The Official People Who Owe You Money Rant Thread

[Dueller]

No, I'm not talking about friends or relatives you "loan" money to...that's a gift.

I'm talking in professional settings. Case in point: a 44 y.o. woman who works as a receptionist at an upscale hair salon where my wife goes asks my wife if I handle divorces. She ends up calling me. I visit with her for about 45 min-hour and explain divorce law, her options, etc. No charge initial consultation. Its a pretty simple no fault/ID divorce, no kids, no real property issues, etc. Because I know she doesn't have a lot of cash, I discount my proposed fee to a flat $600 + $52.00 filing fee provided it doesn't become contested. She wants to think about.

A few weeks later she comes in and says she's ready to do it. Seems she has shopped around and I'm the best deal. I ignore the left handed compliment. So I draft the Complaint, PSA, financial statements etc. She comes back in October 07 to sign everything and pay my fee. Only problem is she can only pay me part then and the rest in 2 weeks. She deposits $202 and says she will pay the rest ASAP.

I balk but she really seems sincere that she's having a hard time. Send papers of to her husband. He sends them back wanting a number of things changed. I modify the forms. send them back to him. A month passes. She comes to my office to see if the papers are back from hubby. I say "No." She says why haven't you called him. I say because I haven't been paid to call him. She says she'll pay me the next day.

While I'm out she deoposits $60 with my secretary. I call husband. He says he'll send papers asap. This was in late november. I send bills monthly for her $440 balance. Don't hear from her. April 29 the papers arrive from husband...with $.39 postage due I might add.

I call her to tell her I've received papers. She says great, what do we do now. I say We need to pay our bill. She throws a ***** fit about lawyers only wanting money. She starts accusing me of being he reason for the delay when she knows I sent the papers to her husband over 4 months ago. She hangs up on me screaming I'll get you your GD money.

Sheesh....what do people think.

No good deed goes unpunished.

[pwd72s]

Sad but true...too few people realize that the only product lawyers have to sell is their time and their intelligence. I do NOT mean to denigrate here...(edit) I mean, it's stupid for people to think legal advice should be free. Hours are billed by Lawyers and top level mechanics both. As long as they perform? Both are worth what you pay.

[peppy]

That is why I am glad that I get my money before the customer gets his lunch.

I always pay my lawyer and CPA first.

[the]

I can believe you'd take the time, and take on the potential liability involved with any legal representation, and the the aggravation, for $600.

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by the

I can believe you'd take the time, and take on the potential liability involved with any legal representation, and the the aggravation, for $600.

Probably only few hours work. Its still possible to eat on $150 and hour last I checked.

[craigster59]

Through many dealings, I've always insisted on cash, Visa, MC upfront. Too many try to negotiate "after the fact" and nitpick about drawbacks that were explained to them in the first place.

The harder you try to help a person out who is in a bad situation, the more likely you'll be the a$$h*le in the end.

[Rot 911]

No good dead goes unpunished. I learned the same hard lesson in private practice: no work without all the money up front.

[Moses]

I was called to the emergency room to see an 18 year old young lady who was in serious trouble. I was not on call and had no obligation to respond, but I was the closest surgeon around. She was bleeding internally. She was lapsing in and out of consciousness and the full court press was on. As the hospital crew readied the operating room and started IV's etc, the girls parents were crying and pacing. They were pleading with everyone to do something FAST. They knew their daughter was dying.

I introduced myself and I told them I was taking their daughter to the operating room. Without prompting they volunteered "We have no insurance, but we'll pay you whatever it costs." I NEVER mentioned money, payment or insurance. Never.

I took the young lady to the operating room and everything went very well. She had a full recovery. I found out that the girls parents were very wealthy people with extensive real estate holdings. I sent them what I considered a reasonable bill, I think it was about $3,000. I was never paid. They ignored my bills for about six months then responded with a terse note explaining that their daughter was 18 years old and she was responsible for her own debts. Oh well. No good deed...

[Dueller]

You know, Moses...sometimes I think when you try to be reasonable or even discount your services for someone in need, its as if the say 1 of 2 things: A. Well that bill is so small and he's a rich doctor/lawyer/accountant/architect/dentist that he doesn't need it or B. He's charging so little he must not be any good.

In this particular case the $440 balance isn't the point...her indignation at me expecting to be paid really sticks in my craw.

[911Rob]

Reminds me of a recent incident whereby a lady was being outsted from her home due to a divorce and wanted me to help her find a condo. She knew what she wanted and could afford, so I agreed to help her out. She asked about commission, and I said at the end of the day, I'd give her a break.

We went through all the available product, I knew the market well enough that we did most by email. I ended up showing her a couple places and she bought the one I recommended. The deal went through and she bought the place. The listing Realtor sent my office the selling commission following completion.

My assistant went over to the condo and presented her with a nice fruit basket, card and a cheque for $4600. I kept a $1000 for my troubles and expenses. WELL.... she called and was in tears; then her son calls and her ex too; they couldn't f'ing believe it... a Realtor doing that! I said I'd make it up one day from her ex, selling him something.

Paid upfront first pays.

Next time charge full rate, and if things go well, as planned, then take out the wallet. That's what I do everytime now and it works slick! People react much differently to receiving a cheque rebate than a deal up front, imo.

Cheers

[legion]

You know Moses, those are the kind of people who wouldn't hesitate to lawyer-up if things went the other way...

[Moses]

Originally Posted by Dueller

In this particular case the $440 balance isn't the point...her indignation at me expecting to be paid really sticks in my craw.

It's definitely not the money. It's about respect.

[on2wheels52]

Dueller
An hour ago I was going to get you in the pawnbroker union and now you come up with this 'The Official People Who Owe You Money Rant Thread'

I don't think you're cut out for it.
Jim

[Neilk]

Originally Posted by Dueller

No, I'm not talking about friends or relatives you "loan" money to...that's a gift.

I'm talking in professional settings. Case in point: a 44 y.o. woman who works as a receptionist at an upscale hair salon where my wife goes asks my wife if I handle divorces. .......

She starts accusing me of being he reason for the delay when she knows I sent the papers to her husband over 4 months ago. She hangs up on me screaming I'll get you your GD money.
.

What a *****.... that said... does your wife know about this? This will end up being YOUR fault for ruining her salon experience.

[look 171]

I added on 200sq' to a kitchen for a doctor who works at my sister's hospital. The SOB paid ever time and on time until the last payment. Which is my money as a contractor. I was able to get half of my 20% out but he still owe me $48,000. Its been 2 years. I just lost a 993. I can do lots of legals things here, but at the end I'll still loose. Time, spliting the money with whoever is going after the owner in court. My dad always said, in business if they want to burn you, they will and get away with with it too.

I hand select my clients and ask lots of questions many meetings before signing of anything. In the past 20 years, I have always got my last check with a big smile from all of my clients. This slip up really pissed me off. The last time I was burned when I was a young punk at the tender age of 21 by a local contractor. It was 1500 bucks. that went a semester of tutition. That one really hurt.

[911Rob]

Sorry to hear the bad news Look171. That's terrible.

I had a guy owe me money for a couple years once, really took me for a loop too. In the end he filed bankruptcy and I didn't get a penny. I seriously had to give my rifle to a friend as I was having too, too many thoughts about using it on the guy!

I wish you the best in collecting!

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by look 171

I added on 200sq' to a kitchen for a doctor who works at my sister's hospital. The SOB paid ever time and on time until the last payment. Which is my money as a contractor. I was able to get half of my 20% out but he still owe me $48,000. Its been 2 years. I just lost a 993. I can do lots of legals things here, but at the end I'll still loose. Time, spliting the money with whoever is going after the owner in court. My dad always said, in business if they want to burn you, they will and get away with with it too.

I hand select my clients and ask lots of questions many meetings before signing of anything. In the past 20 years, I have always got my last check with a big smile from all of my clients. This slip up really pissed me off. The last time I was burned when I was a young punk at the tender age of 21 by a local contractor. It was 1500 bucks. that went a semester of tutition. That one really hurt.

Is there a reason why you cannot put a lien on the house for this unpaid portion of the bill? In my business we have what is called a "mechanic's lein" that we put on an aircraft and know that its able to be done on a vehicle, so why not a house when someone works on it? $48k is a lot of change...

[KFC911]

Hookers and Lawyers...don't ya usually pay up front for both (I've only used the services of one) . That seriously sucks for all of you and I'd get PO'd too over the principle. Then again, karma can be a b***h, or very rewarding in the "big picture", and you guys know where you stand...

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I was wondering that too. AFAIK a contractor most certainly can put a lien on real property which must be satisfied prior to transfer of deed. It happens all the time, unless I'm missing something here.

What it costs to get something like that done/recorded I don't know. Maybe it's just not worth doing for that amount (??)

[Jims5543]

Sure:

Housing bubble, Builder goes belly up and sticks me with $11,000 in unpaid invoices.

4-5 years ago I was really busy and had one of the biggest builders in town. He ALWAYS had $30-$40K in unpaid invoices, 20K of it way over 90 days. I protested and demanded all past due invoices be paid in full or all work stops. He never said a word, he stopped ordering from me and hired another surveyor. I though about suing for it but remembered what happened 3 years earlier and chalked it up to a 23K loss.

3 years earlier a lawyer hired me to survey an 18 acre shopping center he owned. He did not care about the price only if I could have it done in 3 weeks. Price was never discussed. I had just purchased the business I own now and the paperwork was pending with the state to make me an official owner. In hindsight I should have had a signed proposal but this guy seemed legit.

I check with a couple of other surveying firms and they would have charged 30K for the survey, I charged 18,500. He refused to pay I filed a lien then proceeded to foreclose on him. He called me in a rant and told me he I screwed with the wrong person, I told him to pay his bill, we ended up in a lawyer battle that costs me $12,000 and he counter sued me fraud because my papers that were filed with the state went through 5 days after our initial contact and technically I was not the owner of the company, the dead guy I bought it from was. So not only did I not get my 18.5K I spent 12K not getting it.

A moderator on a RX7 forum I used to moderate was mugged on a Friday after being paid, he lost his entire paycheck + he was on his way to pay rent. I mailed him a check for $1000 to help him and asked he send me whatever he could when he could. Never saw a dime back, this was 4 years ago.

I loaned an employee $12,000 so he could buy a TDI Jetta off of E-bay then take it to the bank to get his car loan. He picked up the car took it to the bank got his loan and did not pay me back, I waited 3 weeks then mentioned it to him, he said he would have it next week. A week goes by, nothing I go ape ***** on him and he comes to me with 9K of it. It seems he spent the other 3K on himself buying springs, rims, tires for his new Jetta, then a shed for his backyard, all on my dime.

He lasted about 6 months after that, I never got the other 3K and he quit and move back to Kentucky. I considered him a friend and have not spoken to him since.

I do not lend anyone money anymore. Ever. There were a few more instances where I never got paid back on a loan. I am just forgetting them now.

One thing is for sure, I do not help anyone buy myself now. I have been burned too many times.