I got my first bad check

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Oct 25, 2016
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Montana
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Swani
7 years of business and I got my first returned check from a customer with NSF. I've tried to reach them several times with no response. I would say at least 90% of our business is done via invoice. I've never not been paid once. Had a few people push the envelope, but in the end I've always been paid. This particular incident I was written a check on the spot and even given a $25 dollar tip. ( Could have been a million dollar tip if they never had the money to pay it.) This was also a very nice house and not someone I would have guessed wouldn't have had funds. I guess it's cash or card from here on out. The check was for $425 if you were wondering.
 
Joined
Oct 25, 2016
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Montana
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Swani
A check that big needs to have legal action taken
I'll have to figure out how to get collections involved, but if they'd just answer my calls I'd work it out with them with payments or hell they could even help us do laundry for vacation rentals.
I've been down and out before and it sucks, especially when the hole you're digging gets bigger. But on the other hand carpet and upholstery cleaning is kinda a luxury and if you can't afford it, don't schedule it.
 

Mr Brightside

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May 4, 2019
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Southern Cali
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Jay Wags
I get them here and there... This is the best way to handle it. Call the customer in the morning and tell them the bank said there was a problem with the check and you wanted to just get paid over the phone I also charge them 25$ dollars for a return check fee and they usually always pay right then. If that doesn't work I try to cash the check the next friday.
 

Mike J

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Feb 21, 2022
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Mike Joannides
That would be small claims court here. I had to go that route a couple times because of non payment and no communication. That is just weird that someone would write a known bad check from there own house..... Im thinking its a mistake on their end and you will get paid. Good luck, that jacks me up
 

Cleanworks

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Oct 22, 2012
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New Westminster,BC
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Ron Marriott
7 years of business and I got my first returned check from a customer with NSF. I've tried to reach them several times with no response. I would say at least 90% of our business is done via invoice. I've never not been paid once. Had a few people push the envelope, but in the end I've always been paid. This particular incident I was written a check on the spot and even given a $25 dollar tip. ( Could have been a million dollar tip if they never had the money to pay it.) This was also a very nice house and not someone I would have guessed wouldn't have had funds. I guess it's cash or card from here on out. The check was for $425 if you were wondering.
Leave them a message letting them know you will take legal action if you don't hear back from them. Knowingly writing a bad check is a crime and you can report it to the police.
 
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Papa John

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Aug 19, 2013
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San Francisco, CA.
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John Stewart
Ask your local Small business Admin for free help and info. on this matter.
In California, you can collect 3 times the original amount on unpaid bounce checks.
In California, I can file a mechanic lein on their property and earn interest on the unpaid amount. A lein will make it difficult for them to refinance, get a loan or sell the property.
I've only had to fill out the paperwork and send the offender a copy of it with the promise that it will be filed on a certain date if the amount isn't paid.
 

FredC

Village Idiot
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Jul 13, 2011
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26,227
here you send them a demand for payment form/10 day letter via certified mail to the last known address......after 10 days you go to the courthouse and file to have a warrant taken out for their arrest....provided you didn't wait too long, it's under 500, in state check, and you didn't take a post dated check
 
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Hawaii
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Nate W.
Ron Lippold would make a banner saying "This person doesn't pay their bills" with a big arrow.. He'd park his truck in front of their house and the neighbors would see it.. He'd get paid quickly from them.. :eekk:

Granted his Invoices would be in the Thousands..
 
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Cleanworks

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Ron Marriott
We called the bank today and funds were finally available, so they let us deposit it. It's nice getting paid by check because you don't have to pay the fee's associated with a card, but I'm thinking the fee's are probably worth it, compared to having to try and chase down funds.
I still take cheques. I have a set up with my bank where I photograph them and do an auto deposit. No fee for that service but if I deposit them through an ATM or a teller, it's $1 per cheque. It's a lot quicker to find out if you have an NSF cheque.
 
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Joined
Oct 25, 2016
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2,801
Location
Montana
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Swani
I still take cheques. I have a set up with my bank where I photograph them and do an auto deposit. No fee for that service but if I deposit them through an ATM or a teller, it's $1 per cheque. It's a lot quicker to find out if you have an NSF cheque.
I'm going to see if my bank will do mobile deposit.
 

Jim Williams

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Oct 8, 2006
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Bynum N.C.
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Jim Williams
I've had a few high enders with bad checks. They always call with their heads hung in shame and make it good though. That's pretty good if it's your first in 7 years.

A lot of rich looking folks are just as broke as anybody. They are just broke on a larger scale. They buy more house and car than they can afford just like us middle class folks.
 

Brian H

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Dec 14, 2006
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Detroit Michigan area
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Brian H
We had a customer who was a very famous singer who was sued by a limo service and florist for not paying her bills. Thankfully we never had issues in collecting from her.

One time though she was giving the crew a bit of a hard time and I had to get on the phone with her. I smoothed it out with her and after I hung up I thought of the perfect thing I should have said to her "Ms. Franklin, could you just give the crew a little RESPECT".
 

todg

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Apr 16, 2013
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Las Vegas
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Michael Marcus
I still take cheques. I have a set up with my bank where I photograph them and do an auto deposit. No fee for that service but if I deposit them through an ATM or a teller, it's $1 per cheque. It's a lot quicker to find out if you have an NSF cheque.
Checks can have a stop payment applied in some states for up to 1 year...Apparently for any reason...It's happened to me 2-3 times in 22 years...Is what it is...
 

Nomad74

Boy Sprout
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Feb 4, 2016
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23,461
Location
Redding
When I had my 136 rentals in Tulsa and Okmulgee I would often get bad checks. I was told by the D.A. to never negotiate with the tenant after getting a bad check. Just immediately report the bad check to the Bad Check Department of the D.A.'s office and they would take it from there. It would scare the tenants into making it right in a hurry because at that point they were facing criminal charges.

To the OP, see if your local DA has a bad check department that will go after them, unless you think it was just a simple mistake. It happens.
 
F

FB7777

Guest
Ron Lippold would make a banner saying "This person doesn't pay their bills" with a big arrow.. He'd park his truck in front of their house and the neighbors would see it.. He'd get paid quickly from them.. :eekk:

Granted his Invoices would be in the Thousands..
Yea …

That scenario sounds totally believable on every metric
 
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BIG WOOD

MLPW
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Feb 4, 2016
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Georgia
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Matt w.
wouldn't it be cheaper to just call the damn bank?
fone call is free
Might cost $4bukz* to drive the nearest branch to get cash

*based on $4 per gallon reg unleaded and 10-15 mile round trip


..L.T.A.
The letter gets sent after the bank tells me they’re broke and they won’t return my call
 

FredC

Village Idiot
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Jul 13, 2011
Messages
26,227
The letter gets sent after the bank tells me they’re broke and they won’t return my call

You pay $150 for someone to send a letter?

You can certified mail a 10 day form for a few dollars
 

BIG WOOD

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Georgia
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Matt w.
It's the idea of receiving a letter from a lawyer that makes them open their eyes. If it were a letter from Matt Wood, they'd throw it in the trash. Keep in mind, I've only done this 3 times in my career.

but one of those times was at an apartment complex that was over 90days behind on over $400 of work. After several attempts and no money, I had my lawyer send the letter. I thought they sent it to the office only at the complex where the manager's office is. No, they found 3 other owners and sent out 4 of these letters to all of them without my knowledge, getting me paid faster, and had the property manager give me a credit card to keep on file to do the transaction at my own convenience after every job.

This is why I suggest having a lawyer send out a letter if you can't get paid
 
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