Hello, basically I run my own cleaning company and one of the services is window cleaning, as im sure your not surprised and aware someone aint paying me, this woman has basically taken the mickey and is pee;in me off big time. Usually I'd right it off and claim it back as unpaid so an expense but the woman keeps sending me on a wild goose chase instead of being honest. The other day was the last straw and im sick of her 'come back tomorrow' line.

What i need now though is her surname, I have everything else, i:e first name and full address but i need her surname for a small claims solicitor to send off a letter.

Yes this may sound a bit petty but im sick of her taking the mickey to be honest

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated

Ste

my mum has had a similar thing too

go to the local library and ask to have a look at the electoral register, it is listed in road/neumerical order, so find her street, number and it might have her surname printed. the only reason it wouldn't be there is if when she got the card through her letterbox she ticked the 'don't appear on the edited register' box.

also, for the small claims court, i needed the date of birth too.

one other option is ask her for the details because you are going to take her to the small claims court. if she refuses, just say you will go and ask all her neighbours for her details and explain to them why you need them, she should be embarrassed about her neighbours knowing and sort it out

good luck

"Accidently" bump in to the postie outside her house and make them drop the post and then apologise and help pick up the letters they dropped and take a glance at the name.

Am I correct in thinking that this is a commercial property rather than a private address?

If its a private address - I'd write it off.
If its a commercial property I believe (Stand to be corrected here) that you can issue a "Winding up Order" on the business for the unpaid bills (I think it's a Section 29 order). That usually gets a timely response

https://www.gov.uk/wind-up-a-company...money/overview

It wasn't a section 29 order by the way

no its residential, as i said id usually leave it and have don in the past, its her attitude though, she aint skint, she is taking the pee. Ive heard about the library one so will pop in tomorrow, just know how good people are on here at finding things out so thought it was worth a shot

I dont want her to get away with it, why should i to be honest, she has got my back right up

How much does she owe you? My window cleaner charges £10 a month to clean 12 window areas.

I would look into what you need to have a good chance in small claims, before you start the track. If you dont have the right evidence then there is no point even going to court.

Take a look at Money Claim Online, which is a Government ran website.

It allows you to make a court claim without having to bother with a solicitor. If they ignore it, the court will order them to pay.

Go and clean her windows again but this time smash a few in.

Yes but there is a fee.
And they dont just make a decision, they have to look at evidence.. if there is none they just throw it out and move onto the next claim..

Have you tried googling her address?

The money owed is enough for me to be pee'd off about to be honest. I've had it before were something similar has happened but the people have come across hard times and stopped us straight away. This woman works in a good job. So does her fella. She didn't stop us from coming for a while and kept saying ill pay next time. We stopped in the end. Due to non payment. Its her attitude since of 'oh ill send a cheque, ill pay on line, can. You. Call back'. I've got wages an bills to pay so don't see why I should let her get away with it when her circumstances aint changed.

I've tried googling her address but got nothing. Ill try the library today an go from there. Thanks

http://www.192.com/

Put her post code in and you should see a big list.. there will be a fee but it will get you the info you need - assuming she is on the voters register etc.

But like I said, there is no point going down a small claims track unless you have the right evidence.. you really need to be sending her a letter giving her 28 days to pay for starters, telling her that after this date you will go to court. The court may also want to see proof you did the work - do you keep a diary or spreadsheet of when you do what? They may also want to know how the contract was formed etc - when and where etc.

I am only trying to help you as if you are p1ssed now how will you feel if it costs you £50 to get told your case is not strong enough.

Then the fun starts of getting the money - you can get a judgement but then getting the money can be a problem - and court bailiffs cost more money - and TBH dont often do a good job either.

HTH.

Steve - it's not me is it!!!!

Sorted. Got her name from the electoral roll. Thanks for the advice people

Got it now. I keep records of everything I do. Every job an every amount. I have to as the tax man likes it like that haha

Haha no mate. I had a feeling you may of seen this haha. Can't let people take the mickey though mate an this woman is. I'm not horrible and if someone has genuinely come into hard times I'll write it off but this woman ain't an simply wants the work for nothing

Right it off mate. Small claims is a waste of time.

OK keep us updated. They are serving quite quickly so once you complete the form they will get the notice within 2 - 3 days if its not over a weekend.

I can appreciate that, but how much does she owe you - is it hundreds of pounds?

Clean her windows with a cloth previously used to polish a doggy doo.
Then offer to clean it all off if she settles her bill beforehand.

Knock on the neghbours door make up a story

Yes it's a few hundred, we did a full house clean as well you see ie facias soffits gutters and conservatory

It's very easy for other people to say write it off, no chance, I'd hunt her down and hound her until she pays.

before you go to the small claims court, you'll have to write her a letter stating the dates and work done, amount outstanding and give her a deadline to respond to the letter (not a deadline to pay yet)

if you speak to citizens advice, they will advise you of different things you need to say to make it official

This is good advice

If she does not respond or defend the claim then she will be found liable for the money owed

No guarantee she will pay - but you will have the satisfaction of knowing she will find it very hard to get any form of credit again, and will prob find moving/selling difficult too

Small claims very easy/simple process, just get all your paper work in order

ive sent her an invoice detailing all work carried out with dates and amounts owing, sent this via recorded delivery hence why i needed her surname. if she choooses to ignore this then onto the next step which is a solicitors who specialise in these sort of cases

The small claims process is designed without the need for solicitors

Getting a letter from the courts will focus their attention much more than a solicitors letter IMO

Use one of these




Fill it with some nasty oily solution thats going to be a bugger to clean off, then pop round to her place late one evening and silently spray her windows/doors/conservatory etc.
Make sure you have an alibi for back up.

Or don a pair of marigolds and smear dog sh!te on her door handles and car door handles.

Or a dozen eggs launched at upstairs windows.

Or any one of a hundred things I can think of!

Just don't admit to it on here!


For the record, I have never done such a thing to anyone who has done a runner from one of our rental properties owing me money and wrecking the house, but then posted their new address on Facebook