legal advice about unpaid goods/work

[hughjayteens]

A mate of mine owns a garage and has had an issue with a longstanding, and previously hassle free, customer.

He has done work on a few of this guys cars, and he always pays promptly on collection, but he dropped in a car in August to have some modifications done (came to about £6.5k) but despite literally dozens of phone calls, he still hasn't collected the car despite the work being finished after 10 days.

He claims he is just having some cashflow problems and that he will collect it, but has promised to come and pay on at least 10 occasions and then not shown up.

He doesn't really want to lose his custom as he has been a customer for years, but feels that enough is now enough and he wants to start legal proceedings.

I have suggested he should sell the car, cover his costs and then give the guy the outstanding amount, but he is worries he has no legal right to do this (no sign behind the counter saying cars will be sold after 28 days like they have at my localbike shop!).

What should his next step be? I think at this stage he accepts he has lost the customer if he does this.

[edc]

Write to state you will begin to charge an overnight storage fee. If no payment, remove modifications and give notice that the car may be removed to A.N other contractor where the car will be impounded until a release fee plus storage will be charged.

[jamesuk28]

We have just collected £2800 on behalf of a garage owed for dozens of MOT tests. They too had telephoned, written, visited many many times only to get the usual fob off. As we know the law regarding debt recovery and have many ways (legally) of persuading the debtor to pay what they owe we usually get a great result. We have several Piston head members as clients and you can happily ask them for references regarding our services. In the meantime have a look at www.debtrecovery.tv and feel free to call me if you need any advice.

[futie]

Hi hughjay, I had about £3K owed me since July. On the 2nd Oct I instructed Gemini (jamesuk28), by the 18th I had the cash in my bank account. Can't say fairer than that!

I'd highly recommend them - the "Ronseal" of debt recovery etc etc

[jamesuk28]

Hi Futie, glad you are a happy customer too. The ronseal of debt recovery, like it. Might get the marketing boys to knock something up to post here tommorrow.

[hughjayteens]

Thanks for the replies guys. He still fancies writing to him saying that if the bill isn't settled within 7 days he will sell the car to recover the debt - is this legal?

Cheers

Chris

[jamesuk28]

Possibly dodgy ground there. You can certainly take the mods off and sell those. Worth threatening to sell the car though may get a result.

[hughjayteens]

Cheers for that - his biggest gripe with taking the mods off is that they only account for 50% of the total bill, and it is his labour he is most concerned with.

I'll pass on the info - thanks again!

C