How do I recover a small debt?
I run a small building business and a subcontractor I use has refused to return to a job to rectify a leak on some plumbing he had carried out. I gave him the opportunity to repair the defect but he refused to except responsibility. I repaired the leak and sent him an invoice to cover my time (only £35) I considered the invoice to be fair and reasonable as it could have cost circa £100 if I had called on another subcontractor to sort the problem. The original contractor is refusing to pay and I am now feeling shafted. I know its only £35 but I am a man of principle and believe a good tradesmen should stand by and guarantee his work. I have even suggested he issue a credit note against his original invoice as I believe it isn't right to charge for defective work especially if you are not going to guarantee it. I want to recover the debt and realise its only a small amount of money but am determined he shouldn't get away with turning his back on defective work. Am I right to want to pursue this ? and as the debt is so small how can I recover it without incurring too much cost ? I have written to him explaining my grievance and have told him I will add interest until the debt is settled . What should or can I do ??
Update:Gerald ...I hear what your saying and my wise head agrees with you BUT.....I have been in business for over twenty years and have a trusted band of tradesmen around me. This young lad approached me 18 months ago interested in the type of work we do . I agreed to use him as a subcontractor and took him in under our umberella. He has had regular contract work and we have supported him on various mistakes he has made. He has since decided the life of self employment isnt for him and now wants to walk away from his responsibility. He is young and has the attitude that its not his problem any more. Call me old fashioned but I feel there is a principal at stake and I feel the youth of today have this carefree attitude and a cant to bothered approach. I feel he needs to learn a lesson in how to treat those that have helped him.
Comments
forget it and get on with your business you will meet others of the same caliber thats how you build
a strong business by sorting the wheat from the chaff you get a good crew of trusted tradesmen
around you it is awkward till you learn who you can trust yes it's not right but too trivial to waste
your time with you will not use him again that's it move on
Find a good collections company. That way you're effectively out of the picture. That's what they do 24-7. At some point you'll exhaust your own efforts. That's when it's time to turn to the experts.
It's never a fun process, but at least you get it off YOUR desk when you turn it over to a collections company.
you'll want a warrant from a court docket and likewise an order from the court docket to snatch products to the fee of ????, plus you'll want to be a registered bailiff. in case you do not then you definitely will be interior the incorrect and leaving youself open to: Breaking and entering, robbery, housebreaking, Harassment etc etc. Use the criminal channels open to you, if not, you would possibly want to finally end up locked up.