Repeat cust didn't pay !

Did a job for this real estate agent a few days ago, remembered him because last time it took a few days for him to pay, irked me, still scheduled him because we're still a little slow, sure enough, right before the job started confirmed the $$ amount and he texted back said ok, after the job is done, no text back, called him and texted him close to 10 times, no reply so far, I went to his office earlier and he's not there, I'm done with this guy, I know I should give him the benefit of the doubt and wait a few more days, I just don't have the patience for this kind of customers, I'm not bank, not a credit card company, payment is due after the job is completed, no exception, that's why I don't do much commercial work.

I sure he wouldn't want you to show up at 8-9m, knocking on his door.
Is this the same one , when his wife heard about it , chewd him out?

That is the problem with commercial work, payment is always delayed days or weeks. I don't like it either and would not accept it for small commercial items like a single house....that should be paid at completion.

The real estate agents I work for leave a check on the counter before I even arrive. That is the way that I prefer things.

That issue is pretty common here as well. I don't offer my services to real estate agent.

If they wanted to hire me, it would be pay upon completion, or I call the cops for theft of services.

Its it amazing how they are easy to get a hold of before the job and unavailable after the job is completed.

Not all real estate agents are dead beats they can be a great resource for work

Just call them up and tell them that if you don't get paid that your will return their dirt.

Most (not all) agents are usually rolling their money. Dealing with a home for sale or a rental of theirs, they are most times, rolling money around. You won't get paid until someone pays them. Even then, it depends on who is in front of you, if you are going to be paid.

Hear it from contractors here, all the time. No desire to advertise to agents in my area. Too many guys here get screwed over.

Now, using the agents as a referral source to their clients, I can see having potential. I've had a few referrals from agents that I have never even spoke to. They must have seen my work/ talked to friends/ looked me up.

That is a very true statement Freemind, the key is finding the right one to work with. The real benefit for me in the past has not been the agent hiring you to clean prep a listing, but gaining the buyer's business.

I always leave my business cards on the fridge and in the closets on a house that I clean for sale prep. That way, I hope to gain the new owner's business as well.....often do. That makes 2-for-1 job which I feel is worth dealing with an agent that may be slow to pay.

Having said that, I have been burned as well and recently too. It is part of business just like dealing with property managers.

When dealing with Realtors, YOU need to have plan on how your going to work with them.
1. Be clear with them about who is responsible and going to pay.I've had some that: a:the owner was to pay.b: payment would happen at closing. c: reposed property, would take 90 days to process Thur HUD.(they told me this after no payment of 30 days.
2. They need to meet you there. No asst/secretary/maint guy/...
3. Terms of payment are:.... No aception.
4. No "I can get you a lot of work, so can I get a good deal?" Nope! It Never materializes!

I recently did a job for a realtor who called me out of the blue, he was a nice guy, i did the job told him how the check was to made out ( it was also stated on my invoice) "Make check payable to" when i didn't get check after a week i emailed him and he said he'd take care of it, which he did as i did recieve the check, however it was not made out as it was suppose to be making it totally useless to me, so i emailed him back and he said he'd take care of it it's been about a week and still no check, i'll give it a few more days and contact him again.
I do work for another realtor and he pays me right then and there, think i'll just stick with him

Typical agents....I have done work for my sister-in-law who happens to be an agent and even she was late on payment.

They are a bad risk no matter where you live.

I forgot to update this topic, almost 2 weeks ago, he actually called and pay his bill via phone ( credit card ), I charged his card and that was it.
I thought to myself, he must have another unit to be cleaned ? Which made me debate whether to accept the job or not ? If I don't, he might file charge back on that last credit card payment ? Well, after some thoughts, I decided if he ever call me again, I would still do work for him, but payment will be done up front, before I even pull my hoses out of the van, if we can't reach him, we'll move on to the next job until he call us back and make payment.
Sometimes we have to play hardball with these cockroaches.

If it is like all my commercial, he paid because he needs another cleaned very soon. I would make yourself less available the next time, make him worry a little that you might not take the job.

He will assume (rightly so) that he was about to lose you and hopefully decide to smarter about paying on time.

Great idea ! I'll tell him my next availability is in August, lol.

If that doesn't work, start openly complaining about how you had to fire a customer for slow pay issues. If he has any brains, he will get the message.

I have a friend who has a few rental properties, one of his favorite sayings is
"If you ain't paying you ain't staying"

kevinj6121 wrote:I have a friend who has a few rental properties, one of his favorite sayings is
"If you ain't paying you ain't staying"