Customer's CQ bounced - what can I do?

bundly

Hi

I sell books from home.

A (stranger) customer emailed me and asked if she could pay for a book by cheque, and said the book was for her husband's birthday pressie and could I send it out ASAP. Normally I wait ten days for cqs to clear -- and they always do -- but feeling happy, full of festive cheer and wanting to make my customer happy I sent the book four days after banking the cheque.

The day after I sent it her cheque bounced. I have emailed her every day and she ignores me. I have twice sent her Paypal invoices and she ignores them.

I spoke to a debt agency but they aren't interested in anything under £500.

I know £24 is not a lot of money, but I feel really angry that she seems to have deliberately defrauded me - an ordinary woman, a sole trader who is just trying to scrape a living.

Can anyone suggest some words I can send her perhaps by email or by proper post that would make her pay up? Is there any other way I can resolve this?

Bundly

Kayalana99

You take her to small claims, not a debt agency, someone else will advise futher I am sure

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Small claims court.

Also, as with us. We do not deal in cheques, no paypal or other, no goods. Full Stop.

paddyrg

bundly wrote: »

Can anyone suggest some words I can send her perhaps by email or by proper post that would make her pay up?

"Pay the money you filthy mental b*tch or I'll come round and bleach your garden" - That kind of thing?

Alas short of going round there you might be out of luck for £24. Maybe treat it as a cheap lesson never to accept cheques again?

Takeaway_Addict

paddyrg wrote: »

"Pay the money you filthy mental b*tch or I'll come round and bleach your garden" - That kind of thing?

Alas short of going round there you might be out of luck for £24. Maybe treat it as a cheap lesson never to accept cheques again?

Lol

I would do letter before action to scare her and then if you fancy the time and effort I would goto small claims for the hell of it

lincroft1710

Write to her husband and tell him his wife hasn't paid you for his Christmas present.

Macca83_2

paddyrg wrote: »

"Pay the money you filthy mental b*tch or I'll come round and bleach your garden" - That kind of thing?

Alas short of going round there you might be out of luck for £24. Maybe treat it as a cheap lesson never to accept cheques again?

Haha that made me laugh.

Uxb

paddyrg wrote: »

Alas short of going round there you might be out of luck for £24. Maybe treat it as a cheap lesson never to accept cheques again?

Or have anything to do with women.

bundly

Thanks for the suggestion about the small claims court. What is this letter of which you speak? Can anyone give me a link to the correct sort of wording I should use?

Cheers

bundly

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

Lol

I would do letter before action to scare her and then if you fancy the time and effort I would goto small claims for the hell of it

That's the thing: letter before action. How would I word that please?

mum2one

A rough example

Dear XX

Letter before Action

Further to the order of book "xxx" on "xx" the payment by cheque was not honoured by your bank, I have made attempts to contact you on the following ocassions
(I would list them and method)

Unless payment is recieved within 14 days, I will be left with no option but to pursue a claim through the small claims court.

Thanking You

Jo Bloggs

That may be enough to shift the payment x