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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Told potential client to sod off, pretty much.

33 replies

SolidGoldBrass · 01/04/2014 22:48

OK, I was a little bit more diplomatic than that but.... Client is an acquaintance of a friend. He wanted his book 'proofread'. His first email to me was a bit of a whine about how he wanted to keep the costs down, so I sent him one stating my rates and a guide price for a book of 75000 words. The book turned out to be a lot shorter but absolute crap, and he didn't want proofreading so much as a proper copy edit. So I quoted him a price. He replied offering half the money, the promise of future work and 'a link to you on our new website.' Which is just as crap as the book.

I suggested that if he was on that tight a budget he should perhaps make do with Word's own spellcheck program and a friend having a final look at the document.

THe funny thing is, his masterpiece seems to be one of these 'How to make a million pounds working from home' crapsacks. WABU not to have told him that I refuse to work on a book which appears to encourage people to rip off the self-employed?

OP posts:

FunkyBoldRibena · 01/04/2014 22:50

If he knows how to make a million, why can't he afford top whack for proof reading?

trambampoline · 01/04/2014 23:02

www.27bslash6.com/p2p2.html lol

trambampoline · 01/04/2014 23:03

www.27bslash6.com/p2p2.html reminds me of this.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 01/04/2014 23:04

yAnBU. Cheeky bugger.

JustAboutAdeqeuate · 01/04/2014 23:05

Doesn't sound like he was a potential client so luch as a potential pisstaker. I doubt very much that you'll find yourself in a Decca Records position in twenty years time :)

minouminou · 01/04/2014 23:13

You done good innit.

....runs.....

minouminou · 01/04/2014 23:18

Seriously, though...have you had a look at the FB group Stop Working for Free?

It gives you cojones.

I've had the balls to either ask for more money or to turn down work since joining it.
...link to his webshite indeed...

Did he mention 'exposure'?

Original poster

SolidGoldBrass · 01/04/2014 23:57

Yup. That was what made me decide to decline the job. I may be skint, but if I'd taken it up the end result would have been all his fucking greedy, thick, scammy mates wanting their witless marketing material proofread for pennies as well...

OP posts:

foslady · 02/04/2014 00:38

Ah, OP, you just don't get it though, do you? HE has a 'proper' business, he's an entrepener......you just read as a hobby and do this at your kitchen table over a cuppa......
Let's just see how many millions his bollocks bullshit pile of crap guide to enriching your life and becoming a millionaire makes him over the next few years and wait for him to become a Dragon's Den dragon.....

Chloerose75 · 02/04/2014 00:41

YANBU. He is a chancer and I wouldn't bother either if he is quibbling over rates etc. I may be speculating but I also suspect it could be tricky to actually get him to pay your invoice if you do work for him.

Original poster

SolidGoldBrass · 02/04/2014 09:59

He's not given up, but he's not offering any more money. I may have to be a bit rude...

OP posts:

pluCaChange · 02/04/2014 12:19

Tell him: sorry, you "can't turn down paying work to help him."

Tosser.

Crinkle77 · 02/04/2014 12:23

If it was that easy to make a million at home then we'd all be doing it. Tell him to do one.

midgeymum2 · 02/04/2014 12:34

Agree he sounds like a chancer! If you've quoted for the work, you've quoted for the work and that's your price - what a blooming cheek he's got!

In your position I would point out that you are fortunate enough to be in a position where you don't have to buy work and that if he feels your price is unreasonable he is free to ask elsewhere and you quite understand if he chooses to do this.

Don't feel bad. It sounds to me that you're not too keen even if he had agreed your quote. Stick to your guns!

AMumInScotland · 02/04/2014 12:47

Well, the first step on 'making a million' is probably screwing everybody else out of their wages to keep costs down... and connng them into thinking they're getting something 'valuable' instead of actual money.

If you want to be a bit rude, you could point out that his moneymaking scam scheme will rely on people being mugs, which does not include you.

spatchcock · 02/04/2014 13:18

Is part of the 'making a million' method to not pay people what they deserve?

Callani · 02/04/2014 13:39

Well done OP, tell him if he's planning on making a million he can bloody well afford to pay people the going rate.

As PPs have said, chances are he'd mysteriously "forget" to pay you, or "miss the deadline" or try to pay you in "shares" of his book / profits / clearly fantastic commercial enterprise.

ArsePaste · 02/04/2014 13:51

Do not, under any circumstances accept a link on someone's website in lieu of payment for work done. He's a cheeky tosser.

Greenstone · 02/04/2014 13:56

Oh hello! This has happened to me lots. Exact same scenario. Exact same type of guy. Run a mile.

poii · 02/04/2014 14:24

Hey Solidgold I am self employed people say all the time do this cheaper for and I will send you loads of work, never happened to once. You are better off without the job, because once the work is done he will try to stiff you for the payment owed anyway.

borisgudanov · 02/04/2014 15:29

Tell him you wouldn't want your name associated with such shite.

aStitchInTime · 02/04/2014 17:21

"Sorry, my landlord doesn't accept promises of future work as payment." I mean come on, a link?!? Can you EAT that?

LeapingOverTheWall · 02/04/2014 17:30

we have a client who is currently trying the "but my business is worth a million pounds, you should be grateful to be allowed to be supporting me" line to avoid paying her bill. No dear, it's not worth £1m, and even if it was, you still need to pay up. Rapidly making her way to being an ex-client.

mumminio · 02/04/2014 18:16

Very sensible, well done for filtering him out. Don't waste any more time on him!

Original poster

SolidGoldBrass · 03/04/2014 00:22

Ah, now he's come back agreeing to my quoted price. Well, result for me - of sorts. I'm going to have to edit his poxy book and I just know he's going to be a nightmare, but at least I won this round...

OP posts:

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