Did a job and the B said no payment until the split was back together. I told her there wasn't goin to be any guarantees but she scammed me. Hid in the house till we were done cause if she wasn't happy with it or wait till a week with the pressure going back. She didn't pay and to make a long story short and less sickning, She gota huge pile of brush and wood on her driveway. As is being bought to court..
Got Ripped off
- Thread starter Rickytree
- Start date
Waldo
Participating member
- Location
- Portland, OR
so what was the original work that you sold her? And why does she feel that you did not complete this work?
The split branch was suppost to come back together. Since it was like that for so long the wood adheard like that. Tighted the snot out of the brace and told her to wait a week and I would be back. Then asked for partial payment which she denied. Then I got upset!! and Dumped the load of sawed up brush and wood right in her driveway.
- Location
- North of Boston
What made you think the split would come back together?
tomthetreeman
Participating member
- Location
- Rhode Island
No offense, but you can't expect payment after dumping a pile of brush in someone's driveway. I have been tempted to do the same in the past, though!
-Tom
-Tom
rfwoodvt
New member
- Location
- This side of eternity.
Did you get anything in writing?
Kinda hard for them to really argue when you have it in writing.
They may piss and moan, and take forever to pay you but at least you have strong favor in pursuing your case.
Not so sure you should have dumped the stuff in her yard...that opens a separate and legal problem for you.
Hardest lessons I have ever learned is to:
<ul type="square">[*] Put it <u>ALL</u> in writing
[*] Sometimes it is worth just walking away and writing it off
[/list]
When I am in the right and have lived up to not only the letter but the spirit of the contract I reply to the customer's bitching explaining what I did, why, and what the contract says, doing so politely yet firmly. You gotta watch the shysters though cause they will try every trick in the book!
Meantime, go back and clean up the stuff you dropped. Any high ground you may have had was probably lost when you did that.
Kinda hard for them to really argue when you have it in writing.
They may piss and moan, and take forever to pay you but at least you have strong favor in pursuing your case.
Not so sure you should have dumped the stuff in her yard...that opens a separate and legal problem for you.
Hardest lessons I have ever learned is to:
<ul type="square">[*] Put it <u>ALL</u> in writing
[*] Sometimes it is worth just walking away and writing it off
[/list]
When I am in the right and have lived up to not only the letter but the spirit of the contract I reply to the customer's bitching explaining what I did, why, and what the contract says, doing so politely yet firmly. You gotta watch the shysters though cause they will try every trick in the book!
Meantime, go back and clean up the stuff you dropped. Any high ground you may have had was probably lost when you did that.
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
[ QUOTE ]
No offense, but you can't expect payment after dumping a pile of brush in someone's driveway. I have been tempted to do the same in the past, though!
-Tom
[/ QUOTE ]
I'll be most every business owner has had it cross their minds. I know that I have.
This event prompted a portion of the contract to read that "Payment is due upon completion, unless detailed here ________________________________. Payments not postmarked within 5 days of completion are subject to a $50 per week late fee."
There is another section for "Acceptance of project completion, including all clean-up" with a printed name, signature, date for the homeowner. Hopefully to insulate against anyone becoming injured after we are done, and them coming after me.
This actually may not be legal. I don't know. Lawyers are involved in that. Someone on TB pointed out that charging interest makes you a creditor. My payment plans for people in a pinch do not include any fees. I just have to absorb it.
Hopefully it was all here material that hadn't been taken off-site. I heard, again from a Buzzer, and again not verified by a lawyer, that the difference can be illegal dumping versus leaving them their property.
If you go to court, with all that in the driveway, I doubt you will get an immediate settlement, as you will not have completed (hopefully written) contracted work.
Best of luck getting paid. Let us know your outcome, please.
No offense, but you can't expect payment after dumping a pile of brush in someone's driveway. I have been tempted to do the same in the past, though!
-Tom
[/ QUOTE ]
I'll be most every business owner has had it cross their minds. I know that I have.
This event prompted a portion of the contract to read that "Payment is due upon completion, unless detailed here ________________________________. Payments not postmarked within 5 days of completion are subject to a $50 per week late fee."
There is another section for "Acceptance of project completion, including all clean-up" with a printed name, signature, date for the homeowner. Hopefully to insulate against anyone becoming injured after we are done, and them coming after me.
This actually may not be legal. I don't know. Lawyers are involved in that. Someone on TB pointed out that charging interest makes you a creditor. My payment plans for people in a pinch do not include any fees. I just have to absorb it.
Hopefully it was all here material that hadn't been taken off-site. I heard, again from a Buzzer, and again not verified by a lawyer, that the difference can be illegal dumping versus leaving them their property.
If you go to court, with all that in the driveway, I doubt you will get an immediate settlement, as you will not have completed (hopefully written) contracted work.
Best of luck getting paid. Let us know your outcome, please.
NickfromWI
Participating member
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
I think you made a mistake by even suggesting that the split would come back together.
Now she is going to have to pay to have the brush pile cleaned up. She could seek payment from you.
Mistake made, lesson learned. Move on.
Better yet, call her up, apologize, then clean up the mess and thank her for her time.
love
nick
Now she is going to have to pay to have the brush pile cleaned up. She could seek payment from you.
Mistake made, lesson learned. Move on.
Better yet, call her up, apologize, then clean up the mess and thank her for her time.
love
nick
That is no fun.You really aren't helping the cause for anyone of us though with the brush in the driveway. I got stiffed for the first time this year after 10 years in business and the guy had me come back to flush the stump!!!!! I won't lie I had similar thoughts but then I would be just like him, an idiot. Not happening man!!!
- Location
- Orange, MA
What was the point in attempting to pull the dead half of the stump back to the other side of that split in half tree in the first place?
In fact, that doesnt even look like a split in A tree, that more likely looks to be 2 trees that grew up together.
In fact, that doesnt even look like a split in A tree, that more likely looks to be 2 trees that grew up together.
NickfromWI
Participating member
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
Agreed- it looks like to codominant stems.
I'd say you screwed yourself... and more than once.
Quit while you're ahead.
Quit while you're ahead.
TC
Participating member
[ QUOTE ]
The split branch was suppost to come back together. Since it was like that for so long the wood adheard like that. Tighted the snot out of the brace and told her to wait a week and I would be back.
[/ QUOTE ]
Ricky, that is easily one of the most unusual stories I have ever heard of treework. The fact that you tried to brace the split stump to the other stem is not only bizarre but downright odd.
Having said that I think we're probably all guilty of talking the client into doing something stupid or unnecessary to their tree(s) at some stage in our careers.
Good luck with the payment issue. Any pics of the braced stump?
The split branch was suppost to come back together. Since it was like that for so long the wood adheard like that. Tighted the snot out of the brace and told her to wait a week and I would be back.
[/ QUOTE ]
Ricky, that is easily one of the most unusual stories I have ever heard of treework. The fact that you tried to brace the split stump to the other stem is not only bizarre but downright odd.
Having said that I think we're probably all guilty of talking the client into doing something stupid or unnecessary to their tree(s) at some stage in our careers.
Good luck with the payment issue. Any pics of the braced stump?
