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AIBU?

AIBU to ask for payment now?

222 replies

Hoople · 14/08/2017 21:42

I look after people's dogs when they go away. Only now and again and I have a few regulars who always come back to me because they have total peace of mind that their dog will be treated like one of the family. I only have one dog at any one time

One of my regulars has just left their dog with me for over a fortnight at a total cost of £224. He picked him up on Saturday evening at 7pm and said he'd 'try and send payment through in the morning.' It's now 36 hours past Sunday morning and he hasn't paid

Now I wouldn't usually be too worried about this but this regular has form for taking a while to pay and I usually have to send an awkward reminder text. Sometimes two or three. This isn't an issue when the money owed is 30 odd quid but this has been a long chunk of time that I had his dog and the money owed is over £200.

Do I leave it longer? How long? It's been 48 hours since he collected his dog. Or do I send a text now?

God I find this stuff so awkward. All my other regulars pay immediately or within an hour or two. It's only pressing a few buttons to make a transfer isn't it?

WWYD?

OP posts:

Report

CremeFresh · 15/08/2017 15:15

I wouldn't mention not having his dog anymore as he might not bother to pay at all.

melj1213 · 15/08/2017 16:54

You need to stop pussyfooting around the issue and just be straight with him, all this hinting and talking around the subject is probably why he treats it like a friendly favour rather than a business transaction.

A business does not apologise for asking for payment for services received, so why should you? He used your dog sitting service and now he needs to pay his bill.

"Dear RudeCustomer, I have still not received your payment for looking after DearDog from X date to Y date. The outstanding balance due is £224, please ensure that this is paid to Account 123456789 within the next 24 hours. Thank you, Hoople."

In future I would also insist on payment up front - or at least a deposit to secure their booking and then the rest of the balance when they drop their dog off. My mum and dad use kennels that their dog loves almost more than being at home because she is spoiled rotten by the owners and even though they are friends with the owners they still pay up front like every other customer, and would never dream of leaving them chasing payments. The only time they ever pay anything on collecting the dog is if they have had to extend the dog's stay for some reason.

For example the kennels my parents use won't charge you for the final day if you collect the dog before 10am, but if you are collecting after 10am then you have to pay the standard boarding rate for that day, whether you pick the dog up at 11am or 5pm and this is made clear in their T&Cs. On occasion my parents have had flights delayed and always message the owner to let them know they will be late due to flight delays ... when they arrive to collect their dog they are always prepared to pay the late fee but 9 times out of 10 the owner waives it as a goodwill gesture. By doing this, the owner has the choice to charge if a customer has messed her around as they aren't being punished, they are just being held to the T&Cs. Equally, if a customer has a genuine reason for being late the owner can choose to waive the fee and "good" customers get a gesture of goodwill that keeps them coming back.

Hoople · 15/08/2017 17:23

Mel - useful advice and interesting

Umm still nothing yet. This evening maybe!

OP posts:

Scrumptiousbears · 15/08/2017 18:18

If you booked a holiday you'd be expected to pay up before you got there. This isn't any different. Payment in full in advance or no doggy daycare.

Butterymuffin · 15/08/2017 18:28

I wouldn't change terms for your other customers if they all pay on time. Keep texting till he pays. Don't say anything about future repercussions or he may avoid you even more (as in, if he thinks he can't ever book you again he may just not pay this amount at all). But once you have it, when he tries to book next time say you have had a change of policy (no need to say it's a change for unreliable clients) and now payment will need to be upfront and in your bank account, in full, before the dog is dropped off.

Hoople · 15/08/2017 23:58

Well message sent with bank details at lunch time. He messaged me at 6pm thanking me and saying he'd 'sort tonight.'

Tonight almost over and err .... no money paid

OP posts:

timeisnotaline · 16/08/2017 00:19

Tomorrow's message needs to say 'I need to consider whether I can continue acting as your dog sitter if I have to chase you for payment each time.

Mrscropley · 16/08/2017 00:22

Have you been paid yet op?

Hoople · 16/08/2017 00:38

Nope! His exact text message to me was 'thanks XXX will sort tonight'

Exactly that

I've no doubt he will pay. When he chooses to. I'd love to understand the thinking behind it all, the psychology. He's not 'flakey' (he was in the forces for years), and he's not poor and waiting for money to come in. He hasn't forgotten as I reminded him at lunch time. So ... it must be because it's of no consequence to him and he doesn't care that I might be relying on that money coming in. Luckily I don't need it to get by this week but of course it forms part of my income

My plan going forward is just to 'be busy' and not have his dog again, much as I love his dog. I just can't be doing with this rigmarole every time. So that's twice now ... said he'd pay Saturday evening - didn't. Said he'd pay Tuesday evening - didn't

So that's the solution. I won't do it again

OP posts:

eddielizzard · 16/08/2017 07:33

send him

???

Hoople · 16/08/2017 07:58

As I didn't respond to his 'will sort tonight' message, I can do so this evening if he's still not paid

Ridiculous situation really

OP posts:

bengalcat · 16/08/2017 08:00

For all my pet care eg London cat sitting and a friend of a friend who runs a home from home dog kennels I'm asked to settle up front in full . This is not unreasonable . You wouldn't expect to go on holiday and pay later so why should it be any different with your pets ?

peekyboo · 16/08/2017 08:07

I think you should send the direct 'please pay me as soon as possible' message now, no need to wait til tonight.

peekyboo · 16/08/2017 08:09

Plus I've found actually calling them helps a lot. Mostly they won't answer as they know why you're ringing, so then you leave a message asking for payment and suggesting you come round to collect it.

Is he single btw? Could you call the house and flag it up with his partner? That also helps to push for payment without it having to get tricky.

Mrscropley · 16/08/2017 08:10

He thinks he is too superior to be told what to do.
And you are a mere employee. .
Tell him to take his pooch elsewhere. .

NotTheDuchessOfCambridge · 16/08/2017 08:13

Doesn't it take a few hours to show up in your bank? Maybe it'll be there today (clutching at straws).

TroelsLovesSquinkies · 16/08/2017 08:17

Don't wait till this evening. Just send a morning text. Still no money after you said you'd send it last night. Please pay ASAP. Thanks.
He's royally taking the piss.
Once he pays text, thank you for paying. I will no longer be able to care for your dog as waiting for payment doesn't work for me. Don not say sorry at all.

RebootYourEngine · 16/08/2017 08:25

What a cheeky fucker. The reason he is not poor is probably because he doesnt pay bills like this and some people are too polite to chase it up.

MitchellMummy · 16/08/2017 08:27

I feel your pain. What I sometimes do is say 'if you can't afford to pay it all at once then I'm happy to accept weekly payments for x weeks. But I certainly wouldn't care for his dog again unless full payment was made in advance.

MipMipMip · 16/08/2017 08:34

Don't say you're busy - when he tries to book his dog in again tell the prat exactly why you are saying no. There is a very faint possibility it may make him think and not mess other people around so much.

Overworrier · 16/08/2017 08:39

"Thanks for acknowledging wthat payment will be made. I am sure that as it only takes 2 minutes we can get this finalised by the end of today. I have started to issue late payment penalties with clients but on this occasion I have withheld so it really would be in everyone's best interest to settle this account today."

diddl · 16/08/2017 08:43

Hope that you get paid soon.

I would have his dog again if he paid in full in advance.

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makeourfuture · 16/08/2017 08:46

I suggest that you draft a new payment policy immediately

Yes. Loose contractual terms and bookkeeping are terrible. Set up a contract and get an automated billing package. Then they just get a nice form letter/reminder. Will help you with your taxes too.

Why sweat this stuff?

Butterymuffin · 16/08/2017 08:49

Agree with Mip that next time he tries to book, tell him that you won't take the booking because of the previous late payments. He ought to learn.

Ceto · 16/08/2017 08:51

Don't make up excuses for not taking his dog again, tell him it is because of his attitude to payment.

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