Forget 'Rogue Traders' - what about 'Rogue Customers'???

Lifeisbutadream

Altarf wrote: »

Depends on whether you actually issued a VAT invoice or not.

If you issued a VAT invoice for £1365.36 plus £238.89 VAT, then you owe £238.89 VAT and can claim the £18.89 back under the bad debt relief in six months if they have not paid.

If your invoice did not show the VAT as a separate amount then you only owe 7/47ths of what you received (i.e. £210). If you then receive the remaining money then you pay 7/47ths of that over to HMRC.

If you are automatically issuing a VAT invoice, it t may be worth considering that you are only required to issue a VAT invoice that shows the VAT as a separate amount to VAT registered customers.

Thanks I didnt know that.


Will have to be the bad debt one as I always show VAT - I thought you had to...:o

Donegal_Paul

Just been looking through the business section for the first time tonight and saw this.

Had our first angry customer this week too where he owes me just less than £240 for work done and is refusing to pay (whole other story)

Im interested in the filing a small claims online option has anyone any more details or advice as a quick google's not showing anything up?

Lifeisbutadream

Donegal_Paul wrote: »

Just been looking through the business section for the first time tonight and saw this.

Had our first angry customer this week too where he owes me just less than £240 for work done and is refusing to pay (whole other story)

Im interested in the filing a small claims online option has anyone any more details or advice as a quick google's not showing anything up?

We had a customer last year who refused to pay £1400. We took him to court, he offered to pay £1 a week, which was rejected (obviously!) and we now have a charging order on his house. I still dont have the money and when he eventually pays most of it will go to the agency I used to help me, but I dont care, it is the principal of the matter.

Most people would tell you to walk away and forget it, but personally I would take him to court - why should he not pay for work done???

Poppycat

Can you no go via the small claims court thus the cost will be minimal

vivatifosi

Donegal_Paul wrote: »

Just been looking through the business section for the first time tonight and saw this.

Had our first angry customer this week too where he owes me just less than £240 for work done and is refusing to pay (whole other story)

Im interested in the filing a small claims online option has anyone any more details or advice as a quick google's not showing anything up?

Here's the link:

https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/csmco2/index.jsp

I've used this 2 times (for damages) and they other side has always paid up before going to court, am currently on my third... I run a small business and wouldn't hesitate using this PROVIDING it was not against a regular customer whose business I couldn't afford to lose.

Also make sure that your T&Cs give you the cover you need. My local small business service has a free legal clinic that looks over those and makes sure that you're covered, you may have something similar near you.

golddustmedia

I had our first bad customer. We run a holiday apartment in Devon, and although the customers pay up front one customer really took the pi55.

Against my advice they parked in the street outside the apartment which is a narrow road and gets the buses/taxis etc and sadly someone took offence overnight and did some damage to their car. I told them to report it to the police which they did but carried on parking there and someone again went back and did more damage later in the week. Obviously this concerns me from a public order point of view and protecting my customers.

However this customers response to this was to pack up and leave. Not before however getting tomato sauce up the walls in the kitchen, making a terrible mess and most annoying the two rather large holiday makers even broke the bed!

Then they ranted at me about how they would never come back. I didn't discover how they left the place until after they'd gone but I can assure you, they'll never be welcome back!

So far they have been our ONLY problem customer, however it was enough to make me consider giving up holiday letting and going for long term let or even selling the place.

babiebeany

Don't let those idiots put you off - they cause their own problems.

I do hope you took a security deposit off them though - as you can keep this to cover the extra cleaning and help towards replacing the bed.

Alternatively I would not hesitate to take them to the small claims court.

bordercars

If i paid cash its so i get the job done cheaper knowing the tradesman will not put in his book, so if it aint in the book whos to say you ever did the job. would wet my pants if the roof leaked and they rang me up. but i guess youre the decent tradesman and the jobs a good un.

Stephb1986_2

I know this sounds a bit random but couldnt you go and remove the work you've done considering they havent paid for it therefore its your property

Lifeisbutadream

bordercars wrote: »

If i paid cash its so i get the job done cheaper knowing the tradesman will not put in his book, so if it aint in the book whos to say you ever did the job. would wet my pants if the roof leaked and they rang me up. but i guess youre the decent tradesman and the jobs a good un.

Thats why we wont take cash. People want everything for nothing nowadays - we would be the ones taking the risk from an investigation from the taxman.

Even from friends I am now wary of cash - if you ever fell out with someone they could easily make a call to the Inland Revenue - its just not worth it - we are a reputable business and want to stay that way!