Re: Not being paid for work

**"* T* <m*@hort.net>**

Well, in our business, if all other avenues come up dead ends, I just
put the account into collection.  You don't get the whole amount, but
you do get something.  Plenty of collection agencies out there. They
take a percentage of what they collect that varies with the amount of
the bill.  They will want a copy of your contract and any invoices
you've sent and correspondence about the unpaid bill.

Sometimes, a letter sent registered mail informing the deadbeat that
if you do not receive payment by such and such a time on a specific
date, you will put the account into collection does the trick.  If it
doesn't, then put it into collection.  Collection agencies are not
nice and they are VERY persistent...they get the money in the end:-)

IMO, it is a really smart thing to spell out in your contract what
happens if you are not paid according to the contract.  The more you
have in writing at the top of the job, the better your chances of
getting paid become.

Keep copious records - invoice regularly; notes with date, time and
who you talked to for phone calls; copies of email sent and received.

Best of luck!

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
-----------------------------------------------
Current Article: Battling Bambi
http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening
------------------------------------------------
Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date
http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html
------------------------------------------------
All Suite101.com garden topics :
http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635

----------
> From: kate bryant <kbryant@SpiritOne.com>
> Hello Folks,
> 
> I am looking for a spot of advice on how to deal with a non-paying
magazine.
> I wrote an article about five months ago for a local paper. A few
weeks
> after I submitted it (and long after the contract was signed), I
was
> informed that they were shutting down. The offices are still open,
it seems,
> as the owner still runs another paper out of it. However, I have
not been
> paid. The amount is not huge but I could get a couple of loads of
manure for
> that price! (Maybe that's exactly what I'm getting..) I spoke with
the owner
> once, right after the closure, and was told I would be paid soon.
Since
> then, she has stopped answering e-mail and telephone messages and I
can't
> seem to reach a living being at the offices. I don't know if
they're
> bankrupt or not.
> 
> I think paying a lawyer to write a threatening letter would not be
smart,
> given the amount of money in question.
> 
> Are there any other suggestions on other wily methods for getting
paid for
> my work? Can I call and report them to anyone? Anyone tried calling
the
> Better Business Bureau?
> 
> Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
> 
> Kate 
> Portland, Oregon
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> gardenwriters mailing list
> gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters
> 
> GWL has searchable archives at:
> http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters
> 
> Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
> at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos
> 
> Post gardening questions/threads to
> &quot;Gardenwriters on Gardening&quot;
&lt;gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org&gt;
> 
> For GWL website and Wiki, go to
> http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters
_______________________________________________
gardenwriters mailing list
gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters

GWL has searchable archives at:
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters

Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos

Post gardening questions/threads to
&quot;Gardenwriters on Gardening&quot; &lt;gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org&gt;

For GWL website and Wiki, go to
http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters