new back gate. do i pay half in advance

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23 Sep 2016
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joiner said he was coming to fit new back gate and frame, then he has messaged me saying he needs half the money upfront and can i transfere it, i was wondering why he never told me at the time, is this how it works half the money upfront or pay when job complete..
 
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May be best to find someone else.
If he cannot afford to provide what is probably £50-80 worth of wood then I'd look for someone else.

Or is it metal?

What guarantee have you got that he wont just disappear with your money?
does he have a workshop where you can go see him or is he just someone you found on t'internet/phone book etc. ?
 
wooden, he wants £150 upfront it doesn't feel right to me but am not sure how it works thats why am asking on here, he did my neighbours not sure if she paid half but i was lead to believe you always get the a job done before you pay anything unless its a extention or something like that..
 
Check with your neighbour how good a job he did.

He may be one that has had people not pay before so likes to get 1/2 up front.
 
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If the customer doesn't pay just load the gate up and drive off.
 
There are two sides to this one. As a tradesman I have to say that it isn't unknown for customers you have never dealt with before to "stiff" you (yes, there are rogue customers). For that reason when I ran a workshop I generally requested a 1/3 deposit up front when an order was confirmed, at least on the first job, the balance being due on completion. On larger jobs I would request stage payments. So no, I don't think it is unreasonable to request a deposit/downpayment, but I do think your joiner needs to learn how to ask for this in a more professional manner
 
Exactly, I thought if he said at the beginning he required x amount deposit it would have felt right... messaged him back and said I didn't want to pay 150 upfront and he messaged back saying just leave the whole thing, your neighbour and everyone else gets charged that.. I didn't reply to that I have someone else now.
 
Exactly, I thought if he said at the beginning he required x amount deposit it would have felt right... messaged him back and said I didn't want to pay 150 upfront and he messaged back saying just leave the whole thing, your neighbour and everyone else gets charged that.. I didn't reply to that I have someone else now.

the fact he "messaged you" which sounds like a text, is all too casual

If his terms are always a deposit, he should have discussed that with you and provided a written quote with his terms clearly on it.

its a bit unusual to ask for a deposit for labour only work, common for supplying materials
 
I have to say that I don't like the idea of texting a request for money. Surely any competent, professional tradesman should have a written set of terms and conditions. He should also supply his customers with a written quotation, on a printed letterhead (which needs to give a physical premises address, a land line phone number as well as an email address). It isn't rocket science; it is appropriate business etiquette and goes a long way to reassuring the customer that he is legitimate
 
the fact he "messaged you" which sounds like a text, is all too casual

If his terms are always a deposit, he should have discussed that with you and provided a written quote with his terms clearly on it.

its a bit unusual to ask for a deposit for labour only work, common for supplying materials
it was a text and it was supplying materials, i would have paid for the materials if he had invoice or something but i just didnt want to hand over half not knowing who he was, it probably would have been ok but it didnt feel right at the time.
 
I have to say that I don't like the idea of texting a request for money. Surely any competent, professional tradesman should have a written set of terms and conditions. He should also supply his customers with a written quotation, on a printed letterhead (which needs to give a physical premises address, a land line phone number as well as an email address). It isn't rocket science; it is appropriate business etiquette and goes a long way to reassuring the customer that he is legitimate
i agree, he didnt trust us to start the job that we would pay so why would we trust giving him £150 it works both ways but he knows where we live we didnt know where he lived... anyway he his not doing it now am sure others would feel the same way i did.
 
I agree with jobandknock. 0-1/3 up front is OK. 50% is too much. And yes, it should be presented on a quote with terms ideally. Trust does work both ways. I rarely pay up front and when I do it's only ever a goodwill amount to show commitment, and always settle instantly the job is finished.
 
Never in a million years would I have paid him a single penny until the work was complete and to my satisfaction. He would have been told that before he commenced any work and if he didn't like it then he could go and do one. Too many scammers out there calling themselves "professional tradesmen." As far as I am concerned any job, no matter how small, comes with a written contract on headed paper which is discussed by both parties before any work is carried out. Part of the reason scammers get away with what they get away with is because we take people at face value. Trust no-one EVER.
 
We are going to jobs recently and even before we arrive on site or any materials are on site the customers have paid up about half in advance.
I think some of them are well crabbed though. lol
 

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