Customer dies and owes me money
Discussion
Thanks to the people offering proper advise,
The job was a few grand so no small change as some have been implying, he paid a deposit ,and half way paid some more ,but there's still the balance to be paid, which is still a couple more grand.
As for me being insensitive , really?
I've sent one invoice when he asked for it to his email, I don't know if his wife can get access to this,so I sent one via post
That's all I've done so far ,
I've only was told he died via the receptionist not from her or anyone else so can only go on that info.
A couple of other people have joked that he's faking it just not to pay but that to far fetched .
The job was a few grand so no small change as some have been implying, he paid a deposit ,and half way paid some more ,but there's still the balance to be paid, which is still a couple more grand.
As for me being insensitive , really?
I've sent one invoice when he asked for it to his email, I don't know if his wife can get access to this,so I sent one via post
That's all I've done so far ,
I've only was told he died via the receptionist not from her or anyone else so can only go on that info.
A couple of other people have joked that he's faking it just not to pay but that to far fetched .
tricky360 said:
As for me being insensitive , really?
Turn the situation around. It's a member of your family who's died, and a tradesman is chasing his invoice - not just within a fortnight of the death, but within a fortnight of the work.tricky360 said:
I've sent one invoice when he asked for it to his email, I don't know if his wife can get access to this,so I sent one via post
That's all I've done so far ,
Well, that and ask for suggestions as to what your next steps should be.That's all I've done so far ,
[quote]I've only was told he died via the receptionist not from her or anyone else so can only go on that info.
A couple of other people have joked that he's faking it just not to pay but that to far fetched
Keep an eye on the obituaries in your local paper and maybe even the Times or the Telegraph if he was 'proper posh' and you can find out where the funeral is going to be. Then you can turn up and ask to look in the box to be sure he's actually dead and you could also block the entrance to the crematorium/church/other place of random Flying Spaghetti Monster worship until they cough up for your work.
Would that work?
Would that work?
I think people have jumped on the OP a bit too much, yes it would be nice to give a couple of weeks but as others have stated it's important to make sure that his estate is aware of the debt and also that a line tradesman can't just take a hit of a few grand on the chin as easily as a larger company. It's a tricky situation to handle.
This is a nightmare situation for a self employed tradesman. Something that the 'wow just wow' merchants probably won't ever be able to understand. Empathy indeed.
It's never happened to me but it's certainly something I wonder about when an invoice for several k goes unpayed for some time. All while my accounts come due and the mortgage needs paying and the van needs fixing and food has to be put on the table!
OP, I can't offer any advice as I've never been in your position (touch wood) but I hope it works out soon.
It's never happened to me but it's certainly something I wonder about when an invoice for several k goes unpayed for some time. All while my accounts come due and the mortgage needs paying and the van needs fixing and food has to be put on the table!
OP, I can't offer any advice as I've never been in your position (touch wood) but I hope it works out soon.
When My mum's husband (not my dad) died, she called up More Than on the same day to tell them that the policyholder had died and as she was the other driver (spouse) and was she OK to carry on driving. They said they would transfer the policy into her name, but as she was a mere 59 and he had been 61, she fell into a higher age bracket and she must pay £25 by card over the phone there and then or they would cancel the policy!!! Which she did. They didn't offer condolences or anything.
When I got to hear about this, about a week later, I was so annoyed that I rung them up, managed to eventually get hold of someone in authority and let him have it with both barrels.
A couple of days later she received a written apology and a huge bunch of flowers, which must have set them back about £50 at least.
When I got to hear about this, about a week later, I was so annoyed that I rung them up, managed to eventually get hold of someone in authority and let him have it with both barrels.
A couple of days later she received a written apology and a huge bunch of flowers, which must have set them back about £50 at least.
djc206 said:
I think people have jumped on the OP a bit too much, yes it would be nice to give a couple of weeks but as others have stated it's important to make sure that his estate is aware of the debt and also that a line tradesman can't just take a hit of a few grand on the chin as easily as a larger company. It's a tricky situation to handle.
+1squeezebm said:
Mate,stop talking b
ks. It's decorating to a flat,he's not into £30k debt over some decorating is he? It's a few hundred ££ and the blokes dead and his mrs is grieving! What would you do if it was your fathers death and your mum showed you a decorators bill just after he had died....
you can stop talking bks. It's decorating to a flat,he's not into £30k debt over some decorating is he? It's a few hundred ££ and the blokes dead and his mrs is grieving! What would you do if it was your fathers death and your mum showed you a decorators bill just after he had died....ks - if you think GOOD decorators can be had for a few hundred ££ I'd love to be able to hire them!!Personally deliver a bunch of flowers to the widow, with a condolence card. Express your sympathy. Leave. When you contact her later in the year over the dept, hopefully she'll remember your thoughtfulness, and respond favourably. And more work in the future.
Edited by robinessex on Sunday 27th April 10:48
Martin_M said:
A few grand to paint a flat? Did you build the flat too?
I can only assume you have never been in a property that has been decorated to a high standard using products from the more expensive end of the market.Some wallpapers can be around £100 a roll for a start off, and paints such as Farrow and Ball can be £50+ for a standard 2.5 litre tin.
Add a few hundred quid in labour per room on top of the material costs and you can see why a complete redecoration of a property could easily be a few grand.
I can sympathise with the OP a little. Many small businesses trade using cash flow. When we were first starting out in business if we hadn't been paid promptly for each job we would've been out of business. Some jobs we would have £10-15k of materials on account, more than 30 days and we would be in trouble.
robinessex said:
Personally deliver a bunch of flowers to the widow, with a condolence card. Express your sympathy. Leave. When you contact her later in the year over the dept, hopefully she'll remember your thoughtfulness, and respond favourably. And more work in the future.
I would say that's a very good way of handling it, she'll certainly remember you for all the right reasons...Edited by robinessex on Sunday 27th April 10:48
WinstonWolf said:
robinessex said:
Personally deliver a bunch of flowers to the widow, with a condolence card. Express your sympathy. Leave. When you contact her later in the year over the dept, hopefully she'll remember your thoughtfulness, and respond favourably. And more work in the future.
I would say that's a very good way of handling it, she'll certainly remember you for all the right reasons...Edited by robinessex on Sunday 27th April 10:48
Tara llems said:
WinstonWolf said:
robinessex said:
Personally deliver a bunch of flowers to the widow, with a condolence card. Express your sympathy. Leave. When you contact her later in the year over the dept, hopefully she'll remember your thoughtfulness, and respond favourably. And more work in the future.
I would say that's a very good way of handling it, she'll certainly remember you for all the right reasons...Edited by robinessex on Sunday 27th April 10:48
The thing is a small business could be owed thousands. It cost me a huge amount of money when I got my house done, and the lad paid up front to get the paint.
Until I paid he was probably 4k out of pocket. I settled the bill online with him there.
The OP isn't working for free, just like the undertakers aten't of the venue for the post service reception.
He does have a difficult path to tread.
Speaking as an only child who has in the past 7 years has had to handle the death of both my parents, and settle accounts etc, I can honestly say that not paying a tradesman is the last thing I would do.
My mum died after my Dad. There was a mass of stuff to do, but as well as organising the funeral (not that hard really they do most of the leg work for you) I made sure the paper bill was paid, the Gardner's bill settled, the cleaner seen right, the local handyman sorted.
All that had to be done. I had a responsibility on my Mum's behalf to make sure those who needed money got it. I'm sure I could have got our solicitor to sort it and told all the interested parties to wait. But why? It wasn't their fault Te person who hired them had died.
To the OP. Don't do condolence cards and flowers. It will be lost in a sea of other cards and flowers.
Wait a month. Send an invoice with a covering letter.
Dear Mrs xxxx. We were so sorry to learn of your husband's death and hope you don't regard this letter as an intrusion at this difficult time. Our records show an outstanding invoice for work carried out by us (enclosed). We would be greatful if when you feel able you could give it your attention.
Yours etc....The OP.
Until I paid he was probably 4k out of pocket. I settled the bill online with him there.
The OP isn't working for free, just like the undertakers aten't of the venue for the post service reception.
He does have a difficult path to tread.
Speaking as an only child who has in the past 7 years has had to handle the death of both my parents, and settle accounts etc, I can honestly say that not paying a tradesman is the last thing I would do.
My mum died after my Dad. There was a mass of stuff to do, but as well as organising the funeral (not that hard really they do most of the leg work for you) I made sure the paper bill was paid, the Gardner's bill settled, the cleaner seen right, the local handyman sorted.
All that had to be done. I had a responsibility on my Mum's behalf to make sure those who needed money got it. I'm sure I could have got our solicitor to sort it and told all the interested parties to wait. But why? It wasn't their fault Te person who hired them had died.
To the OP. Don't do condolence cards and flowers. It will be lost in a sea of other cards and flowers.
Wait a month. Send an invoice with a covering letter.
Dear Mrs xxxx. We were so sorry to learn of your husband's death and hope you don't regard this letter as an intrusion at this difficult time. Our records show an outstanding invoice for work carried out by us (enclosed). We would be greatful if when you feel able you could give it your attention.
Yours etc....The OP.
wildcat45 said:
stuff
Only child and lost both parents within 7 years, can't imagine how brutal that must've been (and still be). Sorry for your loss. 
To play Devil's Advocate somewhat: if the OP's business really does hang by a thread (he's never said this to be the case incidentally), and the mortgage is being paid job to job, then really it's in deep trouble anyway isn't it irrespective of the circumstances presented. The OP's customer - any of them - could delay payment for a number of reasons: unhappy about the job, unable to pay suddenly etc. Doesn't change the OP's entitlement to be paid but it does mean that relying on a single job to keep a business afloat is a doomed enterprise.
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff