collections

[in love with a Sweede]

I have after nine years of doing massage not counting the year of schoolI have sent my first client to collections.this was a hard one for me because I don't like to do such things but this is a bus. I was just wondering if any of you have had to do this and how you felt about doing so it has taken me 7 months to make up my mind and I guess prat of me will just feel bad for a while

 

[Mc.Zee]

collections

well I did have the choice of not getting paidbut I tried everything else so that was my last choiceI'm just thankful that I don't have to do that alotthanks though

 

[Morghanna]

collections

I feel for you. I never actually had to go that far, the phone call to them insinuating that I was going to do so was apparenlty enough for my problem client! He finally paid up, and had the nerve to ask to book another appointment!

 

[britt_bratt_rulz]

collections

thanks for the feed back

 

[Zippy]

I'm very sorry that this happened jc but I do congratulate you on taking the necessary steps to get paid what you are rightfully due.  I hope everything goes easily from this point.Nothing burns me more than someone coming in and receiving work -- good work -- then attempting not to pay for it!!!  I've not had to do collections on anyone yet, however, I have had to hunt people down to get the money they owe me.  Once this happens and they wish to rebook then it is cash up front only.  These, like chronically late people, are not encouraged to become long term clients of my business.

 

[El Chahusitle]

collections

I know I'm like you came to me not able to bend over or stand up I fix it and then you don't think I'm worth the money.( now that you can tie your own shoes)I don't think soIt was hard though because we are in such a giving profession.But no other bus. that I know of will let you not pay your bill so I don't think we should let people get away with it either

 

[halifax666]

I haven't had to go to collections, and would probably feel very badly if I did.  I've only had one bounced check so far.  The client had just paid me with another check that I hadn't cashed.  She brought me the cash to cover both sessions plus the bank fee, but shorted me the gratuity that had originally been included in the checks.  She said she'd cover that on her next appointment (which she cancelled at the same time as giving me the cash).  She has yet to rebook, so I might be out that money.  So long as this doesn't happen to me often, I probably wouldn't go to collections.  But if it starts happening with multiple clients and it's difficult to collect the funds, then I might go the collection route.

 

[????? answers]

Something to think about...I don't know if this varies by state, but I was told that collections agencies will take 50% of what they recover. If you send it to the county attorney's office, they will take care of it for a lot less (can't remember what the fee is, if any).Again, this may vary by state or county, but it might be worth checking into. I wouldn't want to go through the hassle of reporting it only to get half of my losses back.FWIW  

 

[Emmett]

collections

the place I use takes 30%but that is worth to me so I can wash my hands of it all and they send me a check on the 15th of every monthi will look into the county though mabey that would be just as easy.thanks

 

[Victoria]

collections

i'm wondering why you didn't take this person to small claims court?

 

[Caterpuff]

collections

I hadn't thopught about it butTaking time off to go to court would cost as much as collections if you consider that I wouldn't be able to massage for the day or days getting ready for courtis going to court the way you do it

 

[Chi4Now]

collections

is going to court the way you do it

if that's a question, then;

it's another option, and fairly easy and inexpensive.

you go to your courthouse and get a form from the clerk of court. take it home and simplly fill it out~ stating the massage service, non-payment/bad check, your attempts to reconcile from the individual, and that your are still owed the money.

the filing fee is dependent upon the amount you are suing for, and since i would imagine is relatively small, the fee should be nominal. you will be given a hearing date then or in the mail.

at the hearing, they will offer mediation for those interested. or you will be offered to perusue the action and make a brief statement to the court. if the judge believes there is merit to your case, you will have a trial on another date. it may be able to be solved then. it depends on your state.

if the client defaults and doesn't show up to defend him/herself, you win judgement. however, this doesn't mean that you will be getting paid, even though the judge ruled for you. you may be, or the party could choose not to, and then you have the right to attach a lein on their house or other real property. that lein will be there until it is satisfied by sale of such property. then you get your money.

 

[wuttup]

can I ask how much this person owes you?And how is it working out for you?  Are you getting payment?

 

[bluebacker35]

collections

if that's a question, then;

it's another option, and fairly easy and inexpensive.

you go to your courthouse and get a form from the clerk of court. take it home and simplly fill it out~ stating the massage service, non-payment/bad check, your attempts to reconcile from the individual, and that your are still owed the money.

the filing fee is dependent upon the amount you are suing for, and since i would imagine is relatively small, the fee should be nominal. you will be given a hearing date then or in the mail.

at the hearing, they will offer mediation for those interested. or you will be offered to perusue the action and make a brief statement to the court. if the judge believes there is merit to your case, you will have a trial on another date. it may be able to be solved then. it depends on your state.

if the client defaults and doesn't show up to defend him/herself, you win judgement. however, this doesn't mean that you will be getting paid, even though the judge ruled for you. you may be, or the party could choose not to, and then you have the right to attach a lein on their house or other real property. that lein will be there until it is satisfied by sale of such property. then you get your money.

In my experience, small claims is really only effective if the threat is perceived to be real. When I was running my subcontracting business, I had to take several contractors to small claims court. In most of those cases, they paid before we got to a court date. In one case, however, I went to court three times. The contractor never showed up to any of them. The final phase involved hiring a constable for $100.00 to deliver a warrant to "force" the contractor to show. Had he not shown then, I would have had to pay again to have them go to the guy's house to arrest him. At this point, I was already into it for 5-6 hours, and didn't really want to start coughing up cash to keep the process going, with the end result probably being a mediation in which I might have gotten half of what was owed me. There is a point of diminishing returns, and I think I was pretty much there.

I know that in this state, the Attorney General's office goes after businesses with poor business practices; not sure whether they do that with individuals. Again, the threat is probably more effective than the actual process, but it sure seems like it's worth a try.