Got this email from a client and I'm wondering if I should be worried?

hippyadam

JamesO wrote: »

I know I should refund and though that will be hard, that's ok with me. It's the other bits I don't know about all the compensation and interest and me having to collect them and so on.

It's another £350 plus collection from the other side of the country! That can't be fair can it?

You screwed up, you have admitted that (which is more than most retailers do ), so i'd be inclined to refund their original purchase price in full, collect the goods already supplied & chalk it up to experience...

As for claims relating to disappointment etc id be tempted to tell em to sue me for it (but then i'm well grumpy so this may not be for everyone)...

Mark_Hewitt

Do you have professional liability insurance? It might be possible that you could make a claim here given that you were injured and couldn't complete the work?

Freddie_Snowbits

Sometimes in business you have to say no, if you knew at the onset that you could not fulfill the order, then say no. I always get people who apopear to have the right for me to take their wedding photographs, I have to sometimes say no, as I limit the ammount of business I can handle. Always keep your customer informed, some of my worst have respondents have been very beneficial.

As for the letter, unless they had a contact, I would just let them take me to court.

Tozer

Refund the money and, as someone else said, be sure to make it an express condition that the gates are made available for collection and are in the same condition as when originally delivered.

Everything else they have tried to claim is entirely spurious and would be chucked out of court.

pinkshoes

Send them a VERY apologetic email stating how your raw material supplier went bust, then you had a bad accident whilst making their fence resulting in 3rd degree burns. As they're being a bit petty with their claim, I would attach a photo of your burnt arm as proof!

Offer them a full refund of the cost, plus the £25 interest on their money, and state that you will pick them up on <date in a few days time>.

Just hire a man with a van, and go with him to get them yourself, highlighting your injury even further. If they have a heart, they won't pursue the other claims.

Do you not have business insurance for this sort of thing?

poet123

Tozer wrote: »

Refund the money and, as someone else said, be sure to make it an express condition that the gates are made available for collection and are in the same condition as when originally delivered.

Everything else they have tried to claim is entirely spurious and would be chucked out of court.

Maybe the actual information cited is spurious, but I wouldn't bet on the custmomer not acheving some other additional redress if it went to court, which could easily amount to £350 when you look at the timescale, and the inconvenience and the ultimate non fulfillment of contract.

Tozer

poet123 wrote: »

Maybe the actual information cited is spurious, but I wouldn't bet on the custmomer not acheving some other additional redress if it went to court, which could easily amount to £350 when you look at the timescale, and the inconvenience and the ultimate non fulfillment of contract.

I can't think what. It was a contract. OP didn't deliver. No suggestion on actual loss being suffered. Other than interest on the money, it is all very indirect.

elfen

Don't think they'd get anyof the above....How does not having your bespoke gates cause you mental distress? Surely you'd phone and find out what was going on...bloody idiot...I see he says he has a partner..Well surely she would have been able to phone you and find out what's going on.

Give them their money back, plus £50 and take your gates, finish them and sell them to someone who isn't a complete wazzock...£350 indeed!

Freddie_Snowbits

The fact remains theat the supplier has failed to fulfill the contract, I would seek advise.

poet123

Tozer wrote: »

I can't think what. It was a contract. OP didn't deliver. No suggestion on actual loss being suffered. Other than interest on the money, it is all very indirect.

We went to court regarding the incomplete installation of bedroom units. We were left for months with an unfinished room, and eventually the correct drawer fronts could not be sourced. We won our case and were awarded a sum for all the above, in addition to compensation for breach of contract.