I haven't been paid for toys I sent to a firm of lawyers for their Harry Potter a t the start of July

[zippitippitoes]

..and I am pissed off as it's 192.00

when they ordered I asked for money up front althought they are posh lawyers on chancery lane buit they persuaded me to send them without as their party was ikjminent so i said i'm a small bsauinees so I need the money straightaway

and they strill haven't paid me

I sent thema seven day warning of sseven days last week and they haven't paid still

so I need a legal sounding letter to send them and wpould like to know what to rwrite as I CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE THIS MONEY THE CUNTS

[zippitippitoes]

sorry about the caps

[ShinyHappyPeopleHoldingHands]

Why did a team of lawyers want a load of Harry Potter toys?? Sorry.. am thick.

[zippitippitoes]

they had a party for the harry potter film

[Lulumama]

start proceedings !

[zippitippitoes]

I'm thinking that but you have to prpove that you tried alternative ways first

I phoned the woman contact several times and she said she had given the oinvoice to her accounbts department

i was suckered to be honest

so my last contact was 7 dyas or further action will be taken

do you reckon I should fill out the small claims online?

I have done this once before in the past ..it's always the ones who have the money who don pay

[NotQuiteCockney]

Isn't it meant to be relatively easy to file in small claims court these days?

Ooooh, this looks like the thing, maybe?

[LittleBella]

Give them a call on Monday pretending to be a potential client. Tell them the situation - that a bunch of lawyers are refusign to pay up even though you've sent them a seven day warning, and ask them if the Law Society would be interested/ relevant. Maybe they'll get the message...

[zippitippitoes]

I don't believe they have any intention of paying me tbh..thinking i missed something

I even gave them free postage although it cost me 14.00 for a courier

[zippitippitoes]

I wondered if I still had to send them another letter or just go for the moneyclaim?

I am mightily hacked

[NotQuiteCockney]

Oh, this was advised on another forum (for builders, but surely the same principle holds ...)

A couple of points to note: it helps if you have sent the customer a Letter Before Action first. In this you set out that you will be claiming interest on the money owed, and statutory compensation. There's plenty of LBA templates if you google, and there's also an interest calculator.
Another thing to put in the form is wording along the lines of "left premises and customer happy with work" or "customer has raised no issues with the completed work"

The papers are sent to your customer from Northampton County Court, so if you're operating a long way from Northampton, it really makes the b*gger's sit up and take notice!

One one occasion a punter sent what he owed, minus the court costs of £30 ~ he's one of them that has to have the last word.. Not worth pursuing that one, and I was already £10 up 'cos he hadn't noticed that the £40 compo had been added on.

I now have no hesitation when anyone holds back money.



This page has sample letters before action. Please add interest! (I assume there is interest in your standard terms?)

Just checking, though - you're sending bills? Or what, to hassle them? I'd call them up first, talk to whomever you dealt with before, in case that fixes it first. (e.g. if it was all by phone, call them)

[Lulumama]

i;'d do what NQC advises

[zippitippitoes]

well they had an oinvoice first and then I phoned more than once and was told she'd see to it

but no payment so it looks like that route was exhausted

so i sent them the invoice with

THIS ACCOUNT IS OVERDUE PLUS 110 DAYS IMMEDIATE PAYMENT REQUIRED IF PAYMENT NOT RECEIVED WITHIN 7 DAYS FURTHER ACTION WILL BE TAKEN

that was last week

[NotQuiteCockney]

When you phoned, you spoke to the same person who'd convinced you to send it without payment before?

I'd send one of the standard letters before action, and add on interest, obviously.

And then use the gov't thing, so you're getting your interest etc as well ...

[zippitippitoes]

perhaps I should ask these folks for their advice here

[zippitippitoes]

yeah the woman who ordered every time

[NotQuiteCockney]

This is startlingly crap.

It's not unusual for companies to have a 'pay as late as possible' policy. It helps with cash flow. I used to work in a company like this, a v long time ago. People who aren't repeat suppliers can be postponed indefinately.

[NotQuiteCockney]

Showing up isn't an option, I'm guessing?

Ugh, I hate this sort of behaviour.

[zippitippitoes]

that's an idea I'm in london on Monday

[NotQuiteCockney]

Showing up and embarassing them might sort it out.

I'd add expenses, though, and interest.

[zippitippitoes]

when she ordered we spoke on the phone I was really nice and I asked for the money by credit card and she persuaded me to send it out as they didn't have a company credit card

I said I would but I needed the money straight away as i didn't do credit for anyone

[zippitippitoes]

well they clearly aren't short of a bob or two twats

[GryffinGirl]

threaten to report them to The Law Society, Legal Week (a legal newspaper) The Lawyer and (legal newspaper). They'll brick it. Oh, and the Law Society's headquarters are on Chancery Lane, if you fancy popping in there after calling in at the firm

what is the name of the firm?

[zippitippitoes]

ironic laughter a quote from that website I link ed to

If we can convince opponents of the error of their ways without the need for litigation, so much the better. We have trained negotiators and litigators if it pays to talk.

But sometimes only court action will get the job done. We handle proceedings without making them too much of a trial for you. And if emergency action is required, we can mobilise at a moment?s notice.

[Sam100]

Having worked for a large organisation (not lawyers though), they can be terribly inefficient in the accounts payable section. Invoices go into accounts department get logged sit there for a while, then get sent out to budget departments for approval and sit there for a while, if approved get sent back to accounts department and sit there for a while again, then get processed and have to wait for next payment run before they finally go to the bank for payment. If you have requested a cheque rather than BACS payment then that takes even longer as it outside the norm!

My advice would be to ask to speak to the accounts payable department at the firm (switchboard shld put you through) - ask them if they even have your invoice logged and if so when it will be paid - or where it is in their system. From there you should be able to see if any other action is needed. If invoice is not logged on their system then I would advise writing to the Managing Partner at the firm and making a complaint about the individual you have been dealing with. It could be she is fobbing you off as she has not had you set up as a supplier or she does not have the authority to order the goods etc. Or call her and tell her that is what you will do if you do not get cheque by special delivery next day!

[zippitippitoes]

The original invoice is July 3 07..i bet they have paid a few bills sinc e then