maintanace company not paying

[thekingiam]

have been tring to get a payment due from a maintanace company for putting in some pir sensors for them in a local gym the work was agreed on the phone and completed in september.
I received one payment in november for initially turning up on a sunday and restoring tempary power until pirs could be replaced in december after more freindly emails from me they replied that payment was on hold for payment but after still no payment i sent them another two emails requesting payment got a message today stating that the pirs i put in have failed and gyms own electrician had to replace so they are not going to pay.
i have a custommers satisfaction rort somewhere stating that they were working when i left and they say i can pick up the broken pirs at the gym.
as always i state any problems with my work to contact me and i will rectify just beleive there trying it on.
the bill was only £80 -£50 materials £30 labour but i just think they are taking the wee wee.

 

[thekingiam]

i am going to pick up broken pirs if they have them!? As they haven't notified me in four months could i insist on payment?

 

[thekingiam]

i know it's only eighty quid but feel like i have been taken for a mug so if i have a case for small claims i will pay to do it.

 

[Marvo]

As ever you'd have a good case to demand payment and start legal proceedings but;


Have you got a signed order for the work before the job was started?

Have you got a signed worksheet that was signed on site saying the installation was complete and to the customers satisfaction?

Have you got the time and the money to throw at the legal proceedings?

If the answer to any of these is 'No' then just learn the lesson and move on, chances are you'll be throwing good money after bad and the only winners will be the lawyers. In future make sure all the paperwork trail is in order and take a deposit to cover your outlay so you'll still have yuour shirt if the customer refuses to pay.

If it's three yes's to the questions then it's your call whether it's worth taking it further.

 

[thekingiam]

first 2 yes last one i will think about, could always ask brother in law hes a solicitor?

 

[thekingiam]

my one point would be that if a problem had occured then i should of been contacted as i would have replaced for free,but using there own electrician to disconnect my pirs i cannot garuntee that they havent been broken by other electrician or needed replacing in the first place.

 

[Richard Burns]

You completed the work as specified, no complaint was received within the time period for the payment of the invoice, therefore the invoice is due for payment.
Any further negotiations can be started after the outstanding debt has been cleared.

Get paid first, then discuss later problems they may experience.
If the PIRs had to be replaced then there is the possibility for negotiation on the cost price for the PIRs, if you wanted to, however you have still done the work and should be paid, no matter what happens later.
If the gym has it's own electrician why did you need to do the work in the first place?

 

[Marvo]

I agree there's no reason they shouldn't have paid and no reason they shouldn't have contacted you to sort out any problems if there were any. Unfortunately it isn't an ideal world and if the bill is only £80 you could spend ten times this trying to get payment before the case even sees a courtroom. By all means send them an overdue payment notice and include copies of the works order and the customer signed satisfactory document but if you decide to seek legal remedy then set a limit first of how much you're willing to throw at the collection process.