hurts I know but you would be better concentrating on the future rather than dwelling on the past. Just make sure you learn from it :lol1: :lol1:
-
I’d still go back and strip them now. Or at least bits of them so they are rendered useless.
-
quote Robert Lambie:without going into who is wrong and right with the reason for any failures.
Personally, as soon as they made it clear you were not getting paid, ide have stripped the vans. I would rather not get paid than not get paid and watch my work driven around for free. as you say, they now have several years out them.anyway… lesson learned mate. when it comes to the expense of a wrap, you need at very least the cost of the media as a deposit.
This was a customer who I’d done work for before and never had any issues. So on this occasion thought "Nah……All will be fine!"
As you said John go back and strip them off………..I’d rather spray Wnker all over the things! -
Whereas it is a lesson learned, I would have one last try at getting a part payment. Even though your company is no longer trading, they may give you a cheque in your own name as i’m sure they wouldn’t have the original invoice. Failing that, I would surely strip the vans just for the satisfaction of it
-
take a chance mate, they did and why should they be the only winner in the situation?
Contact them and tell them you have seen the vans still have your work on and if it was good enough to keep on then it’s good enough to be paid for or when can you pop around to remove it?
Send an invoice with the details you want it paid to and hope for the best.
It won’t hurt to try.
good luck mate
Warren
-
They are in the wrong legally. They’ve used your work and haven’t paid for it.
We once had a customer like that refuse to pay due to the design which he approved.
We gave the client the option to return the sign and call it quits. He refused citing he’d already installed it but wasn’t happy with it. Told him to pay up then he shouldn’t of put it up unless he was happy with it.
We got our money and associated costs in recovering our money through small claims court.
Don’t feel bad that’s called business. If they weren’t happy they should have had you remove the work immediately.
-
We stripped a van a month or two ago that we did almost 2 years ago! The guy moved and although I saw him running about it has taken me this long to find out where he lived, as he had since moved. I knocked the door, offered him one final chance to pay (which he refused) then pulled a van in front of his and a van behind and three of us started stripping just enough to render the livery completely useless. During which the police arrived and said there was nothing they could do as it was a civil matter.
-
quote Nick Monir:We stripped a van a month or two ago that we did almost 2 years ago! The guy moved and although I saw him running about it has taken me this long to find out where he lived, as he had since moved. I knocked the door, offered him one final chance to pay (which he refused) then pulled a van in front of his and a van behind and three of us started stripping just enough to render the livery completely useless. During which the police arrived and said there was nothing they could do as it was a civil matter.
Dont know about your laws over there but down here you wouldn’t own the graphics as soon as you invoice the person.
The thing you own down here is the debt.
-
quote Jason Xuereb:They are in the wrong legally. They’ve used your work and haven’t paid for it.
We once had a customer like that refuse to pay due to the design which he approved.
We gave the client the option to return the sign and call it quits. He refused citing he’d already installed it but wasn’t happy with it. Told him to pay up then he shouldn’t of put it up unless he was happy with it.
We got our money and associated costs in recovering our money through small claims court.
Don’t feel bad that’s called business. If they weren’t happy they should have had you remove the work immediately.
Problem here is small claims courts dont usually work with most of these chancers. They still continue to refuse to pay. Stripping lettering off may or may not be entirely legal but its the one thing that will surely grab attention
-
Depending on the main wording on the vans I would do it subtly. Go round at night and stick some bits of vinyl on. For example adding a strip of vinyl to an F to make an E depending what it spelt. If you are lucky and the Company name was Hunt, go round with some stick on ‘C’s’ 😀
They will drive round for ages before they notice and you will have some smug grins to yourself.
-
quote KevinGaffney:quote Jason Xuereb:They are in the wrong legally. They’ve used your work and haven’t paid for it.
We once had a customer like that refuse to pay due to the design which he approved.
We gave the client the option to return the sign and call it quits. He refused citing he’d already installed it but wasn’t happy with it. Told him to pay up then he shouldn’t of put it up unless he was happy with it.
We got our money and associated costs in recovering our money through small claims court.
Don’t feel bad that’s called business. If they weren’t happy they should have had you remove the work immediately.
Problem here is small claims courts dont usually work with most of these chancers. They still continue to refuse to pay. Stripping lettering off may or may not be entirely legal but its the one thing that will surely grab attention
Down here if you’ve invoiced a company and they refuse to pay you can file to have their company wound up due to them trading while insolvent. Usually a simple letter with you advising you are going to take this action gets payment pretty quickly.
-
Point is that this happened while Karl was trading as a different company so Legally he probably doesn’t have the right to pursue them through small claims or the right to remove it.
Any attempt at removal could see him up in court for something like criminal damage and then being forced to pay for them to put it right.Speak to someone like citizens advice as they may be able to tell you if you have any legal rights.
-
quote Martin:Point is that this happened while Karl was trading as a different company so Legally he probably doesn’t have the right to pursue them through small claims or the right to remove it.
Any attempt at removal could see him up in court for something like criminal damage and then being forced to pay for them to put it right.Speak to someone like citizens advice as they may be able to tell you if you have any legal rights.
They don’t get involved in business to business problems Martin.
-
Martin is correct really as legally it was your last company that is owed the debt not your new company. It wouldn’t be a civil matter either if you were caught removing the graphics and you could be left with a repair bill if they decided to pursue it.
Either mark it down to experience or don’t get caught lol
-
Maybe i’m missing something here, but your trying to chase payment 4 years after doing the job, did I read right or have i messed something?
-
quote Mo Gillis-Coates:did I read right or have i messed something?😕
-
No Mo, you haven’t. I was lead to believe the vans had been stripped. Now it seems they still have the graphics on that I fitted.
-
Hello Karl.
I can see it being a tricky one for you as I would be inclined to give them notice that you will strip the van graphics unless the balance is settled.
Then, go in mob handed as it could get ugly trying to strip off graphics (not a quick job!) with a load of blokes standing around while you try and do it!We had a similar experience where the customer signed off proofs for his new signs, we installed them, he got the bill but said we were too expensive (even though he had agreed the quote) and was only going to pay half!
We sent three blokes down and removed his signs right in front of the outdoor market punters!
Sometimes you have to stand up for yourself mate otherwise people will try and take you for a ride!
Best of luck.
-
Hello Vince,
I agree with what you are saying mate. I can more than stand up for myself mate. That’s not saying I’m taking offence at what you are saying. And don’t get me wrong I’m by no means a hard nut and it’s not something I’d be proud to brag about if I was. The fact is I have in the past gone for it when I’ve had to deal with numptys such as this guy and also got into a bit of trouble in doing so. Going in there and doing what anyone on here would like to do sounds great in theory but when it turns really sour and you end up looking over your shoulder every time I go down a dark alley is not something I want to return to.
Rest assured me thinking cap is on! 😉 -
Exactly mate, at the end of the day you don’t want something silly happening over a few meters of vinyl.
At the end of the day, if the customer keeps acting that way to all of his suppliers he will soon be out of business.Maybe just forget it and move on mate. All the best.
-
http://www.jagsignsupplies.com/aqshop/c … php?id=988
Attachments:
-
Karl
What these guys have done to you……. I would normally insist on at least 2 bottles of wine, a 3 course dinner and a box of expensive chocolates before hand!!!
😳
Let it go, learn from any mistakes and push forward
Denise x
-
quote Warren Beard:take a chance mate, they did and why should they be the only winner in the situation?
Contact them and tell them you have seen the vans still have your work on and if it was good enough to keep on then it’s good enough to be paid for or when can you pop around to remove it?
Send an invoice with the details you want it paid to and hope for the best.
It won’t hurt to try.
good luck mate
Warren
did you try this? you never know and if you get no response then think about dropping it or aggressive approach but as they have now been "caught" maybe they will cough up?
-
I’m inclined to agree with Denise, I’d walk away and drop it.
That said, my first though was to either sign a vehicle explaining they didn’t pay the bill for their van livery and park outside their office / yard. Or I’d write to all local sign firms warning them of the customer and to not give credit – sending the customer a copy. Just feeling content no-one else will get shafted by them.
Hugh
-
quote Warren Beard:quote Warren Beard:take a chance mate, they did and why should they be the only winner in the situation?
Contact them and tell them you have seen the vans still have your work on and if it was good enough to keep on then it’s good enough to be paid for or when can you pop around to remove it?
Send an invoice with the details you want it paid to and hope for the best.
It won’t hurt to try.
good luck mate
Warren
did you try this? you never know and if you get no response then think about dropping it or aggressive approach but as they have now been “caught” maybe they will cough up?
Tried that approach already mate.
Graham…..that looks like a great idea mate. 😉
Thanks for the comments guys. 😉
Log in to reply.
