How would you handle this?

[Olivegardenfairy]

I'm looking for some advice, please. I have a client who is refusing to pay for the service provided.

A very long story short, I provided a service to Myriam and Amanda (not the real names) and they're refusing to pay as they say the job was not done correctly. I trust the people who did the job 100%, they have worked on identical jobs for a long time and I regularly receive phone calls/reviews about how well these three people work, have seen the work myself. There's not a doubt in my mind that the job was done perfectly.

I've been going back and forth with Myriam and Amanda about this for a few weeks now. Have tried everything I can think of to get them to pay, they have no proof at all that the job was done incorrectly (this proof would be very easy to acquire if they actually had any - literally just photos which I have already asked for a few times) and they've been extremely unpleasant to me (yelling/swearing down the phone, abusive emails and texts messages, name-calling).

I hope this is enough of an explanation. How would YOU handle this situation?

You go and inspect the job yourself and speak to them face-to-face and let them talk to you and show you what aspect of the job they are unhappy with

Much too late for that. They already fixed it themselves before I got the chance.

If communication has broken down, I'd send them a final invoice, reminding them of your terms and conditions re payment, and then look for legal remedy if they still refuse to pay. What are your payment terms, dispute terms etc, and are they clearly communicated to clients? Do you have liability insurance and legal cover?

Is this a reverse of the end of tenancy cleaning thread?

If they have no proof you simply issue an invoice and treat it as a bad debt.

Send a letter before action - it’ll cost a couple of quid on the internet and they have a high success rate.

Are Miriam and Amanda refusing to pay for their wedding OP?
If you have a contract take them to small claims!

Not a reverse nor a wedding.

I'll have a look into the letter before action, that's great thank you! Weve given them final notice but it's still been refused and with no communication, we're at a stand still. As I said I'd prefer not to go down a legal route if I can at all avoid it, we're a small company. I 100% will if I have to, would just rather not.

I understand you not wanting to go down the legal route (the time, hassle and expense) but I think my fear would be that if I did nothing and the clients were putting the word about that you didn't do a good job, then it could put off potential future clients. If you believe your staff did a good job and you think they are just trying to get out of paying, stick up for yourself and your staff - even if you don't need the money, think of your reputation. If they have no proof of a bad job, the letter before action should be enough to prompt them into payment for fear they'd have to evidence it into court.

Either way, lesson learned. Not sure what your business is, but in future you could get staff to take photos and/or get clients to sign some kind of a 'job satisfaction' form at end of each job