In every local you have people who with an over lap and this is just the situation you where you want to know and have good relations with your competition.

If he burned you he may have burned another ADC guy in the past or will in the future. So you and you compadres/competition share the names of those burners and when he he needs some the next time they will have either the option to not do the job or collect up front for the estimated cost.

Once you have this kind of relationship, two things can happen. You develope a list of collect first customers because other ADC guys are sharing that information. And you have the confidence to let the guy know that what it's going to cost him in travel/gas charges to hire someone out of the area the next time they have a problem.

if the guy keeps calling, let him know you'll write off the past amount but you want to get paid up front for trap setting and checking for how ever many days it took the last time plus 2 animals.

A freind that does exclusion work got to the point with one client that he didn't want the work. But the husband begged him to help. So he said he wanted to get paid everyday at the end of the day and not deal with the wife. He charges to work under these conditions with a helper and get paid daily; $1,000 per day and the guy happilly paid every day for almost a week.

They need us more than we need anyone of them.

Signed contract + work performed + No payment = Mechanics Lien
http://www.nyliens.com/?gclid=CPbWlfiYzp0CFRBM5QodCivVyQ

NWS said it about right. Bob, Iam glad that threating the guy worked for you but here in Ca. it would only get you law suit. Even though you really want to choke the deadbeat you have a signed contract for a reason, and in such a reason as this you either take him to court or do as I do (because I don't have the time to actually go to court) turn him over to a collection agency and let them deal with him. Either way you're probably not going to get your money (at least not all of it) but you do have the satisfaction in knowing that he now has a lien against him and his credit rating just took a bad hit.
Bob

I'd definitely sue.

If you know he has $, then he' can't escape a garnishment.
You can likely get the money back that you put into it. Maybe you can add some late payment fees as well.

(Always include the late fees in your contract that you make customers sign. $10 per month, etc, for bills with a remaining balance at the end of the month.)

You can also recover court fees on his dime. This includes the cost of paying someone to go serve him, and the money it took to file the paperwork.

If he is subpoenaed, he must pay between $60-80 usually, depending on your state, to even answer and attend the hearing in small claims court. If he shows up, you present your evidence, and you win, usually he forfeits these fees, and more, to you.

If the guy doesn't show up, you will probably win by default, and get an automatic judgment against him, for whatever amount.

When you have a judgment, you can get his bank account garnished. Depending on which state you live in, and what the local laws are, you can suck the money right out of his bank account before he is even notified. For example, as of right now, no notification of pending garnishment is needed in Oregon.

If his bank balance is low, you may not recover the entire sum. However, you get the extra pleasure of knowing that you probably caused his outstanding checks and debit transactions to bounce, resulting in a few hundred dollars in bank fees for the guy.

Tsar,

yer dangerous in the legal area!

WHY WHY??? cant i get jobs like that??? AWESOME!!!!!!

You are sooo right ChrisL. I'm still on a job that started more than a year ago. It probably won't end until they're done building; some time in 2010.

If you live trap any skunks, you now have a place to release them! While this might not be the proper thing to do, it is what that dead beat deserves.

I've never done it but just the thought of a half dozen skunks in an attached garage, makes me feel better.

Texas regulations do not allow relocation of any species except on private land only with the landowner's permission. No release on city, county, state or federal lands.

Papers are currently being drawn-up for him by a lawyer friend.

Do you own wire cutters!! eye for an eye.

That would be vandalism and I do not stand for any type of illegal activity!! I go by our regulations and laws and do not want myself and good name put in with the poachers, criminals and any kind of criminal acts that others do.

Landowner received notification that he would be brought to court and has supplied me with a Cashier's check (my request) for the remaining amount. Has settled this and glad to see the money. Too bad it wasn't to the tune of the coon problem I worked, but at least they know when they sign an agreement, they have no other recourse.

good man ChrisL2!!! dealt him a spade!