Never satisfied the cuts for a pre-payment earlier this year, now what?

[Ijustwantausername]

Long story short, a guy I cut for in 2011 had me start mowing again the first of this year. $80 a cut. He went on and pre-paid for the month. About half way through the month he said he hired a new guy (to the business) and was going to have him use his mower to cut it and I was no longer needed, but to hold on to the cuts for leaves or something "in the fall." Okay, no problem, so about Oct gets here and I call him just reminding him he still has some cuts that are paid for, he says he'll get me to blow leaves or something, but he'll let me know. Okay, that's no problem.

We'll its now almost Jan. and I called him a few days ago, left a message, but he never called back. I just sent him an email saying I'd be glad to satisfy the cuts or do a refund, but I'd like to get it done before the year is up.

So if I don't hear from him in a day or so, do I send him a MO or check made to his business in the next few days? I have no idea where he lives, just know where the business is.

Anyone ever run into that?

[orangemower]

Sounds to me like he's trying to say keep it. Just forget about it and keep the difference. You're wasting more time trying to give money BACK then it's even worth. Keep it and do him a favor down the road.

[Painting Stripes 11]

Just keep the money, you tried multiple times it sounds like that's his own fault

[larryinalabama]

Id make all reasonable atttempts to refund him. He will call you in spring when your covered up in other work

[biodale]

I would NOT keep the money. Integrity aside, just for business reasons. This has happened to me several times. It will impress your client with your honesty when you return it. It gives you a chance to ask your client what it would take to get him back. Find out why he left. He must have been unhappy about something. Find out what it was and fix it.
People want to work with someone they can trust. He will tell others about this "honest" yard monkey and you will get other clients. Every time? No. But I have got referrals from clients I don't even have anymore.
Don't let people say you tried to return it and it is now yours. You did not do the work and the money is not yours. If he told you to keep it it is a different story.
Do the right thing and you will never go wrong!

[orangemower]

Originally Posted by larryinalabama

Id make all reasonable attempts to refund him. He will call you in spring when your covered up in other work

It sounds like to me that he already tried that.

So what if he calls him in the spring. He'll put him in line with all the rest. If anything, I'd make them wait even longer.

[weeze]

he said he would call you in the fall. if he never called i would keep the money. it's his responsibility to call you not the other way around. if he said he would call then that's his fault for not doing so.

[wegomow]

I would say at this point, you did all you can do, the ball is in his court, FUGGHEDABOUDIT!

[Ijustwantausername]

Originally Posted by orangemower

It sounds like to me that he already tried that.

So what if he calls him in the spring. He'll put him in line with all the rest. If anything, I'd make them wait even longer.

He finally emailed me back "wanting" 2 leaf cleanups, one now, one next spring, and each clean up would be for the price of 1 of the mows. HAHA, sorry it doesn't work like that.

[MOturkey]

Originally Posted by Ijustwantausername

He finally emailed me back "wanting" 2 leaf cleanups, one now, one next spring, and each clean up would be for the price of 1 of the mows. HAHA, sorry it doesn't work like that.

Something told me upon reading the original post that this guy was trying to pull something. I mean, why would you have a new provider start when you were paid up with someone else? Makes no sense.

If it were me, I would cut him a check, mail it to him, and be done with it. As long as you have the money, he is going to feel you "owe" him something. Personally, I would have done this as soon as he told me he was going to have someone else service the property.