Penalty for bad checks

[gear junkie]

What do penalty charge do give when you recieve a bad check? Got my first one yesterday but it was the customer who informed me of it. She paid me cash today and made good on the penalty I incurred with my bank but it still through me for a loop.

[NorthernIllinoisPlumber]

Id be happy I got the money. Sounds like she owned up to it...pretty rare in this day.

[Service Guy]

When I get a bad check, I usually kidnap the customer's favorite pet and then send them its severed head in the mail so they know who they're messing with.

Just kidding, its only happened to me once and I simply called them about it and they apologized and sent a money order to me the next day, that was cool.

[stxrus]

WHEN it does happen i call them imediately and explain i have a returned check and that MY policy is
1. bounced check fee of $45.00
2. after 7 days another $25.00 in late fees
3. recurring late fees every 7th day at NOON
4. i only accept cash for the bad check

if they are reluctant to pay up i file a small claims suit (this really works for doctors and real estae agents) and put their names in the local paper.

i've put a lien on a reataurant that owed me and shut them down for 48 hours.

but the last 2 examples are extreme measures. most folks will work with you. it's a PITA but that's business

steve

[stxrus]

my bank charges me for a returned check. i pass that along with a charge for MY time to make contact & deal with it. they already know it's bounced as their bank has issued/extracted it's pound of flesh. the longer it takes to pay off the debt the more it costs them. it's business

when it comes to a deadbeat i'll not go back, or will demand cash ONLY. any issues and they get red flagged and i don't care about their business, their family's business, or their friends.

i come out as promptly as i can, do a good job, charge fairly and expect to get paid with NO hassles.

i've held checks because the client asked me to. no problems there. they were upfront and i can respect that.

i disagree that 99.89% of bad checks are an accident. sometimes i'll hammer a check just because i have a "feeling" and in most of those cases they have insufficient funds to cover it. that pisses me off. you really don't want to see me angry

steve

[stxrus]

for me, in business, anger is an emotion i'd rather not display. i'll seethe, chew my tongue off, and have a fatal stroke before i blow up in front of a client. that is beyond non professional. it's not going to happen.

if i need to address a lien i'll do it through the VI system.

revenge, on the other hand is something i enjoy. it also is a cup that is best served cold :thumbup2:

steve

[ritajones]

Very true, don't get mad, get even as the saying goes. I won't ever have a temper tantrum in front of a client either, as it does much more damage than lose you that customer. It hurts your professional reputation and might take business away from you down the line.

[garager]

I've never gotten a bad check ever, so I guess that I have never given this a thought...

I sure hope this thread doesn't jinx me now..... :eek: :D

[ballistic bob]

I built a deck for i guy and he gave me a check for $1500 for the last payment it was bad so i called him he said that he decided that the job was not worth what we agreed on and was not going to pay. i made a sign and went to his store and walked in front. He came out and said he was going phone the cops i said go ahead I'm sure they would like to here about the bad check you gave me. He said what do you want i said the $1500 plus the charge for the check cash. I had it in 10 minutes.

[DUNBAR PLUMBING]

In my county there is a bad check program. As long as I get that piece of paper in my hands, it's golden because there's a 99% chance I'll get paid if they bounce it.


If they don't call me in 10 days, then I go ahead and contact the girls down at the county attorney's office and scan/fax the bounced check.


They call, let them know that it has been turned over to the court system and they have 10 days to make the check good. If they don't, a summons to appear in court will be ordered and they can be held in contempt of court in failure to meet.



Twice last year I had this happen to me and sure enough, on that 10th day they was calling me hourly to make sure I got paid in full, plus $50 which is the maximum fee allowed in collecting for bounced check fee at my bank, along with the $25 fee at the attorney's office.


Pretty awesome and the success rate is remarkable. So no matter what the amount, the check is literally still good.


I play dirty though if they avoid me; I'll keep running that check through their bank just hammering that account for NSF funds.

If you're going to avoid me instead of letting me know your situation, you're going to pay for your mistake BIGTIME for even thinking that I'm the fool working for free.


The ones that call me up instantly and tell me the situation, keep me in touch with everything going on, I treat nicely as I've been in that boat and keeping attentive to the situation is 3/4's acceptance.

[stxrus]

I play dirty though if they avoid me; I'll keep running that check through their bank just hammering that account for NSF funds.

banks here will only accept a check twice AND i get charged for another NSF deposit

i had an issue with a real estate agent a while back. check bounced AFTER it was 60 days late. we finally got it cleared up minus the last late fee. she calls 2 weeks ago and is frantic. new tennants moving in and the toilet is spewing like St. Hellens. i personally handed her the invoice and reminded her that full payment was due no later than 30 days. got the check yesterday, deposited today, and we'll see what next week brings. any problems and she gets red flagged and i'll never go back...even for cash in advance.

steve

[drainman881999]

I built a deck for i guy and he gave me a check for $1500 for the last payment it was bad so i called him he said that he decided that the job was not worth what we agreed on and was not going to pay. i made a sign and went to his store and walked in front. He came out and said he was going phone the cops i said go ahead I'm sure they would like to here about the bad check you gave me. He said what do you want i said the $1500 plus the charge for the check cash. I had it in 10 minutes.

THAT,S NAILING THE NAIL HOME. Glad you got the money.Aslo a good method to know.