Buyer ignoring requests for payment

TheFox30

Hi

Quick question

I had a house clearance last month and advertised a number of things in a local Facebook selling group. One of these was a piano, which someone agreed to buy and we arranged a time for me to drop it off at their house (I'd hired a van for a few hours as was moving loads of large items, not just the piano)

When we got to their house at the agreed time, there was no-one in. We decided to unload it anyway (it would have been well out the way to come back later, and we didn't want to have to continue crawling along at 20mph to prevent the piano falling over in the back of the van!). We left it under the next door neighbour's car-port (at their agreement) and decided we'd chase the money up later.

However, 3 weeks later, they haven't paid. I've sent 4 messages requesting payment via bank transfer (1st response: sorry I'll pay, 2nd response: sorry I thought I had paid, 3rd and 4th messages have been ignored). I've also been and knocked on the door but no-one's been in.

Can anyone advise me of my options? Or should I just chalk it up to a lesson learned? It's not a huge amount of money but as much as anything, it's a principle thing of someone taking something and not paying.

theonlywayisup

Why did you deliver before payment?

Not wanting to drive at 20mph isn't a reason.

Have you been and knocked on their door to ask for the money? Perhaps the piano is still in the neighbour's carport?

pinkshoes

Send a 'letter before action' to buyer's address giving them 14 days to pay before you take them to court for the money.

Send with proof of postage and make sure you supply your bank details.

They will hopefully then pay.

parking_question_chap

TheFox30 wrote: »

Or should I just chalk it up to a lesson learned? .

It really is worrying that some people need something like this happen to them before they realise that delivering an item before payment might not be a good idea.

:huh::huh::huh:

theonlywayisup

pinkshoes wrote: »

Send a 'letter before action' to buyer's address giving them 14 days to pay before you take them to court for the money.

Send with proof of postage and make sure you supply your bank details.

They will hopefully then pay.

Pinkshoes, really?

An LBA for an item that was delivered without payment, while the occupants were out and left with a neighbour, outside in a carport.

Fair enough if they won't give it back, but not as a way to make them pay for the "purchase".

maisie_cat

parking_question_chap wrote: »

It really is worrying that some people need something like this happen to them before they realise that delivering an item before payment might not be a good idea.

I guess that on the basis that there are more honest people than dishonest the chances of getting a dishonest one were outweighed by the inconvenience of having to come back.
I would try the 7 day letter, the messages would serve as proof of acknowledgement of the debt

adonis

They probably tried to lift it into the house and are in hospital with a slipped disc, or dropped goolies.

pinkshoes

theonlywayisup wrote: »

Pinkshoes, really?

An LBA for an item that was delivered without payment, while the occupants were out and left with a neighbour, outside in a carport.

Fair enough if they won't give it back, but not as a way to make them pay for the "purchase".

Why not? They already have messages from the buyer showing their intent to pay!

Brynsam

pinkshoes wrote: »

Why not? They already have messages from the buyer showing their intent to pay!

Get real. You do seem to love threatening court action at every turn. Not worth it.

parking_question_chap

maisie_cat wrote: »

I guess that on the basis that there are more honest people than dishonest the chances of getting a dishonest one were outweighed by the inconvenience of having to come back.

Granted there might be more honest people.

However, given that the "buyer" was not in their property at the agreed time, I would have thought any person with an iota of common sense might realise that they are not trustworthy.

Surely common sense would have dictated that it would have been best take the item back and ask the "buyer" to collect. If they dont, then list it again and hope the next taker is genuine.

theonlywayisup

pinkshoes wrote: »

Why not? They already have messages from the buyer showing their intent to pay!

The seller has delivered to an address that suits them, not one that has been agreed by the buyer/seller.

This is a piano.

If I were the buyer then I would NOT be happy at it being left in a carport on the coldest weekend this country has seen for some years.