*** OFFICIAL *** Ask the Jew about your customer service issues thread

[NaturalBornHustler]

Small business owner in service business. How would you recommend collecting from deadbeats? I provide a great monthly reoccurring service and have around a 0.25% deadbeat rate. It doesn't seem like a high percentage but there are several thousand dollars uncollected.

Naturally, service is cut off but how would you proceed to collect? Each case is a relatively small amount which makes it impractical to put a lien on their house.

Thanks

If you have a contract you can put a lien on their fucking house.

Then they HAVE to pay....at some point.

[Vwls]

When the new owner agreed to let you stay for a month, did he agree to postpone exterior work, or just the interior work?

He did not really agree to anything, at least not in writing.

Normally the landlord is not allowed to do work on the property that makes it uninhabitable or interferes with your quiet enjoyment of the premises, but this is a different situation, since he stated his intention to do work, and you asked him to let you live there, anyway. However, if he agreed to stop working and rent it to you for an above-market rate in exchange, then you would have a good case against him in small claims court. Please explain what you agreed with him, and if the rental agreement says anything either way regarding the work. Also tell me if there are any e-mails between you two where either he or you agrees to do or not do the work.

I told him he could do exterior work so long as it did not interfere with our lives/endanger the dogs, etc. I didn't know his guys were going to be leaving huge piles of trash everywhere or mess up the yard so much.

You do have a claim against the realty company. If I were you, I would get a copy of both e-mails, demand some form of compensation from them,. and if they refuse, sue them in small claims.

Do you really think I have a case? Is there a law against it? Much of what this company did, they did verbally via phone calls. I'm not sure I could produce enough hard evidence to show they were playing both sides to engineer the sale.

[Dan Druff]

When the new owner agreed to let you stay for a month, did he agree to postpone exterior work, or just the interior work?

He did not really agree to anything, at least not in writing.

Normally the landlord is not allowed to do work on the property that makes it uninhabitable or interferes with your quiet enjoyment of the premises, but this is a different situation, since he stated his intention to do work, and you asked him to let you live there, anyway. However, if he agreed to stop working and rent it to you for an above-market rate in exchange, then you would have a good case against him in small claims court. Please explain what you agreed with him, and if the rental agreement says anything either way regarding the work. Also tell me if there are any e-mails between you two where either he or you agrees to do or not do the work.

I told him he could do exterior work so long as it did not interfere with our lives/endanger the dogs, etc. I didn't know his guys were going to be leaving huge piles of trash everywhere or mess up the yard so much.

You do have a claim against the realty company. If I were you, I would get a copy of both e-mails, demand some form of compensation from them,. and if they refuse, sue them in small claims.

Do you really think I have a case? Is there a law against it? Much of what this company did, they did verbally via phone calls. I'm not sure I could produce enough hard evidence to show they were playing both sides to engineer the sale.

Yes, you have a case, provided you can prove it. The e-mails (preferably with full headers) would be good but not irrefutable evidence. (They could claim that you both fabricated the e-mail, but the judge likely won't buy that.) Claims of what they said on phone calls are useless unless you have real evidence. Do you have both contradictory e-mails, and do they clearly state opposite things?

There isn't much you can do to the current owner. You kept residence there with the understanding that he could do exterior work during the month you were staying. The trash might be unexpected, annoying, and frustrating, but trash and clutter frequently accompany construction efforts, so you're not going to get a lot of sympathy from any judge. Regarding the above-market-value rent you're paying, that would only be relevant if you paid it in exchange for his delay of all work. Since he is roughly keeping to the agreement, the amount of rent you are paying is legally immaterial.

[hutmaster]

Good thread, Druff. The gentiles certainly can learn a thing or two from us Jews. I recently had an issue with a company I use that provides my business with a "virtual" phone number. About six months ago I started a small home based business. I didn't want to add a land line for the business, nor did I want to use my cell number for business....the solution was a virtual number. I have a toll free number that when called gets forwarded to any phone I choose. I forward it to my cell, and can tell immediately if it is a business call or a personal call. Anyways, the service was free for 6 months and then $12.95 per month. I regularly look at my checking account online and noticed I was being billed twice. I called and they admitted their mistake and credited my account. Three days later I was charged a 3rd time. They apologized again and offered to credit my account. This time I demanded additional compensation for my time being wasted. Surprisingly, they awarded me 2 additional months of service without a fight.