Do you bill monthly?

[cruzgardening]

Originally Posted by SpokaneSRC

I'm afraid of asking a new contract client to pay for a month in advance when they know nothing about me or my company. But I also don't want to have to try to collect (for the previous months service) from people who have a hard time paying.
One time services need to pay at the time the service is completed.
I appreciate all the info.

i got 2 rental properties 2 months ago and i asked the landlord to pay upfront 3 months and he did so with no fuss, i did the same to one of my new clients which seem a bit shady i asked him for 2 months in advance and he asked why i explained and he agreed both of this clients have no annual contract with me so they can leave when ever they want and i will return the months i do not work for them or they can ask me to work and the payment off.

so basically if you do not trust someone i would say charge them upfront 2-3 months and let them know you will bill them at the end of the current month...

this makes closer relationships even with the clients that you dont trust.

[cruzgardening]

Originally Posted by lxarth

I would send collection letters and even call them. I was going to take them to court, but the statute of limitation is 75 days, and I just waited too long.

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a friend of mine told me i could put a lean on one of my costumers homes from the unpaid balance of a job we did last year i asked around but no one knew if it was true the balance of the job was $650 the client had already paid me 3/4 of the money but did not pay the rest, at first she said she forgot then she said she would mail me the check which never came. This was an extra job she did pay me for my Lawn care services, so anyways i service her neighbor and she knows a lot about laws so she scared her by saying i had already send a letter to the county office to place a lean and with in 5 days the check was in my mail box for the full amount she owed... don't really know if i can put a lean on anyones home but that seem to work

[mark123]

Originally Posted by cruzgardening

a friend of mine told me i could put a lean on one of my costumers homes from the unpaid balance of a job ...

Some states allow this but not mine. Mowing, pruning, snow removal aren't permanent improvements so they don't allow for liens in these cases.

"Hand to mouth" means making barely enough to get by with no extra so that if one mishap occurs everything falls apart. It's sort of like saying "living paycheck to paycheck". Both are common English language idioms but I sometimes forget that English isn't everyone's native tongue.

[lxarth]

I understand what "hand to mouth" means, but I wasn't sure if he was asking if some of us are just making enough to get by, or if our business is just doing anything it can to get by.

In my state you can file a labor lien (commonly called a mechanics lien) if the last day of work was within 75 days.

I just happened to wait too long. I was calling, emailing, texting, and sending letters. That's when I found out (from a customer who owned me over $300 and still never paid) that I can put liens on homes. That customer told me because he had sold the home already, nice guy 'eh?