Deadbeat is off the books

Some of you may recall the story I told about a deadbeat who stiffed me on a home cleaning. It was done in preparation of the home being listed and I later cleaned a couple of boats for his listing agent, where I brought up the topic.

Despite many attempts to collect my fee, I didn't give up hope and told the listing agent that somebody needed to pay me or I will take legal action to hold the sale. The agent said that it was between me and the seller, but I hired an attorney to send notice of potential legal action to the agent anyway.

I just received a call today that I can stop by the office in the morning to receive payment plus my legal cost. The really funny part is that they also asked if I would have time to clean another listing this week.....for cash this time.

It is amazing what you have to do recover payment with some people. It was only $265, not some huge rate, but some people are just bad when it comes to paying bills. I'm just happy to win this one, didn't really think that I was ever going to see it.

I wouldn't do business with them

what did it cost you to get the lawyer and what kind of info did u have to provide to him so he could collect?

Well, I guess the agent WAS responsible.

I don't think I would want to work with that agent anymore. Next time it might be a bigger bill.
Unless he pays CASH in all the future transactions anyway.

The lawyer is also a customer of mine and drafted the letter for $30. It was mostly a bluff, but funny how a bluff works when it is on the right stationary.

I don't mind working for the agent as it was his client that was the bum, but I made it clear that all future work would require cash payment up front. I don't care who pays me as long as someone does.

It is sad that we have to even go through this because people no longer have any ethics. I never have a problem cleaning in my smaller towns, but when I venture into the larger cities (like that one) I often run into scum balls trying to avoid payment.

Good for you ! I took 2 customers to court at separate occasions totalling over $ 1000 of cleaning many years ago and despite winning both cases because they didn't show up, I still didn't get paid, that's California for you !

I actually have gotten a letter from attorney's office regarding "debt" I supposedly owed to the Hartford for workers comp, I told the company who bought the debt that Hartford screwed this up, and despite me sending proof that I don't owe them anything ( I sent all payroll paperwork ), they insisted that I owed them $ 1200 and a couple of months later they said I owed them $ 300, I explained these things to that company and they still pursued this, I just hang up, there is no point arguing with stupid people.

Good for you ! I would do work for them as long as it's no more than $ 250, if it's over that amount I would get payment first before I start and in cash ! That's just me

milspec6 wrote:Some of you may recall the story I told about a deadbeat who stiffed me on a home cleaning.  It was done in preparation of the home being listed and I later cleaned a couple of boats for his listing agent, where I brought up the topic.

Despite many attempts to collect my fee, I didn't give up hope and told the listing agent that somebody needed to pay me or I will take legal action to hold the sale.  The agent said that it was between me and the seller, but I hired an attorney to send notice of potential legal action to the agent anyway.

I just received a call today that I can stop by the office in the morning to receive payment plus my legal cost.  The really funny part is that they also asked if I would have time to clean another listing this week.....for cash this time.

It is amazing what you have to do recover payment with some people.  It was only $265, not some huge rate, but some people are just bad when it comes to paying bills.  I'm just happy to win this one, didn't really think that I was ever going to see it.

I did something like that about 4 years ago with a legal letter.  180.00 job bounced check.   Well I finally collected  about 8 mm months after the job.  Then that a-hole bashed me on Angieslist.

years ago i did white trash job. long dusty dirt drive way, double wide, several cars, several dogs. 3 families in the place.
family member 1 calls to schedule.
#2 is there to meet me.
#3 left a check ready for me.
the whole house and several pieces of furniture....= $500+
check no good. as in the acct was closed. after 2 attempt to call; they stopped taking my calls.
Hold on, this is where it gets good.
Our county prosecutors office has a program for business: to help the collect on bad checks.
...Even the prosecutors office couldnt get anything out of them.l In fact, they took walmart for a ride: $1500+ in bad checks.
still have the check in the cubbard.

I do know a leg breaker that works in this area. He is an ex-Green Beret that will buy the debt from you and then collect. I don't think it is remotely legal, but he says that he makes 6 figures and never comes away empty handed.

I have been tempted a few times to call this guy and people should know that guys like this exist. It might be fun to stiff the local carpet guy for a few hundred and then dodge him, but they will not find it funny when Billy Jack is kicking them upside the head.

milspec6 wrote:I do know a leg breaker that works in this area.  He is an ex-Green Beret that will buy the debt from you and then collect.  I don't think it is remotely legal, but he says that he makes 6 figures and never comes away empty handed.

I have been tempted a few times to call this guy and people should know that guys like this exist.  It might be fun to stiff the local carpet guy for a few hundred and then dodge him, but they will not find it funny when Billy Jack is kicking them upside the head.

That's exactly what's going to happen to you if you were in Indonesia !! I didn't know that actually exist in here, are you serious or kidding Bob ?

Serious, I've met the guy and heard the stories. He even types up some very authentic looking contracts to show that the debt is now owed to him and he doesn't leave until he gets paid.

My brother saw him drag a guy's face along a chain link fence once over a $300 debt. The dude is real.

Does he have a trip charge?

Matt; My carpet cleaner wrote:Does he have a trip charge?

It can sure be tempting......I would have to watch though.

Ok, that's it, I'm contacting him and giving him my 2 cases that I won for FREE !!! He can collect those $ 1000+ if he wants to, lol.

In all seriousness DP, if you provided him airfare, he would probably take it....should I contact him?

I'm actually giving him all of those amounts of judgements for free if he wants to, he can pay much more than airfares with over $ 1000 in judgements, I'm sure they have moved from their residence though since it's been almost 10 years.

Ten years might be a problem. He is not so much an investigator, just a joint breaker.