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  Kirsty Blair March 5, 2010 at 8:13pm

  No, not come across it, I usually do a walkround with clients after I've done the work and we correct stuff if they're not happy - unless its unreasonable to do so.
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  Matt Rolls March 5, 2010 at 8:21pm

  i did the walkaround after and i showed her what i did. She was in all day and saw i worked straight through with no break.
  She was happy with the work which had been done but tried to make out that i had said i would get her garden perfectly landscaped for the one price which i did not.
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  Kirsty Blair March 5, 2010 at 8:25pm

  just sounds a wee bit unreasonable then - do you need clients like that?
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  Kieran Ray March 5, 2010 at 10:25pm

  I have had it before, once on a landscaping job that went over schedule as I broke my thumb on the job so couldn't work for a wile, apparently it was such an inconvenience to have the garden finished a week later, it was still ready for the party they wanted. They tried to get out of paying £500 of the bill for their inconvenience, luckily after explaining to them that i was too inconvenienced due to my thumb they had to pay or i would take them to the small claims court, they paid in full.
  
  And the odd garden tidy before I put everything in writing, I got my money in the end but took a few phone calls and threats of legal action.
  
  JUST MAKE SURE YOU PUT EVERYTHING IN WRITING AND DO A DETAILED SPECIFICATION OF THE JOB ENTAILED.
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  Kirsty Blair March 5, 2010 at 10:25pm

  Hi - you ever thought of debt collecting as a side line? I just wouldn't have the confidence to do that. Have only ever not been paid once and that was for doing a drawing for another landscaper - not agreed in writing and the guy told me what he wanted as he drove off in his convertable bmw - right wkr!
  
  Pro Gard said:

  I hope you told her were she could stick the future work.
  
  I had this once not long after starting, the job was the cut of a lawn that had been unn mown for several months, 2' long lush grass, they wanted it doing immediately so said no need for written quote they were happy with price £70 I explained that it would look fairly rough after being cut as it was obviously so long. the response was no problem we will just be glad to see it done.
  
  Next day I did the job strimming and raking off, mid way through the customers left saying it was looking better and they were popping out and would be back before I went.
  
  All packed up and no sign so I left a note with my details so as they could send a cheque. That evening I got a call to say they were not going to pay as no quote had been agreed. A very heated exchange followed.
  
  No one but no one gets the better of me so at 6am bright and early the next day I visited completely blocking in the drive with my vehicle and making it clear that I had done what was asked and expected immediate payment and that I would not move my vehicle until I got it.
  
  The guy payed up and as soon as he had I took the £70 (he payed cash) and tore it up in front of him ..... his face was a picture........ Priceless!
  
  Subsequently i learned from a number of sources that these people were renowned for non payment.
  
  I learned a very valuable lesson, ALWAYS put things in writing specifying every detail and go with gut instinct. I had thought something was not right but ignored my feelings.
  
  Thankfully I have never since had any further problem payers.
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  Lawncare-4u.co.uk March 5, 2010 at 10:56pm

  tell her to f*ck off .
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  Pip Howard March 5, 2010 at 11:10pm

  Good on you Paul, have had similar happen to me at start. I know there are quite a few out there who will test every new outfit in town in order to get work for nothing, this is actually fun for some people but thankfully they are few on the ground and can be smelled out.
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  Lawncare-4u.co.uk March 5, 2010 at 11:15pm

  typing error ! meant to say ; sorry i cant do that, it costs me ....blah...blah...blahhh etc etc.
  
  Steve Kenyon The Garden Company said:

  robin did you forget on purpose to not add the u in the word or was it a genuine mistake lol
  
  Robin Ainsworth said:

  tell her to f*ck off .
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  Pip Howard March 5, 2010 at 11:39pm

  It was a u then?
  
  Robin Ainsworth said:

  typing error ! meant to say ; sorry i cant do that, it costs me ....blah...blah...blahhh etc etc.
  
  Steve Kenyon The Garden Company said:

  robin did you forget on purpose to not add the u in the word or was it a genuine mistake lol
  
  Robin Ainsworth said:

  tell her to f*ck off .
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  Richard Boyd March 6, 2010 at 1:31am

  Robin Ainsworth said:

  tell her to f*ck off .

  
  Too right!
  
  I remember sending out two lads to do a small ongoing maintenance job.
  
  Week 1 they did 5 hours
  Week 2 they did about the same
  Week 3 it pissed it down by the bucket load, no work done so no charge
  Week 4 client cancelled 2 minutes before they arrived on site
  Week 5 they did about 4 hours, client phone saying she had not agreed to pay for two people and only wanted one on the job.
  
  You get the idea, clueless shit of a client…if I would have sent just one they would have achieved very little and got bored, why did she think I sent them out in pairs…?