Abusive customer making threats

Kittenonthekeys

paddyrg wrote: »

Hiya,

Instead of printing and posting terms, you could email them as a pdf insisting they reply with an 'I agree to the terms' email, or remain part of the email trail. Not as robust, but you can still print it out and demonstrate that you have something in place!

As you've always charged after completion in the past, this could be a chance to review how you do the business - you'll still allow payment on invoice for previous good customers, but first-timers now pay by paypal/credit card upfront. It's really not unusual to deny credit to unknown credit risks.

If you offer the refund for a 'full and final settlement', and they take it, at least you can show any courts/whatever that they accepted a full and final settlement (which you can even do by post - saving a day in court), which should nail the case closed. As you have photos, you can keep those with that too.

Then again, if you want to fight for the £60, frankly your case is decent anyway - 'bring it on'!

"Dear total loon,

As with all work performed by me, I have photographic evidence of the good condition of return, and 2 years is simply too long to reject the work, no matter your personal circumstances. I consider this closed. Should you wish to pursue this through the courts, such is your option, however please be aware they do not take kindly to forms filled in with crayon and covered in drool.

(Up) yours,
xyz"

Thanks, will draft some T&Cs this evening.
BIB - not so far from the truth. I don't think he's written one sentence that reads properly or makes sense. In fact some of the words he's used don't even exist.

gb12345 wrote: »

I think you're close there - the OP does say that they added something that could be removed at a later date, but not in the way they would have recommended.

The OP clearly offers a gender reassignment service for the "plastic partners" and was asked to attach an appendage in a strange position.

:rotfl:
Actually, even though that isn't what I do, there's clearly - ahem - a gap in the market for a business there.....

mttylad wrote: »

I'd got with post #5

Tell him to do one, block his emails or just setup a filter to mark them read and save them in a folder etc for evidence.

Report him for harassment.

Yes, I did set up a filter like that this morning. If he sends any more emails as charming as the last one, he's gonna get his collar felt.

By the way, forgot to mention that all these missives have apparently been launched from his hospital bed where he is 'dangerously ill', even as we speak. Can't speak for anyone else, but I for one would have other priorities at a time like that.

gb12345

As others have said - you have to call his bluff - if you pay him the £60, he will see it as an admission of guilt (no matter how you word it that it is just a goodwill payment) and will come after you for more - he sounds the type of nutter that would launch a court case just for the sake of it - even though he has no chance of winning.

Any solicitor that he sees will tell him that he has no chance, unless he lies to them and then if they send you a letter before action you can hit them with evidence of him accepting the repair.

Equaliser123

No solicitors involved as the dispute is too small and costs would be irrecoverable.

OP - tell him where to go.

Kittenonthekeys

gb12345 wrote: »

As others have said - you have to call his bluff - if you pay him the £60, he will see it as an admission of guilt (no matter how you word it that it is just a goodwill payment) and will come after you for more - he sounds the type of nutter that would launch a court case just for the sake of it - even though he has no chance of winning.

Any solicitor that he sees will tell him that he has no chance, unless he lies to them and then if they send you a letter before action you can hit them with evidence of him accepting the repair.

That's exactly the type of person he seems to be.
He *will* lie through his teeth and indeed has done little else since this bizarre episode began. He has already accused me of "mugging" and "robbing" him and they were the most complimentary terms he used.......

Dimey

He sounds like the sort of unstable person who would take your £60 goodwill gesture as an admission of guilt then sue you for more for "damaging" his precious item.

Personally I'd block his abusive e-mails and wait to be sued. You can apply for the hearing to be held at a point between your two locations. If he sues you via small claim online or by post then you may never need to attend an actual hearing.

Poor you.

tomwakefield

Just cite Arkell vs. Pressdram (1971)

unholyangel

Kittenonthekeys wrote: »

Thanks, will draft some T&Cs this evening.

Do be careful with your T&Cs as it is possible for some terms to be as useful as not having any terms at all.

For instance you cannot limit their time to make a complaint to 14 days or the like. You can request that they report it as soon as reasonably possible, but you cannot set a limit on it because setting a limit may make the term unfair (since there are circumstances people would reasonably have longer to inspect) and unfair terms cannot be enforced.

Also OFT take a dim view of insisting that they agree to the T&C's/agree to be bound by them. They favour a prominent warning that consumers should read and understand the terms before committing to the purchase/contract.

Stay away from jargon, keep it in plain language and ensure consumers attention is drawn to any important terms.

Good luck!

Valli

*subscribes just in case we EVER find out what the OP does*

Kittenonthekeys

Valli wrote: »

*subscribes just in case we EVER find out what the OP does*

:rotfl::T:rotfl::T:rotfl::

Kittenonthekeys

tomwakefield wrote: »

Just cite Arkell vs. Pressdram (1971)

Brilliant - just looked it up. Couldn't have put it better myself.