Q & A Table of Contents
I Did The Work, But They Haven't Paid
From: Ryan, Chino, California
Question: I did some electrical work for a beauty salon that was remodeling to open their doors for the first time. I spent approximately 2 months replacing and adding electrical wiring and designing the lighting throughout this historical building that was to be used. My job is finished and customers are satisfied but they still owe me $3,500.00 for my labor and final payment.
They have given me every excuse in the book why they can't pay me, mainly that they got in over their heads yet I am aware they borrowed $30.000.00 to complete this job. The salon has been open approximately a month and I have still not been paid. I have tried to be understanding but have run out of patience.
The salon would not have been able to open without my labor and so far I have kept this on friendly terms, but I am being jacked around. What are my next steps to take in getting my money.
Response: If you had a written contract with the beauty salon, one of the choices open to you is to utilize the services of the court system and get a lien imposed against the salon. Without a written contract, that option is not available to you.
You might also make contact with the bank that lent them money to get information on how well the salon is doing now that it is up and running.
Even if you have the option of legal action, you may well be better off simply letting the salon owner(s) know that you could take them to court, but would rather settle things in an amicable fashion.
If the salon has only been open a short time, there's every likelihood they need more money than their current income. You might take the approach of saying, "OK, even though you owe me $3,500 right now, I would be willing to have you pay me $500 a week/month until the debt is settled."
Another option is to simply ask questions. Get them to acknowledge the debt, preferably on paper. Then ask them how they propose to pay you -- the speed of payment, method, etc. For example, could they give you the opportunity to give away $500 or $1000 of their services to members of your family or close friends of yours -- which you could use as gifts. You wouldn't have to spend money on gifts and the services the salon provides wouldn't cost them the retail value of those services.
Think of yourself and the salon as partners in a brainstorming session. "We share a problem. How can we, working together, solve that problem?"
If their business is not succeeding, the likelihood of collecting is slender. What you have to face is the awful question, 'what's the worst that could happen?'.
Good luck,
Steve
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