OK I am on a real downer

Hubby has work as self-employed for some years now and only has one employee, so basically makes a half-decent salary for major hassles! Anyway my point is this - In the last few years where everyone seems to have everything, i.e. holidays, fancy cars, big houses, low interest rates etc. etc. I think it has caused GREED.
If I hear one more lie like "the cheque is in the post" or "I will phone you back and let you know if we are paying you this week" or "MD on holiday this week and needs to be here to sign the cheque, to name but a few, I WILL HAVE A BREAKDOWN.
I swear it has got so much worse over the last 2-3 years and every person or Company he deals with is the same.
Good manners and integrity are a thing of the past. What is going on?

Its now a dog eat dog society .... and it has been for a while. Back in 2000 I was running a freight company and we had exactly the same reactions. People will put off the people that they know they can put off. The only way you'll get your money is by threatening court action, butr of course you thn probably lose the customer ......... just because he hasn't bothered to pay you!!!

I must admit, I have been "knocked" more in the last 18 months than at any other time in the last 5 years or so and it looks like it is only getting worse.

Clients hassle me so hard for quotes then take frigging ages to accept, only then to demand that if the job isnt done straight away they will go elsewhere.

When I was ill I actually had people phoning up someone I quoted for and telling them I was ill and they could take up my slack!

That's exactly it Mitzyboy, they put off paying the "little Guy", just because they can. We are sitting with bills we can't pay, and the Company he has been working for in good faith has gradually managed to accrue 4 weeks money they haven't yet paid.
I know life is like that to a certain degree for the self-employed, but it has definately got worse over the last few years.

Sweet revenge is what you need.............

Ask all clients for full or part payment up front, then get your bums over here to live and sod em all!!!!!!!!

same difference, would be a good idea but nobody wants to pay anything up front!

Rugbymatt I am glad it's not just my imagination. Dog eat Dog it is. I am really sick of it all to be honest. Wish Hubby had a secure, well paid job instead of all this c**p. I have just taken it on myself to phone a local posh hotel to chase an invoice from nearly 4 weeks ago (that he has been lied to about for the last 3 weeks) and had a barney with the tosspot Manager on the other end of the phone. A real pompous prat he was at that.

Anyway we have a viewer for the house tonight, hope it's not a timewaster or that just may tip me over the edge

have a heard a few stories lately of this happening over here too - and a lot more difficult to get your money I suppose when the client isnt even in the same country as you !!

Hi,
I feel the same way. I think since this consumer boom (which is what i think it is) the Uk has had a credit feeding frenzy and everybody seems to have flashy this and flashy that, I suspect funded on credit. The general ethos is "dog eat dog" and lets look for someone to blame other than ourselves. This is one of the reasons I am sick of the uk it seems too harsh for me. The last ten years have changed the face of our society.

Sadly I think the same is happening in Spain, although they are a little behind us yet (unless you are an estate agent!)

Very sad

Al

One of the "few" benefits of self employment is that you CAN choose your clients. That doesn't mean you always do... I won't tell you how much I've sweated over clients that are more hassle than they are worth... only for them to turn around and drop you on a whim.

I've learned that it's better to find and retain the RIGHT clients than try to keep the ones that don't value you. Build the right relationship and they will make sure you're paid on time, and look after you when things get tough.

THEN you get the immense pleasure of telling those clients that originally dropped you but come running back that you're now too busy!

problem with this time of year in the building trade is that only contract work exists....private work is thin on the ground due to the time of year. Mr & Mrs Joe Bloggs are only too happy to pay when job complete BUT all these crafty site agents for the bigger Companies only bother about the subbies that are passing them a "backhander" every week and as my Hubby not prepared to do that he gets all the cr*p that nobody else wants.
We aren't the type to tell lies and not pay people on time and that just isn't what it takes to make a good living in this trade, unfortunately.

Oh and the viewer liked the house very much, but, isn't in a position to offer as their's just went up for sale so why bother to look then?
Time for the wine!

That's how it is I'm afraid in Spain, I mean the UK!

You wouldn't get a job at the local Town Hall then if you can't tell lies then.

That sounds about right. One property we sold a while back - we even had people come to view our two bedroom house and COMPLAIN that it's only got... two bedrooms, because they wanted three?!

What were they expecting?? "Oh, we forgot to mention the other four bedrooms, playroom, study, several bathrooms and the tennis courts".

Tip for home buyers: If you're looking for a three bedroom house, make sure you avoid properties that have two bedrooms or less. It saves disappointment later, especially if you fail to notice until you actually move in

There is actually legislation in the UK that allows you to charge interest on outstanding debts ...... I wonder how many businesses actually enforce it, for of course again it basically means you lose a client. i guess you just have to judge if the client is worth keeping if he's costing you money in lost interest

A lottery win would be nice. Then I could tell them all to stick what they owe us you know where!

Maybe I was lucky, but I only got knocked almost twice, the main contracter paid me and added it onto his bill to the client when I said I was going round to see him to sort it (he knows me) ;-))
The second was a rubber cheque for about thirty quid that old softy did nothing about cos it was a poor family with kids that I would of had nightmares about if I had followed it up and took the food off their table.
I had loads of work and could choose my clients as has been mentioned.

do you mind me asking what you do/did jdr?