I don't know why I'm asking this here, but here goes...

[e.rose]

I'd say your friend just learned a $500 lesson.

Possibly, but it's not over yet.

 

[tirediron]

...YOU KNOW...

That's actually not a bad idea. Ha.

Agree.. IMO, you've got two choices. (1) Pay a lawyer to draft and send a letter ordering payment; and/or pay a personal visit. I think if it were me, I would probably start with a personal visit, and state that if payment isn't received by 'X' then you will have your lawyer deal with it, and, when the payment isn't received, then send the letter.

 

[bribrius]

in all seriousness...
or, as serious as i can be at this point picturing you shanking some delinquent client....

if his contract is weak...he might just have to eat this one and call it a learning experience from the school of "not allowed to shank people who owe you money".
its possible that a certified letter mildly threatening legal action might get it done...they may not know whether there is actual legal recourse available, or that the contract is weak. (if thats the case)

That was actually my thought. I was trying to consider the possibility of threatening legal action, to the point of just getting them to pay.

I looked at his contract again after posting this, and I realize now what the issue was. It wasn't that the contract is *weak* per say... it's that he's asking for payment upon the receipt of these proofs, and rather than getting paid FIRST and then sending the proofs, he sent the proofs and then expected to get paid.

The part he's missing is the part that states that if they don't pay, they don't get anything, until payment is received. It only states WHEN the payment is due, and then he went ahead and ignored his own contract, and delivered images before receiving payment. He's a little too trusting.

Which is why I'm now in charge of this stuff, because I trust no one, and he's not going to get screwed with me handling it.

I have yet to be screwed by any of my own clients. Haha.

You can't get blood from a stone. Make sure they have it.

Talk to the wife. She may care more.

That don't work. Forget about it. Just don't shoot again for them.

The wife doesn't care more. She's the one that initially responded, with a very cold, annoyed-sounding email with the payment schedule, which was immediately followed-up by the husband, who apologized for her "seemingly cold tone", and then reassured us they would have the payments made by the projected time-frame.

Forgetting about it is also not an option. -- Dude is living off photography full-time and every penny counts for him right now. He doesn't have a day job to fall back on, and while his workload is increasing... it was just/is wintertime. Winter is slow. Which means money is slow.

If they're needing to spread out payments, that's something I can work with, but they are seeming to choose to lie about the situation, rather than being frank (this is, of course assuming, it doesn't come tomorrow.)

*I'm* not the one that even set the payment schedule or the amounts. That's what she came up with. If the situation were worse, I would think the response would have been a "We can't pay this right now", or more payments broken up into smaller amounts.

Go knock on their door. That is what i have always done when someone owed me money. "hello? ummm.. yeah. Kinda wondering WHEN YOU WERE GOING TO PAY ME!" you know, nice though. But stern, Maybe a touch of sarcasm if need be.

YOU KNOW...

That's actually not a bad idea. Ha.

Yeah.
emails, phone calls, letters, that is all different than one on one. And it may end up totally amicable between all of you it doesn't have to end up a bad situation. But usually when you are talking to someone in person it will go further. Kind of a "lets get to the point" situation. Standing on someone door step tends to carry more weight than email or letter.

 

[runnah]

I'd say your friend just learned a $500 lesson.

Possibly, but it's not over yet.

Best thing is to put it out of your mind and move onto the next client. Wasting energy on this is just going to make things worse for you. If they pay, great. If not, then you've not let them take anything more than money.

I do do suggest some minor vandalism on their property. Smashed mail box, stolen trash cans, torched car.

 

[e.rose]

I'd say your friend just learned a $500 lesson.

Possibly, but it's not over yet.

Best thing is to put it out of your mind and move onto the next client. Wasting energy on this is just going to make things worse for you. If they pay, great. If not, then you've not let them take anything more than money.

I do do suggest some minor vandalism on their property. Smashed mail box, stolen trash cans, torched car.

Well the great thing for my friend is... It's not gonna get any worse for HIM... because *I'm* the one dealing with it. He's playing video games on the couch, haha. HE'S fine. Aside from the fact that he could use $500 to help pay bills and sh*t, but you know...

And it's not any loss of mine either to pursue it until I'm absolutely sure it's over. This guy isn't a friend of mine. He's an ex-co-worker, who yes, I got along with, but it's no skin off my nose if he hates me forever for wanting my friend to get paid.

There will certainly come a point where it's not worth it anymore... but I don't think we're there yet.

 

[runnah]

So you are doing the dirty work?

Change of plans. Tell them you'll take $250, you pocket that and tell the guy that they never paid.

 

[bribrius]

I'd say your friend just learned a $500 lesson.

Possibly, but it's not over yet.

Best thing is to put it out of your mind and move onto the next client. Wasting energy on this is just going to make things worse for you. If they pay, great. If not, then you've not let them take anything more than money.

I do do suggest some minor vandalism on their property. Smashed mail box, stolen trash cans, torched car.

Well the great thing for my friend is... It's not gonna get any worse for HIM... because *I'm* the one dealing with it. He's playing video games on the couch, haha. HE'S fine. Aside from the fact that he could use $500 to help pay bills and sh*t, but you know...

And it's not any loss of mine either to pursue it until I'm absolutely sure it's over. This guy isn't a friend of mine. He's an ex-co-worker, who yes, I got along with, but it's no skin off my nose if he hates me forever for wanting my friend to get paid.

There will certainly come a point where it's not worth it anymore... but I don't think we're there yet.

Little off subject but, If 500 bucks will make or break your friend. He needs to get off the couch and video games and go find a job. I wouldn't give up on the money. But there is such a thing as c.o.d.b (cost of doing business) and the notion of acceptable loss. Just like a store considers shrink ratios from shoplifters. It doesn't sound like he can afford to be in business.

 

[pixmedic]

I'd say your friend just learned a $500 lesson.

Possibly, but it's not over yet.

Best thing is to put it out of your mind and move onto the next client. Wasting energy on this is just going to make things worse for you. If they pay, great. If not, then you've not let them take anything more than money.

I do do suggest some minor vandalism on their property. Smashed mail box, stolen trash cans, torched car.

Well the great thing for my friend is... It's not gonna get any worse for HIM... because *I'm* the one dealing with it. He's playing video games on the couch, haha. HE'S fine. Aside from the fact that he could use $500 to help pay bills and sh*t, but you know...

And it's not any loss of mine either to pursue it until I'm absolutely sure it's over. This guy isn't a friend of mine. He's an ex-co-worker, who yes, I got along with, but it's no skin off my nose if he hates me forever for wanting my friend to get paid.

There will certainly come a point where it's not worth it anymore... but I don't think we're there yet.

a lot of people, regardless of circumstance, count on small businesses not wanting to go through all the trouble of collecting "small" debts.
especially when its not a company thats going to send the bill to a collection agency or the credit agencies. although in this case, you became the collection agency, but you know what I meant.
why should you give up on it? they owe money they agreed to pay, and services were rendered.
i say take it to the wall so long as you are willing to do it, and it isnt costing any more money.
if your absolutely sure a good old fashioned shanking is out of the question...
a certified letter threatening legal action is often enough of a scare tactic.


of course....so is an angry woman with a shank.
just sayin.

 

[bribrius]

So you are doing the dirty work?

Change of plans. Tell them you'll take $250, you pocket that and tell the guy that they never paid.

yeah, he is playing video games on the couch. He suckered her right in... LMAO.

 

[e.rose]

So you are doing the dirty work?

Absolutely.

I'd say your friend just learned a $500 lesson.

Possibly, but it's not over yet.

Best thing is to put it out of your mind and move onto the next client. Wasting energy on this is just going to make things worse for you. If they pay, great. If not, then you've not let them take anything more than money.

I do do suggest some minor vandalism on their property. Smashed mail box, stolen trash cans, torched car.

Well the great thing for my friend is... It's not gonna get any worse for HIM... because *I'm* the one dealing with it. He's playing video games on the couch, haha. HE'S fine. Aside from the fact that he could use $500 to help pay bills and sh*t, but you know...

And it's not any loss of mine either to pursue it until I'm absolutely sure it's over. This guy isn't a friend of mine. He's an ex-co-worker, who yes, I got along with, but it's no skin off my nose if he hates me forever for wanting my friend to get paid.

There will certainly come a point where it's not worth it anymore... but I don't think we're there yet.

Little off subject but, If 500 bucks will make or break your friend. He needs to get off the couch and video games and go find a job. I wouldn't give up on the money. But there is such a thing as c.o.d.b (cost of doing business) and the notion of acceptable loss. Just like a store considers shrink ratios from shoplifters. It doesn't sound like he can afford to be in business.

It's not going to break him. He could use it NOW. In the next month when the rest of his checks come in, he's fine, but it's the fact that they owe it. And they need to pay it. Not the fact that he's probably going to be totally fine 2 weeks from now.

He's doing just fine supporting himself with this, but winter time is always slow, and always tight, and every time this year he always has a rough period of time where he has to be a bit more frugal and cautious and any money that he makes late fall/winter really count.

I'm not gonna go through all the ins and outs of his business structure, because 1. No. And 2. That's not the issue. The issue is that he's owed money and I'm trying to get it.

So you are doing the dirty work?

Change of plans. Tell them you'll take $250, you pocket that and tell the guy that they never paid.

yeah, he is playing video games on the couch. He suckered her right in... LMAO.

He didn't sucker me in. I get paid, and I get a lot of non-financial photography benefits from him. I have access to a lot of expensive gear I wouldn't otherwise have access to if it weren't for him. And a free assistant.

Our partnership is complex, but it works beautifully.

PLUS... he helps me build better decks for that video game he's playing, because I play it too. The better he gets at that.... the better I get at it too.

 

[bribrius]

I'd say your friend just learned a $500 lesson.

Possibly, but it's not over yet.

Best thing is to put it out of your mind and move onto the next client. Wasting energy on this is just going to make things worse for you. If they pay, great. If not, then you've not let them take anything more than money.

I do do suggest some minor vandalism on their property. Smashed mail box, stolen trash cans, torched car.

Well the great thing for my friend is... It's not gonna get any worse for HIM... because *I'm* the one dealing with it. He's playing video games on the couch, haha. HE'S fine. Aside from the fact that he could use $500 to help pay bills and sh*t, but you know...

And it's not any loss of mine either to pursue it until I'm absolutely sure it's over. This guy isn't a friend of mine. He's an ex-co-worker, who yes, I got along with, but it's no skin off my nose if he hates me forever for wanting my friend to get paid.

There will certainly come a point where it's not worth it anymore... but I don't think we're there yet.

a lot of people, regardless of circumstance, count on small businesses not wanting to go through all the trouble of collecting "small" debts.
especially when its not a company thats going to send the bill to a collection agency or the credit agencies. although in this case, you became the collection agency, but you know what I meant.
why should you give up on it? they owe money.
i say take it to the wall so long as you are willing to do it, and it isnt costing any more money.
if your absolutely sure a good old fashioned shanking is out of the question...
a certified letter threatening legal action is often enough of a scare tactic.


of course....so is an angry woman with a shank.
just sayin.

You can still put things on credit reports, not that most people care anyway most non payers have crappy credit to start with and could care less. But file small claims, (defendent on these type matters rarely shows up) pay the hundred in service fee to have them served with the court fee. show up. wait for the automatic judgement to come down (because they probably wont show up). Take the judgment and fax it to a collection bureau. It isn't much money, so they may take like half of it just in a fee. But the good thing is once they get it you can request them and any other collection agency to add it to the credit report. So if you use three agencies, IT GOES ON THREE TIMES. At least unless the credit bureaus can sort the difference. Also periodically the bureaus go through the court house for defaults on judgements. so it might get picked up there too. May never get paid. But you can have a lot of fun with this type of stuff.

 

[e.rose]

I'd say your friend just learned a $500 lesson.

Possibly, but it's not over yet.

Best thing is to put it out of your mind and move onto the next client. Wasting energy on this is just going to make things worse for you. If they pay, great. If not, then you've not let them take anything more than money.

I do do suggest some minor vandalism on their property. Smashed mail box, stolen trash cans, torched car.

Well the great thing for my friend is... It's not gonna get any worse for HIM... because *I'm* the one dealing with it. He's playing video games on the couch, haha. HE'S fine. Aside from the fact that he could use $500 to help pay bills and sh*t, but you know...

And it's not any loss of mine either to pursue it until I'm absolutely sure it's over. This guy isn't a friend of mine. He's an ex-co-worker, who yes, I got along with, but it's no skin off my nose if he hates me forever for wanting my friend to get paid.

There will certainly come a point where it's not worth it anymore... but I don't think we're there yet.

a lot of people, regardless of circumstance, count on small businesses not wanting to go through all the trouble of collecting "small" debts.
especially when its not a company thats going to send the bill to a collection agency or the credit agencies. although in this case, you became the collection agency, but you know what I meant.
why should you give up on it? they owe money.
i say take it to the wall so long as you are willing to do it, and it isnt costing any more money.
if your absolutely sure a good old fashioned shanking is out of the question...
a certified letter threatening legal action is often enough of a scare tactic.


of course....so is an angry woman with a shank.
just sayin.

You can still put things on credit reports, not that most people care anyway most non payers have crappy credit to start with and could care less. But file small claims, (defendent on these type matters rarely shows up) pay the hundred in service fee to have them served with the court fee. show up. wait for the automatic judgement to come down (because they probably wont show up). Take the judgment and fax it to a collection bureau. It isn't much money, so they may take like half of it just in a fee. But the good thing is once they get it you can request them and any other collection agency to add it to the credit report. So if you use three agencies, IT GOES ON THREE TIMES. At least unless the credit bureaus can sort the difference. Also periodically the bureaus go through the court house for defaults on judgements. so it might get picked up there too. May never get paid. But you can have a lot of fun with this type of stuff.

That's good to know for the future. I don't think we'll take it that far, but that's certainly good to know.

 

[Gary A.]

The first thing to do is not to take any of this personal. Business is business. Send a registered letter demanding payment. If after a few weeks, mark it on your calendar ... then do small claims. Add all the time and expenses spent to collect to the $500 plus interest. Odds are they pay you on the the day you are to appear in court ... refuse to accept payment unless they pay for all the expenses it took to get them to pay. Or, they may just not appear in court and you win by default. But winning is different than collecting ... but now you have a court order. Armed with the court order you can now do all kinds of nasty stuff ... put a lien on a house, sell the paper to a collections agency ... et al. Just don't get personally hung up on all this ... it is all about money ... not you or your boss.

 

[pixmedic]

Can you get your friend to take a picture of you looking all angry holding a letter opener? or icepick? or large kitchen knife? Any suitable shanking device would suffice, really.
It would be so awesome.
you could have a contest to caption it!
it could be your avatar here until this collection business is done.

 

[Derrel]

I'd send the certified letter...what is that nowadays?Last one I sent was $7.95, but that was yearrrrs ago. Maybe $12.95 these days? I dunno...

I have a feeling that if this were to be taken to small claims court that the judge would rule for the photographer within the hour. Hope it all works out.