cust. recomends us says his fee is last bill !!

[lawn and stump]

Has any one ever heard of this crap?
A long time Commercial cust. wrote a note on his $100 march snow removal bill telling me it has been great dealing with me over the last 10 yrs. and he has sold the property and has recomended me to the new owner who is going to use me.
"Thanks to me and my "Fee" is this last mos invoice" was his note. this jem of a property gets mowed for $25 every 2 wks -10 minute lawn- and the cleanups
are hell the leaves blow through town and stick in the cotonester so we always have to stop back to reclean it.
Sorry so long very hot right now.

[Getmow]

Call this customer and demand payment for services rendered.

[Eric ELM]

I have had customers sell a home and a business and I was recommended to the new people and I've never had this happen. It isn't right and I would demand my money for services rendered as Getmow said. You earned it, you should get paid for it.

[thelawnguy]

Monday morning, stop by town hall, go to the town clerks office and check the land records to see if the property has actually changed hands yet. If not file a lien then and there, the property transfer canot go through without someone paying the lien.

[T-Bone]

I agree with Bill

But don't forget to add the collection fee on.

[eslawns]

Do I understand you?

He recommends you to the new owner?

Then for that service, which you did not solicit, he just decides to trade for your bill?

[bob]

What is a cotonester?

[KindGardener]

On a brighter note... on Friday I stopped by & visited an owner who was moving - He also recommended me to the new owner - but told me to ADD $20-30 to his last bill for "extra clean-up" for the new owner. Didn't mention a referral fee.

Interesting, too, that they are getting a really great bid from me on the landscape of their new place.

If one of my clients tried that I'd take them to small claims court, just on principle.

If you haven't done that, call your court to make sure you follow correct procedures (send a demand for payment, waiting period, filing... etc).
Good Luck!

[Skookum]

Cottoneaster that I know is a low fast growing deciduous woody shrub that has limbs that act like shoots that grow out and intertwine amongest each other creating a rolled barbed wire effect. It is usually about 18" high as the limbs grow up from the trunk. The limbs grow out in a arch until they hit the ground, then they creep along the ground. Being it is a woody plant, the limbs are very ridgid and strong.

I believe there is also a Cottoneaster that is a hedge that grows like most hedges about 10' or so.

Like he stated, they make leaf removal hell sometimes. I have several in areas that are wind prone and they just collect trash and leaves.

On the payment issue, I think I would file the lien, and contact old customer and say you owe. If there was alot of income involved, which sounds like there is not, then I might tell the old customer that if the new owner takes you on then you might refund or expect no payment for his help in securing new owners work, otherwise the bill needs to be paid!

I really dislike people that think they have the right to determine what is a deal for another when it clearly would never fit their own ideals of a true deal. I think I might be tempted to double the bill and say that you sold your company as well and you convenced the new owner to cut his price to him in half, for this service your fee is double the last months bill!

[Edited by Skookum on 04-08-2001 at 04:52 AM]

[Chopper Lover]

Sounds like a Jerk to me...

Try the lein on the property, make sure you get it in BEFORE settlement. If that doesn't work take him to small claims court. The satisfaction alone of an open and closed butt kicking in court is enough.

Don't forget to include collection fees such as court filing costs, your time to do it (what is that time reasonably worth to you, $20-50 per hour?), so on and so forth.

Keep us posted.
Mark

[lawrence stone]

Actually you don't even need to get as far as a judgement to block the sale.

You can block the sale of any home just by filing an action at the county court of common pleas.

If the owner(s) have any pending actions against them title insurance will not be granted to the buyers.

BTW the legal advice offered in this forum is almost as good as the lawncare advice.

[lawn and stump]

Last night I left a message on his machine to call me.
I was going to let him have it on the machine but I bit
my tongue and posted to lawnsite. After 10+ years of service
you would think a recomadation would be like a tip.
I was going to ask him if he could go to a gas station, fill
up and say he was moving but he told the new owners to buy gas there. I will go to the town hall Mon to see if the sale closed yet. thanks for your help

[cos]

What a jerk to even imply that you put him out of business. Those type of people shouldn't breed.