Customer wont pay?

Question

I have just fitted a kitchen for a customer and they are refusing to pay. The kitchen was fitted last week and the money was due today but they say there is a scach on the work top so they are not paying there is a tinny scratch there but you really have to look for it they give me £360 and said they would pay me the rest when they get a new work top so that means I have to buy a new work top which is £140 before they will pay also the customer has been doing some DIY in the kitchen tiling ect so I do I now he didnt do it is there any way I can get my £440 outstanding ballance with out renewing the work top as I think he done it.

Answer 1

tell them if there not going to pay then you will take your kitchen back and take your work else were!

Abbie. x

Answer 2

dont buy a new work top just put refurbished the work top.

Answer 3

tricky situation.

your a businessman stand your ground. if you aren't 100% sure the scratch was your fault then you have no responsibilty to replace it.

however taking them to court will cost you more. how much do you charge for labour? make sure if you do replace the surface to charge them for your extra time, if its by the hour then take ages, that should reinburse you.

Answer 4

If they bought the kitchen I am sure you are supposed to get the money for putting it in. A small scratch can't be helped either way. Can you try polishing it out? I am sure you would have noticed a scratch when you were tidying up if you had put it there. I had  a VERY expensive kitchen put in last month and there are SO many problems with it, most I have let go. A drawer catching on the 'Fridge when it opened I planed back myself. The tap dripped for a month and the oven door is not closing These I have to get them to fix but there were 1" V marks on the new floor from careless moving of the appliances when getting them in. Oh well hope you get your money. Wish you had put my kitchen in :)

Answer 5

put a workers lien on the house. when they try to sell it. they can't

Answer 6

either replace the work top and get the money, or ask them to call trading standards on your behalf! i don't like people taking advantage of sme's

however, a few years ago, i had a kitchem fitted, paid half before they started - they made such a bad job (exposed pipes, badly fitting drawers, holes in the work top etc) that we refused to pay the rest - one little scratch wouldhave been fine compared to that!

Answer 7

if they have not paid anything for the kitchen it is legally yours still, a friend had a similar situation and agreed to go back and took the whole kitchen out leaving them with nothing there was nothing they could do as they had not paid for it but probably a better solution is to see the citizens advice bureau and see what they say

Answer 8

The only practical way to pursue this is through a small claims court.  However make sure everything is above board - if it's a cash in hand job you may be opening a can of worms.

Answer 9

Simple, you go to the Small Claims Court. I'll bet they pay as soon as they get the court notice.

Might be an idea to try to get a couple of pics first before they get a chance to damage it more and then say it was you. In fact you should photograph it from a couple of angles but making sure it looks good in the pics.

Your excuse would be to say you need to go back to re measure or check the colour shade or whatever.

Answer 10

go round there with your two mates SMITH & WESSON i think they will pay up

Answer 11

You need to put this question into the proper category. This one is for renting and real estate. Thanks.