No Payment

[driveshed]

Hi guys
I got a question for you guys, I operate a small but very busy repair shop mostly ag equipment but do a fair bit of heavy equipment . I have never really had a problem with my customer paying thier bills to me . But I have one now that is troubling me .I did a repair on a unit and fix the problem and contacted the ower and he come and gave me some money down and that was about 9 months ago. I talk to him this fall and he said he would get some more money to me but haven't seen him yet. I have the unit in my yard and it is comming on a year now, I try to be fair with all my cleints but I need to all you guys is what would you do .
Thanks
Dave
Driveshed

 

[Twisted]

That is always a sticky situation. It's very much a legal issue and CA laws are different than those south of the 49th. Can you bring him to a small claims court? Mechanics lien? We only have 120 days to do a lien here in MN.
One thing I started doing was adding a monthly finance charge to unpaid portions of their bills. I understand that some people don't always have a stack of cash to grab but I'll work with them if they make arrangements. You still have the machine in your yard so that's good for you.

Good luck

 

[old-iron-habit]

I'd say you are fortunate that you still hold the unit. It is worth more than the repair bill? Any liens or loans on the unit? Is the guy decent that owns it and going thru hard times because of something he can not control such as sickness or wharever? Do you need the cash soon? Does he just not pay his bills and decided the machine is not worth the repair cost? I would have to have the answer to all these questions and more before I could make a honorable decision on what to do. The easy thing is to go to court and get it for the cost of the repair and the storage fees but is that what you want to do? I would probably try to set up a payment plan with him that is reasonable to both parties with the understanding that failure to perform means it gets sold. Get it in writing and notorized.

 

[driveshed]

hi guys thanks for your in put on this matter. I am going to try and work with this client and my last resort is court or mechanics lien. I will keep you posted on it out come . This site is one of the best , I guess no matter where we are we all have to stick together.
Thanks
Dave H
The driveshed