taking my first client to court in a couple weeks. the guy owed me for 3 cuts at $33 each, plus tax. it's like $104. we started mowing for him, i sent a comntract, he never sent it back, everytime i called about it, he said , "i forgot, i'll send it out right now." well, we sent a bill for the 3 cuts, and he didn't pay by the due date. we called him several times, he didn't return our call. we stopped service. 3 weeks later, when the grass was 3 feet high, he calls out of the blue and says to please start cutting again, he'll leave a check. i told him to leave $104 for past due, plus another $104 to cut his new cornfield. i arrived, there was only one check for $104, for services completed a month earlier, so i took the check and went home. he called and asked why i didn't cut. i said u didn't leave the check, and we still don't have the contract, we are terminating service. he stopped payment on the check.i've added 3% late fees for 3 months, plus a $40 fee for any collection trips i had to make ex: certified letter=$40. trip to the police station=$40, etc. the bill is now more than double what it was originally. what do you think i'll get? will i get my $104? will i get the late fees? we are scheduled in municipal court
One thing I have learned about past due accounts and checks, If I have to pick them up at the customers house my first stop is at his bank to cash it. That way, if he decides to stop payment he is to late and if its no good I can go right to the courthouse with it.
I would say $104 + $29x3=$87 late fee (there are limits that vary state to state on late fees) Certified letter, maybe $25, and court costs and time $100= $316 if you get a fair judge. Dont forget to add the charge from your bank if you deposited it. I get charged $10 if someone stops payment or writes me a bad check. Good luck,I hope you get $600.
Good luck Bobby....... hey even if the judge thinks he dont owe you for the additional charges (due to no signed contract) he should still see that he intended to pay the $104. or he wouldnt have written the check..... so I think you should have no problem getting at least that...... Do you have employees/helpers who were with you when you did the mowing? If so, bring them along. Couldn't hurt to have someone else also saynig that, Yes, the work was done......... Good Luck!
A couple hundred bucks and the pride and satisfaction in knowing you are right and that miserable bastard was wrong.
I think you will get zero. The courts in this good old U.S.A. are all a bunch of bleeding heart liberals. To hell with the small business man.
All mine pay weekly. If I don't get paid for the first week, I ain't coming back. You should have went straight to the bank with that check and when he called you say "thanks for the late payment on the previous services, now as soon as you pay me in advance for the next services, we'll be right over.
