If you live so close why not go over later in the day or on the weekend when he would be home. Then you can get a straight answer.

 

Dzg. Little about me. I'm 6'4, 220lbs and very rugged looking. People would stiff me and probably the rest of this site. that 3% of normal people who have a drinking problem and this others who are constitutionally incapable of having good credit or paying a bill on time. Whatever the case is, it happens to all of us. A little about me, I'm 6'4, 220lbs and my voice booms. Well In college when this was my summer job and I had nothing to loose over a fight or two(not now because I own to much to even entertain that) I would finish mowing season and keep billing and if they didn't pay I would show up thanksgiving dinner, xmas eve or xmas morning at 9am. Right in the middle of dinner or breakfast with the family. Most of the time a family member (aunt uncle whoever) would answer the door and say can I help you. I would firmly say Hi i'm Rob the Lawn guy and John hasn't paid his bill and my voice would carry. I would get paid almost instantly. Embarrassing people in front of their families is priceless especially when it impacts me financially. The other few times the police would be called so lights are lighting up the street and I would have copies and dates of all the bills and amount of money due. Never had a problem with cops telling me to leave. Just stuck around in case there was a fight.
Good luck.

 

You have to catch him while he's at the house...
-you might just show up unannounced in the evening (or morning) to collect or if you aren't comfortable with that...arrive in the early evening when you are sure he is there and tell him you are there to mow ...'and how about if we settle up before I mow so you can have the rest of the evening to yourself'....then stand there and wait for the check prior to mowing.

 

I have never had an issue with people paying me because i am probably intimidating to most people. Me and my brother go to peoples doorsteps and we simply will ask for the money in early evenings. I am 6 6 245 a very muscular guy and my little brother who is 24 and a ex navy seal is 6 6 270 and he is much more muscular than me. He is always working out when i see him as his bench press is over 400 pounds and his max squat is close to 700. he was a very high football recruit as a defense end and he had a scholarship offer from Alabama but he choose to join the navy seals instead. We open the door and those little 40 year old 5 9 190 pounds suburban dads open the door and we usually just ask for the money. Me and my brother also look like rough and tough farm boys since we grew up down on a farm in southern Illinois. I just take people to small claims if they refused but i have picked up a few little suburban dad snobs by the back of the shirt and said hey buddy i know you got money open the checkbook or there's gonna be hell to pay because i did my service and you pay me in return for my service you understand.

 

You topped me.

 

Give us his number....we will take care of it for you.

 

BTW...where does he live ?

 

I'm 5'-4" and 240. So I don't scare anybody, unless they are worried, that they are getting fat and someday they might look like me. But I agree with KCM. If you can put them in a situation where they are embarrassed, you might have a chance to be paid then. I once yelled out to a woman on her street, from a couple houses down from hers, that I have been constantly calling and have not received a check. She looked all around nervously, like neighbors have heard me and wrote me a check on the spot.

Does the guy go to church? Approach him outside his church, speak LOUD and ask to be paid.

 

I'm 5'-4" and 240. So I don't scare anybody

Maybe not, but I'd never enter a "Who has the lowest center of gravity?" contest against you.

"Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down."

 

So he owes you $150?

 

It's $150. No reason to get all worked up, it hasn't even been a month. If he's been a good customer don't sweat it. Maybe he's out of town.

 

I wouldn't sweat it. I had a guy ditch on me halfway through last year's mowing season and he owed me $60 until this spring. I usually stop mowing after three cuts. He was transferred for work and I didn't have a phone number so I could only send bills and the mail had a hold on it. If it goes awhile or you happen to drive by and see him home then I would deal with it in person

 

Headscratcher, I am a human sod roller.

 

Thanks for the answers guys.

Funny thing, the morning after i posted this he called and i went and picked up a check lol.

Hes out of town alot because of his job, which, as a truck driver i get that.

He said he had been busy etc, he paid me what he owed plus the next mow, so ill mow again.

He understood why i quit mowin, i told him it wasnt personal just business he said heda done the same thing, so all is well.

As far as intimidation factor goes, im 6'1 and built like a brick ****house...i learned early on in my teen years how to use this advantage