Invoice immediatley. When you send it, tell the client you are sending it,
and that you could really use the money since this is how you pay the bills.
Call the client back in a few days to see if they got it. If they haven't
then offer to fax it to him. If they have it ask them how long it will
take, because you really need the money. Offer to contact the accounting
department so the client does not need to be bothered.
If this does not work then get a lawyer. But when you do this be prepared to
wait a much longer time.
best,
-Rob
- Original Message -
From: Robert Landrum [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Medi Montaseri [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2001 3:21 PM
Subject: Re: Seeking Legal help
At 3:21 PM -0800 11/21/01, Medi Montaseri wrote:
HiI know this is not the lawyers hang-out, but it is seasoned
contractor's hangout and as such I need some legal advice...May I?
I did some work (about $25000 worth) for a customer and I'm having
problem collecting.
One big problem is that I don't have a formal signed hardcopy contract
binding my customer to the work and cost. I however do have verbal,
email communications, FTP logs, Web Access logs, hardcopy business
projections, Witnesses and such showing that I'm not making this up.
After months of promissing sweet equity, partnership, this and that,
finally customer has asked me to invoice them and charge interest for the
unpaid balance. At the same time customer is using the application
I wrote for them. I however have a feeling that they are simply buying
time and differing the problem. And they might even file chapter 11 as
their marketing projection was not so correct. But I did my part.
What can I do?
Contact a lawyer. Then tell the client that you have contacted a
lawyer. Put this in writing and sign it. Be specific and let them
know what it is exactly that you want, and that if they do not
comply, you'll be forced to enlist the service of a lawyer and file
suit.
Most of the time, this will be enough to get them to pay... Nobody
want's a legal battle, least of all a small business.
If they fail to pay, you have two options. Bite the bullet and move
on or sue them.
I am not a lawyer, but this is the process that my friend went
through when he did about $20,000 worth of work for a client that was
more than 180 days delinquent. After court costs and lawyer fees,
etc., he walked away with
$8,000.
Not great, but better than nothing.
Rob
--
Only two things are infinite: The universe, and human stupidity. And I'm
not
sure about the former. --Albert Einstein
