Customers Not Paying For Service

[bengles]

I have three different customers that have not paid, and they keep blowing me off. I just so happens that they are renters. They asked for me to mow it on a regular basis when it came time for their first billing at the end of the mouth I had no response. After constant invoices and calling they keep putting me off I have stopped mowing their yard, still have not got paid.
HOW DO I AVOID THIS HAPPENING AGAIN? and IS THEIR SOME KIND OF APPLICATION FOR THEM TO FILL OUT BEFORE DOING SERVICE?

[Phil Nilsson]

Next time go with credit cards or debit cards ... especially with renters.

[BCSteel]

Or cash only. Thats how I did it with renters.

[Seascape]

Send a copy of theyre PAST DUE bill to theyre neighbors. 1 at first,, they dont pay send to a differant neighbor. Put resident and the neighbors address on the envelope. Dont be affraid to include a DEMAND LETTER w/ it. Send the same thing to the owner,, you can get theyre address off the county auditors office web page usually.Also,, if they arent communicating w/ you,, laws allow you to contact theyre mothers,fathers,cousins,grandmothers ect,,, Call one of them ,, tell them you have a DELINQUENT bill and no contact ,, you need to get a message to them to call you.

They'll pay.

[Ric]

You have no recourse with renters. Property owners can have liens thrown on the property but only if they contract the work. Collection agents can give bad credit reports, but with dead beats they don't care. Contacting their friends and neighbors will only make them mad or laugh at you.

I do rental houses, but I deal with the owners only. Even then there are alway PITA who will look for every excuse not to pay. Right now I am trying to collect from a house speculator who had me landscape a house for resale. His first Check from Maine came back NSF a week later. Under law I can not tear out his landscape so I leined the property and turned the check over to a lawyer who will charge his collection fee on top of the check as per state law. When the house sells I will get paid. However his PITA attitude will cost him twice the price by the time the lawyer adds up his charges.

[Joe Cool]

Include it in their rent, say they pay 400.00 for rent, then up their rent to 430.00 or whatever it is to maintain their/your yard.
If you are not the landlord find out who it is and tell them about it to up the price so you can get paid. Or he/landlord can find other lawncare needs.
If it was me I would ask for half up front until you know what kinda customers they are going to be. The credit card is the best way to go as long as they/customer pays it on time too. Just a guess, I'm no expert on the issue that is for sure.

[MGO]

Written agreement is definately a must.

Small claims court is a possiblity....

I had a customer that was up-front with me about a job I did for her. SHe said she couldn't pay me all at once and I told her she could spread it out over a few weeks. I could tell she was honest and sincere (most times you can read a person). Well.....it ended up taking about 6 weeks to get all of the money she owed me ($430)......but she did pay. She simply didn't have the money and I worked with her and she paid me every week until it was paid off. I had no problem with that myself.

Anyway, the moral of the story is maybe (if you can get a hold of them) let them know if they need to pay the balance in installments that would be fine....but, stop mowing in the mean-time. Sometimes people just don't have the cash and they avoid you because of embarrasment or they are afraid you will demand the full amount.

Don't get me wrong.....it is quite possible that they are scum-bag no-payers....but, if you give them the benefit of the doubt it may work out easier for you....plus, if you need to take them to small claims court the judge will look very favorably at your attempt to work with the non-payer.

Good luck....oh yeah....last resort......BREAK THEIR KNEECAPS!