Re: Getting Paid

Mitch presented the following explanation :

Make it clear at the outset, that you do expect to be paid up in full the instant the work is complete and that failure to do so will incur a

Print your terms at the bottom of every single quotation or estimate - two copies and have them sign one copy. If push comes to shove, use the courts.

Or save the ink, as it won't be enforceable?

That would be an excellent idea. Of course, it would apply to both sides.

The snag with those can be getting the judgment enforced.

? It forms written evidence of a contract, and given satisfactory performance by the tradesman, it would be enforced by a court. The stated conditions are fair, although they may lose the tradesman some work he might otherwise regret taking on.

If it goes to court, he will also get legal costs awarded. Of course, actually *collecting* may be a problem...

No, it falls foul of the UTICCR 99. Also, it's a penalty.

I know of a few, and it's far from unheard of. A friend of mine is picking up a lot of business (he does small computer jobs - installing printers etc for people) due to being able to take cards.

Things like

or

I think he uses the latter. Another friend does photography work and uses similar.

People want to pay on card. The company takes

CostCo also offer a mobile card terminal.

Or simply don't have a requirement to carry cash. I have 25p in cash ATM, pay for everything via credit card that I pay off every month. About the only time I have cash (max £30) is when I'm working and will be getting lunch from a chippy...

If, by that you mean they make the extra 5% charge only to people paying by card, that is illegal. The Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012 prohibit adding a surcharge that exceeds the cost of the card transaction.

Colin Bignell

The Regulations allow traders to recover the costs associated with the part icular method of payment, including monthly merchant fees and costs of card terminals etc, as well as the actual transaction fee. Traders can average those costs across transactions to arrive at the fee they charge consumers.

And small businesses are exempt until June 2014.

Owain

Even if monthly merchant fees and card terminal fees are charged (I only pay more than the transaction fees if they don't exceed a monthly minimum amount) it is unlikely they will amount to the more than 2% mark-up that seems to be applied here.

To quote guidance from Trading Standards:

'The specific definitions of a micro-business and a new business within the Regulations are quite complex and legal advice should be sought if you believe you may be exempt from the Regulations until 12 June 2014.'

Colin Bignell

But who cares?

Trading Standards and the people who report things to them, assuming TS don't just pick it up in a routine trial purchase.

Colin Bignell

It would make more sense to add it across the board. It then allows a little wiggle room for those asking for discounts for cash etc.

A better option to to specify a higher price with payment terms of (say)

I think he meant "Stereotypes".

I meant caricatures.