I'm self employed. A customer won't pay! Need advice.

[Amy557]

Hi, I'm looking for some advice about getting money from a customer who hasn't paid me.
I'm a personal assistant to someone with an illness who receives an allowance from the local council to pay for assistance at home. The council pays my customer and then she pays me. Except that she hasn't paid me for 3 weeks. She owes me nearly £700. She's claiming the money from the council each week but she's not been paying me. She's had a string of excuses which I fell for at first, then I've just cottoned on this week to what she's been doing.
I phoned social services on Tuesday to ask them what's been happening to my money and they wouldn't tell me anything.
Now she's not returning my calls.

Does anyone have any experience of a customer not paying? The benefit fraud she's committing is a separate issue which I'll look into tomorrow, but I just want to be paid what I'm owed before Christmas. I've got 2 kids, a dog and bills to pay!

Thanks. x

Hope you got the money, but if not unfortunately the small claims court is the best leverage. I use it as a last resort but if they really won't pay or discuss I explain that given the xxxx amount of communication from me and no response/payment, our policy is to forward the issue to the small claims court. They've always paid promptly luckily after that so I haven't had to actually go through with it yet. The last one (who left a 5 star review before refusing to pay) paid within one minute... Funny that.

Hi
Do you have any signed agreement signed by your customer and you? You should write to her and say that if she doesn't pay you in 10 days time you will start proceedings against her in the County Court. The procedure is easy and you will find all the forms online under "Small Claims". I hope this can help.

I'll call the council they can help you. It isn't her money.
I just hope it wasn't cash in hand because you'll ever get your money.