Autonomy

Hello Bored,

Any suggestions on how to "persuade" / "force" a client to pay a 6 month old invoice?

Little background - it's a smallish amount and the client is a mid size though prestige tourism destination company.

Invoice is 6 months old, many emails / calls with the reply of we will pay on x date, we appreciate your patience etc usual run around. Now promised to pay in July, but they have promised several times before then reneged - I am insisting on a post dated cheque now which they are avoiding doing.

Basically looking for suggestions of ways to resolve this. In UK would be a threat of small claims court type thing etc.

Lawyer letter?
Threat of court options?

Obviously slander on social media is not an option with the local laws etc

It's less than 10,000 AED but it's starting to annoy me.

Any legal suggestions?

Thanks,

Auto

Meow

If they will respond to a lawyer's letter get one sent ASAP. You know lawyers who can draft something for you for a small sum.

Companies not paying invoices like that is downright rude.

Autonomy

Yeah we know people that can send such a letter - I guess I am also curious as to what the letter could "threaten" them with - e.g. my client insists payment for services delivered, accepted and used by yourselves by x date or we will *what* - what is the leverage?

Meow

Honestly? Not a lot. In some cases it does make the odd company realise that the supplier is serious and they finally pull their finger out.

All you could do is take then to court which is clearly not realistic given the costs.

This country really needs a small claims court.

Irishbeekeeper

Thats easy, or we will submit a formal complaint with the DED.
Every company has to go to the DED every year to renew their license and thats where all the fines hit them then.
Ofcourse they can turn around and say that we as consumers can lodge a complaint against you but as long as you have the proof of sale and services received etc with you, that would work in your favor. However, I should think just a letter from a lawyer mentioning the economic division should be enough.

A disti of mine wasnt honoring his warranty issues on time and after a month of run-arounds I just called him one day and sweetly asked him can you please fax me a copy of your trade license? To which he obviously asked why? Answer : Oh I need to take it to the economic division to lodge a complaint. All RMA items were cleared same day

Meow

scrubbedexpat141

GO and stand in their offices. I used to have to do this regularly to get invoices paid.

The worst, I won't name names obviously, was about four trips and 5 months overdue before the Finance Manager agreed with me that neither of us wanted to continue wasting each others time. Turns out, they'd been waiting on a payment from above them - but never thought they should tell me that, instead just loads of excuses and bull shit.

Try to find out why they aren't paying, there might be a reason that will at least help you understand.

Best way to get any answers is to stand in front of someone. Go unannounced armed with 3-4 names of Finance Manager, Finance Staff and then all the senior people etc.

Just cause polite trouble and nuisance until they realise you aren't going away.

If that doesn't work too quickly, or perhaps at the same time, do the proper thing and involve authorities.

Millhouse

I've done this. It worked for me.

shiva

The bane of my life here.

Just back from holidays at 1.00am this morning and today's job consists of chasing ****ing money again. Amounts aren't huge, I know the companies can afford to pay, they just don't like to.

Usually it's not worth the legal fees so I make a point of filling inboxes with emails and generally being a bigger pain in the ass than the actual invoice. Starting Sunday I will be calling everyday twice a day morning and afternoon asking where my ****ing money is.

Wankers

Irishbeekeeper

Its the general attitude here that pisses me off. And its usually a top down thing. If the boss is a prick hence all the little pricks working for him will become uber pricks. I very frequently come across poor dealers trying to get their money back from their local corporate clients where goods were delivered and the 30 day credit limit has also been passed and now the *cough*usually indian*cough* guy in accounts etc is asking for a kickback.
But however bad it is here, I have been told it is 100 times worse in Saudi.
Why would people want to sit on someone elses money is beyond me!

scrubbedexpat141

It's the lies and bullshit that makes it worse for me. If someone (at a company) said (in advance); 'look, we've ****ed up, we can't pay you on time, it's due in 6 days and the funds aren't coming in, can you give us 14 days extra' here's why, here's how, here's an apology, here's a kicker (first dibs on next business etc)....you'd be at least a little more understanding. NOt saying it's acceptable, just I'd find it less frustrating than being given the runaround.

Venezuelan007

Back home there was this service called "Dr. Diablo's" which is basically a dude dressed like the devil who chased the people who own you money and put them in ridicule in public.

It would be very efficient a devil dressed guy showing up on a fancy Iftar to collect your debt

XD