My Customer Won’t Pay Me So I Did This…

41 Comments

1. 

   Gary Arbogast 2 years ago

   I would say that the more adamant and demanding the customer is, the more likely they are to stiff you at the end. I totally support the filing of a lien on the property to ensure that you get paid. Perhaps on new clients that have no payment history, having credit card details to secure payment would be a good idea, even if the payment is made by check, the cc details can reduce the chance of getting stiffed altogether, you can always add a little to cover the cc fees.

2. 

   Brian Murphy 2 years ago

   I'd have covered her garden with weed killer and sprayed paint on her house.

3. 

   Tom Miller 2 years ago

   Call the realtor who is listing the house and advise them l you are putting a LEIN on the property.

4. 

   Nick Buth 2 years ago

   What mower is that

5. 

   Stree eetz 2 years ago

   Can u ballpark what’d cost for the last yard? I have one similar

6. 

   Bebe Catanzaro 2 years ago

   Excellent solution to a presumably no-win situation! You work very hard and deserve every cent you charge.

7. 

   AllThingzNatural 2 years ago

   💯 Who the hell do she think she is! A dam snake!

8. 

   steeldragon 2 years ago

   It's your money mate

9. 

   SHANE Whittemore 2 years ago

   Looks like you have a really nice business

10. 

    Dreadlord Daemon 2 years ago

    The lien is the exact thing I would do. Having 1/2 up front was a good idea… I wouldn't waste time/money on a lawsuit. Really good to hear you use the lien, and not do some shady sh!t to encourage the payment…

11. 

    Steve Heslin 2 years ago

    had a Owner / landlord ( an active Real Estate Broker)who rented me a house with a failed septic that filled crawl space with…well crap. Had house condemmed by board of health, and moved. Landlord saying I never paid one, refused to return deposit saying I never gave her one. After showing her canceled deposit ck with her signature on it and had a note detailing it was a deposit on rented property. Got a attorney filed a small claims suit for $1,000 plus attorney and court costs. Landlord refused to appear in court, Judge filed lien on property. Liens have INTEREST added to them yearly. After 10 plus years lien grew to $20,000.00. Filed to have property sold (Sheriff charged me $1200. when property went to auction ( I planned to buy and sell house) Sheriff pulled me aside and said the lien had been paid 5 min before Sale by a VERY irate couple who had to be restrained due to making a scene. s. Wife had failed to tell hubby for more than 10 year.
    Then Went to REAL Estate Commision and had her Real Estate License revoked. Moral is always file the Lien and let the law work for you.

12. 

    Feline Faye 2 years ago

    You charge WAY TOO MUCH. 4 hours cost $500???? Rediculous.

13. 

    John Schneider 2 years ago

    That’s all good if you do what you say, however when I returned from a 4 month USA trip my yard was trashed, only trimmed when we called to say we were a week out brown rings under everything driveway full of grass from blowing clippings the wrong direction, had water weed killer and sprayer ready to use but wasn’t touched, never raked the grass clippings wads of clippings in the yard. I didn’t pay the last months bill, never will. And in today’s America it’s hard to find reliable people to do work. So yeah you’re exceptional in your attitude and responsibility wished you lived with in SE Ohio

14. 

    Law Man 2 years ago

    Tou did the right thing; some people try to use you at every turn. she should have been honest with you from the git-go.

15. 

    TJFT1234 2 years ago

    Good job, she agreed and now its time to pay up! Got to tell you buddy but after 25 yrs in the irrigation business I never got stood up for non-payment!

16. 

    NanoBot Kemo 2 years ago

    I would of done the same thing if I had a business. Always protect yourself and your business I wouldn't let half of an agreed upon price go. No matter how small. You have a business to run and prices are a reason you're even doing the business. Though one thing I will say idk what the laws are where you are about leins but I know of one that's been going on in my area for over 9 months. So that can be the tough part too is the time

17. 

    Calideb 2 years ago

    You do a fabulous job. The customer knew exactly what she intended to do. She didn't anticipate you would know there was a way for her to pay her balance. Good business decision. A hassle? Yes but as you mentioned you don't want her to continue doing the same to other contractors. Let us know how it goes. Best wishes from California♡

18. 

    Donnamarie Delana 2 years ago

    Smart you did that some people think it’s Free!! 👏👏👏

19. 

    Donnamarie Delana 2 years ago

    You have yourself and your employees to pay !!!!

20. 

    Ray Willis 2 years ago

    Mechanics lien is the right move. Job estimates should be in writing and include language regarding how long they have to pay and a penalty that is added for late payment. The late fee should cover the costs of the mechanics lien plus compensation for the time delay.

21. 

    Stephen Christian 2 years ago

    Not getting paid is the scurge of the self employed and it's rife.
    Court seems to be the only way to persuade some people and even then they wait untill the very last day to pay up after being dragged through court.
    Take legal action and move on.

22. 

    Frederick Spector 2 years ago

    Good going,
    It was their decision to not pay,
    so tough on them.

23. 

    Geffrey Jewell 2 years ago

    $250 is a half a tank of gas and a ham sandwich at my local deli. Worth fighting for. The lein is perfect. You WILL get paid or her house doesn't sell and any offers she has made on other properties are void if her offer was contingent upon the sale of her home…like I always say, if you can't afford a tip you can't afford to eat out.

24. 

    alfr1 2 years ago

    Keep the lien on it for 6 months and if she has not called you begging to have you drop it and remove it for free, THEN tell her 100 extra for each month she rips you off, or you will take her to court in 5 years!! They will beg poverty until she see's the thousands for the sale of the house are not coming, then she will threaten you with boyfriend violence or lawsuit. Stay strong, demand your fair pay and more for every month of trying to steal from you.

25. 

    Doug DiPlacido 2 years ago

    I would put a lien on the house in a milisecond. No way should you let anyone not pay for agreed services. I have done it a couple times and it works like a charm.

26. 

    T Boys 2 years ago

    You worked for it it’s yours. I’d do the same as well.

27. 

    Kevin Martin 2 years ago

    I had a lawn business for 15 years and lost my money in mostly gated communities and 100% in rich people yards and Joe’s Crab Shack in Jacksonville Beach stiffed me for $2500. Don’t eat at Joe’s. The working man will make sure you get paid because he understands. If I did again I wouldn’t go anywhere near a gated community.

28. 

    Liz Carelli 2 years ago

    You did the right thing. It's your money, that you worked for. Nobody should get away with that. She's stealing. Good Luck !

29. 

    Linda 2 years ago

    I would have put a lien on the house. It is the principle. We all have issues with shortness of money. No. I get paid up front. Especially with anything that has to do with rel-estate.

30. 

    Storm Junkies 2 years ago

    say the WHOLE word when speaking

31. 

    Jim Mcdevitt 2 years ago

    50 bucks or 250 ….doesn’t matter there’s a lesson here , pay your bills. If she balks a 250 bill what will she do to others.

32. 

    Bruce Meinsen 2 years ago

    Who the hell makes $125/hour for yard cleanup? Should've gotten a few more bids.

33. 

    Fulton Fields 2 years ago

    You did a good thing putting her on blast you made her famous it's always a good thing to do contacts

34. 

    kevin mccormack 2 years ago

    Left hand thread same as some wheel bearings

35. 

    Chris Wharton 2 years ago

    You’re entirely correct. You did the job and you need to be paid. In Australia if this happened she’d be named and shamed.

36. 

    SouthburyGirl 2 years ago

    I'm just a homeowner, not a contractor and I think you did the totally appropriate thing by placing a lien. You did the work in good faith, this is your livelihood, your time and it's crap that she didn't pay you upon completion. Only time money should be held back is if work was done really badly or job was left incomplete and things were not done as per what was in writing, but as much as possible there should at least be a conversation about it, to give the contractor a chance to make it right or explain why the job had to be completed otherwise.

37. 

    Robert Hurley 2 years ago

    Good for you!

38. 

    Ricky's House of Crap 2 years ago

    don't chase good money for bad money just move on

39. 

    Wesley Kitchin 2 years ago

    That's what the Lien is for. You were in your rights.

40. 

    Mr. Bluegrass 2 years ago

    do you have to have a license in order to file a lean on a house

41. 

    Bruce Burger 2 years ago

    Yes you did the right thing !!!