How to Collect when my Customer is behind bars?

[milsaps118]

I have a customer who owes me a good chunk of money for some services from last season. I have been calling him leaving messages and sending him collection letters with no response on his end.

I stopped by his "old" place to collect payment and like usual he was no where to be found. The neighbor was out so I stopped to make small talk and casually asked him if he had seen my customer around lately. He looked at me funny then told me that I probably won't be seeing him for at least 7 years! He got sentence for mortgage fraud late last year and had to turn himself in this year in May!

Is there anything I can do to get paid or did I just learn a very big expensive lesson?

[randosh4]

You done get over it

[IMAGE]

you can still file a judgement against him. Just unlikely to get paid anytime soon. Or never if he files bankruptcy

[topsites]

Yeah it's kind of hard to collect, be a long time waiting.

[Keith]

Had that happen many years ago. The guy burned his failing business to the ground. At the time he owed us $8500. It hurt, but most of it was labor.

[Ducati996]

There is a way actually - speak with Bubba in jail and work out a deal with him to collect from your client....its up to the client how he chooses to pay Bubba, but you only take cash :)

It works....

[Scagguy]

File a lein on the property immediately!!! If the house isn't in foreclosure already you would be a creditor.

[milsaps118]

Talking to Bubba would be a good idea but I don't know where his new home is (jail) and his house went into foreclosure last fall.

I'd try to sue him for it but I don't think I can because he is now incarcerated so for him to show up to small claims court would be a little difficult.

I'm sure I'm just SOL..................:cry:

[mowerdude777]

Just let it go