Black list instead of Angie's list

Steve Whitbeck

What we need is a site that is a DO NO WORK FOR  black list.

As the economy gets worse it is getting harder to colect from some people.

I can understand new customers getting your name out of the phone book stiffing you - But a comercial customer that you have been doing work for for two years.

They owe me a little over $1000 and the accounting dept. won't even call me back.

There isn't any dispute over services done.

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

Would it help?

I cleaned and repaired a steam generator for a gym in SF.  When I was done, they said they couldn't afford to pay me all of it right away; a few hundred a week which was fine with me.  But they never sent anything.  I called and they said the check was in the mail, but none ever showed up.  I finally had to call a lawyer which did the trick.

Mark Eatherton

Sounds like an invitation to a law suit to me....

As frustrating as being in business is, it also comes with some responsibilities to NOT defame others, regardless of their actions/intentions.



You have certain legal tools at your avail (lien laws) and if that doesn't cut it for you, then you can always spend even more money through a lawyer, as Alan did, and pursue them legally.



There are also credit rating agencies, who's responsibility it is to keep businesses like yours from doing business with people who are ALWAYS late in paying.



I'd just hate to see someone lose their livelihood over a few thousand dollars...



Being in business is extremely frustrating, and the best you can do is cover your butt in paper (interest and collection notices on your invoice).



ME

Paul Fredricks_3

then

people who post an Angie's could also be sued, by the businesses they bad mouth.



I understand that we are a litigious society. I just wonder how often this really happens. 

Robert O'Brien

Paul,it happens!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/12/AR2007031201548.html

meplumber

Had a restaurant do it to me Steve.

We jumped thru our tails to bail out this restaurant.  3 months later and they still hadn't paid a dime of the bill.  I went in one day and sat down to eat.  I told the manager that I would pay them when I had the money.  They said that it didn't work that way.  I laughed and said your owner thinks it does.  They went to get him, he took one look at me and turned Beet Red. 



He came back with his check book.  It wasn't the right thing for me to do, but frustration got the better of me.

billtwocase

Meplumber

I hope you ordered a nice porterhouse or a lobster. You did the right thing, I'd do the same

Charlie from wmass

Meplumber Your lucky you did not have a few of the

resturant owners I have had. They often want to pay me in pizza, burgers, or burritos. I have to ask them "How many large pizzas does it take to pay my truck payment or my insurance bill?".

Charlie from wmass

I know many companies

that have a board of "no call" names. As in if they call the answer is NO.

Jamie Hall

I understand the frustration...

but, unfortunately, a public black list is an invitation to a libel suit.  Which no one needs.  A private, internal to the company list shouldn't be a problem, though, if it is a simple "no" list, without any commentary at all -- comments could be a potential problem.  Of course, it won't help much the first time someone stiffs you.



Just speaking for myself, as a client rather than a supplier, I've never had a problem with a contractor asking me for an up front deposit, provided it's reasonable (say 10 to 20 percent), nor for progress payments if the job is a big one or a long one.  Perhaps that could save some grief?  When I was practicing as a Professional Engineer the problem was chronic -- particularly with municipal and State jobs -- but I always used the deposit/progress payment/completion payment approach and it helped.

STEVE PAUL_3

Bum customer list

Many years back our local PHCC chapter members started to notice an increase in no paying, slow paying and generally bad news clientele. We wanted to start a bad customer list but our attorney advised against calling it that. Instead we started an "AVAILABLE" customer list. This was acceptable to the lawyer. But Plumbers being as they somtimes are, continued to work for the bad apples. Go figure? 

meplumber

We have a no list as well.

Bill, I had the prime rib.



We have an internal list as well.  This is a small area of mostly summer people.  The year arounders are all local and it doesn't take long for word to make it through the contractors.  The sure sign here is to hear that they have had several different companies work on their equipment.  If there isn't anything exotic about it, then that set off the red flag with me.  I make a few phone calls and have no problem telling them no thanks, if they have the slow/no pay reputation.



But I still get burned a couple times every year.  The ones that kill me are the "nouveau rich' that come barreling in to town and then disappear oweing half the town money.



The guy wanting to pay in pizza is funny Charlie.  My kids would love it, but the bank wouldn't.

Steve Whitbeck

Black list

I have a customer ( Pizza place) that I want him to pay with food. We both like the deal.

He pays for parts and pizza for the labor.

How can that company win against that customer if what the customer said is true.

Charlie from wmass

We get a fair amount

of the tourist trade here in the western most part of Mass too. The dot.com bubble made for a lot of people missing mortgage payments and projects drying up. It seems to be a lot of Pizza places not just one. I have a place in Pittsfield, MA I love there pizza, burn my mouth every time I get one for the Friday night with the kids. I do their plumbing but we agree I pay for my pie every time and tip the cashier and they pay their plumbing bill as soon as they get it and send back the check return mail. We are all happy.

I can only eat so much take out so eating labor is something I leave to my competitors. lol

Paul Fredricks_3

way back

Back in my younger days I used to clean a bars 4 through the wall A/C units for bar credit. Ahhh, the good old days.