Easiest way to deal with non-paying customers is to send them a final demand letter stating you'll take legal action if no payment. Then take them to the small claims court. It's quick and easy.

As someone else said, a County Court Order against him. That sort of person, doesn’t deserve your help.

As a member of the Barum Engines advisory board (subscriber) I suggest sending an Email to the thief with a deadline for payment and state failure to pay by said date will result in legal proceedings. Then if he doesn't pay, go for a County Court Order.

Your composure in dealing with the con artist trash of society, again, shows us that you are an honest gentleman. Cheers from Texas!

One of my dad's favourite sayings was ' No good deed goes unpunished' even though you were charging for the job you were still trying to help the guy.

Time to inform the Rozzers.. treat it as theft. Unless you know a Johnny knock down doors to pop round and collect 😂

If small claims court isn't a practical option then sell it to debt collection agency, you won't get full payment but he'll get continuous aggro until it's paid!

The instant he started badgering you to do work you didn't want to do you should just walk away. People like that are argumentative and just the sort to argue the price at the end. Small amount involved too - makes no difference to that sort, they need to feel they have won. Get all work quotes itemised and written down, get email or signatures accepting them before you do the work and don't allow anything back off the premisis without payment unless it is on account. Customers are not friends where buisiness is concerned.

i have never given the customer the car key until they have paid the bill, i have never been ripped off with a non payment.

Hope you get a lawyer involved or whatever the process is. Even if it costs more than you’ll get back, people like this need to be taught a lesson.

You kept your cool Lee 👍 sounds like he had that planned from the beginning keep up the good work

No good deed goes unpunished. Any job that's not paid for doesn't leave the premises . You aren't a charity.

It cost £50 for a county court order.

It’s a shame you seem such an honest and trust worthy person and people take liberties no money no keys policy and then let the customer look over the car and winge over nothing after but least you’ve been paid And as for keeping the van subtle when you’ve bought the brightest colour made me laugh 🤣

All that work coming in tells you that you and your team do good work. All the best.

Lee…..if I didn’t live a good distance from you, I would love to be working alongside you in your shop, getting my hands dirty on all the brilliant old pieces of machinery you’ve got 🙏🏻😏

Why the hell do you hand keys over before payment!

you have to many engines in, ask customers to bring them in when you are ready to start on their job, lift your prices if you are that busy. from an oap who was in business for 40 years

Shocking you don’t need customers like that, you have acted very professional and went out your way to help him. Amazing how people can behave so badly. Anyway great work on your side.

These people are lucky I’m not the owner I’d take the few hundred quid on the nose and then in a few months pay some little shits to take it for a joyride and burn it out

Small claims court for Mr I don't wish to pay Make an example and pin the award notice to a wall of shame in your office

Either name and shame the Guy, or give him 30days to pay, if he doesn't pay, take him to the small claims court.

We never hand the keys over till payment received! I’ve been burnt a few times, always by ‘matey customers’. Last matey customer dumped a car in our yard and after 6 months of asking him to move it I told him I’m charging for storage. After a few months he came in to pay me, I got distracted by a phone call and he took off in the car without paying. Never seen him since..

In the future Lee if you have a car & it's completed even if it's inside you should immobilize it till payment is made. We would remove the rotor from the distributor,a few spark plug wires or the main fuse. If you do differently each time there's no pattern to be learned. We caught several potential grab & run customers that way. We had a sign that said "No payment - No product! "

Never ever let an absolute scumbag like that take their car or engine without payment. Take that so and so to court, you will win!

If his email said he would pay, I think that leave’s no room to argue his case if you go to small claims court.

These small amounts are so easy to deal with in the small claims court, I know, I'm very sure other commentators have said the same thing and they probably don't realise the effort needed for these claims. But it reminds me of an incident I had with someone who dropped his car off and we replaced the front window and he came back with his spare key and took his car back. So we were left with nearly £250 unpaid bill, and his key. We sent countless emails and called many times. Then I personally did the small claim, and then we were paid, then we left his key with the police, at a station in another town. I'm told he was adamant he would never pay from his mates, yet we were paid and I think it might have been 2 years after this, he came back to the garage demanding his key, luckily we had a signed document from the police and video of us dropping the key off and a recorded signed for letter informing him where the key was. Never heard from him again.

As other have said, sent him a recorded delivery letter, stating he has a certain time limit to pay, then small claims court. You don't deserve to have your good name and reputation spoilt by freeloaders....good luck!

Take him to court, send him a message. It's not about the money, it's now about principle.

I would not hesitate in taking the law breaking low life to court. you will be 100% successful as he has not paid for the services he agreed to pay for.

Some clients we never will do work for again!!

Some of the best lessons in life we get is when some dishonest scrote rips us off. The trick is to learn from experience. Have a good policy and adhere to it absolutely, no exceptions. Don't let your customers make their financial problems into your financial problems.

As a friend (a social worker!) Says: "ah, the public... the more you deal with them, the more you want to kill 'em."

Forget County Court, get debt collectors onto it. No need for court if your invoice conditions are written properly.

Under no circumstances let him getaway with it take him to court he will think twice about doing it next time.

You need another apprentice and and a time served guy it seems.Thats good news shows your making a good business grow and you come across really genuine.👍

Lee, as for the P.O.S. that stiffed you on your bill for helping him, I agree with the rest in taking him to small claims court. As far as your van, how about a stripe similar to the one on the kit car? You can still put your business name on the side for exposure. Sometimes the minimal things tend to look the best. Just a suggestion. Good luck in what you choose. Love the channel.

NOTHING leaves my garage without being paid for! Its easier when you have the keys but i would have collections in an area towards the back of the workshop so they cant just back a van up and hoy it in.

I agree with all the advice on getting your money off this joker and I have been very successful with this type of customer. I send a final notice by registered mail along with a copy of a completed N1 (small claims form) all filled apart from my signature stating that should I not receive payment by a stated date and time that I will sign and submit the form to the courts. I have yet to have someone not pay me. Before anyone jumps on the band-wagon I am aware that the form can be filled in on line - the reason I do it this way is that they see the form and it appears to let them know I am serious and not taking any prisoners. Best of luck getting paid. Keep up the great work

Hello Lee, Great vlog, with regard to the non paying customer, send a final demand & then pay him a visit, in person with one of your mates. This chap obviously has the mentality of a 5 year old & when confronted at his own home will definitely pay up...tell him cash or bacs now! Pls... In future, no keys given or car outside, no engine or parts being lifted into vehicles WITHOUT payment first...do not trust anyone in business 100%....no matter who!.. All the best....

I think it's about time you got strict with these sort of customers no payment no keys or engine simple. And get everything in writing or a email .love the channel.

Definitely pursue payment in the small claims tribunal. Really enjoy your channel. All the best with your business. 👍

"leave it subtle" on a BRIGHT ORANGE van - LOL!

No good deed goes unpunished - send him payment terms by registered letter, give him 7 days to pay in full, include your detailed invoice for the work done. Follow up if he does not pay in full with a copy of the form you have filled in for debt recovery from his local county court. Don’t ever do work for him again

Many years ago, my boss at the time used to decorate the notice board in the office with CCJ’s, these were all builders we had supplied with steel/fabrication services to and failed to pay. He wasn’t so bothered about the money; it was more to knock their credit ratings.

Warn him if he doesn’t pay up the “discount will be removed” and the full 4 1/2 hours will be. Charged and or the small claims court will be visited.

I've used Small Claims on a few occasions and always been paid immediately. Got what was owed + Small Claims Court fees + 8% interest. One was my brother who sent payment just before court date. It didn't matter to me that he was my brother, he signed a loan agreement before he got my money. It's always better to be safe than sorry and stressed. There is a host to information on the Web including bespoke wordings for virtually every aspect of running a business. It's so easy to change a few words for each client, then email and have them sign and return before any work starts so they know any delay on their part will result in the work being delayed.

If your turning down work, you need to be looking for bigger premises now. Great to see your business thriving 👍.

Dear o dear...no money no keys/parts/engine ect.....never trust anyone...no visitors onto the shop floor..all visitors to office and pay before collection...

We had a repair shop sublet some work to us. We completed the project. We sent them a billing three times. They have dodged our repeated requests for payment. We are too busy to follow up with small claims court. $800 gone. We wrote off the billing along with the shop. This is too small a community to have someone pull that type of issue. This will hurt them far more than it hurts us. Be good Lee. Have a Deluxe day!

Call the police mate they are your parts on the car that is still theft

Back when I worked at auto dealerships as a tech and in machine shops as shop foreman, no one got their auto or repaired auto part before paying. And if we were paid with a check the bank was called that very moment to verify the check was good. Also, sometimes a particular check was taken to the bank by me or the dealer owner to get the money before the customer got his item and could leave. People will do crazy things to con you out of your time and money. Be careful. Like one commenter said, take them to court. That way other customers will think twice before scamming you.

Outrageous!. Words yes stripe no keep it simple and elegant .

Keeping it subtle....... lol. It's bright orange already🤣

Take him to court without any doubt!!

I'm livid this clod would do you wong so casually. I couldn't sleep at night if I had that kind of personality, and I wonder what motivates people to abuse businesses this way.

Never let your leverage leave the shop without payment. Unless you KNOW he’s a stand up person…

Your problem is pal, you're letting this stuff out of your shop before the bill has been paid. You put their card through your machine & get it sorted straight up. Don't listen to all those here who say put it through the small claims court. It's your time & half the time it's also your money. I'm an Aussie & we don't put up with this customer garbage over here. Also, get a 50% deposit before you start. If these vermin are not prepared to pay a deposit, piss them off. You don't need their business!

Weird the way that in the UK you seem to have issues with non paying customers. Here in Switzerland there is no way customers could not pay you. You just file a one page claim with their town’s debt department and if they don’t pay the department sells their assets for you. You order stuff on the internet here and pay after it’s delivered.

If everything transpired as you said, then the non-paying customer is guilty of theft and slander. Small claims court is good for recovering that money, but there is frustratingly little you can do about his mouth.

I never let a customer leave without their tire, that I check & balance if needed for free. Write it on every work order ... check and balance tire if needed. The last thing put on after they pay or they don't drive away. Best perk for service that benefits you both.

All the garages I've used , you don't get the keys till you've paid .

CONGRATULATIONS BOYS -NOW ONWARDS FOR 500

County court him ! I could tell you to learn the signs somethings not quite right . But there clever buggers , very nice and polite to begin with . You learn one thing and then they come up with something else . The joy of dealing with the public ! Chin up sunshine !

Dont let guys like that get you down keep your team small enough so you can keep an eye on what is golng big is not always the answer

As Morten said below send out a final demand for payment with a deadline and also inform him if not paid Legal proceedings via small claims court.

Here in Canada, if a customer takes a vehicle off your lot without paying, it is theft and they can be arrested. Also, once you put a mechanic's lien on the vehicle, it can't be sold without paying the lien.

Well I would be happy to have you work on any of my motors if I didn’t do them myself, and I would definitely send you my machine work if you lived near me. You guys do great work. It’s hugely obvious the pride you take in your work and it shows. Screw him.

I can feel a BARUM expansion happening soon. And a skilled fitter/machinist joining the firm.

Legal action required

I have learned to just refuse more work from customers like that. By the time you add up the time your out and the time it would take to collect, your further ahead to let it go. At least he supplied the parts, but he will have issues in the future and that is when he will be sorry. It's too bad but there are people like that every where, you just can't make them happy.

You can hire bailiffs to collect the money on your behalf... I'm pretty sure it's no fee if they don't collect.

The very nature of dealing with the public means you have to deal with a proportion of narcissistic dishonest scumbags. (Even they need a high quality job done) I wouldn’t be able to deal with people like that with as much grace.

County Court Claims Notice! followed by bailiffs !

Small claims online along with his email stating he would pay inline; + daily interest. What a knob!

Hi Lee , there's one way to sort out those type of customers and that is to NAME AND SHAME them , if they never come back so what , they're not worth the effort! . Love watching your show , reminds me of the old days ! Did my time as a motor machinist/ engine builder and loved it . Love the van .

Make an application in the small claims court for the invoice and expenses. A pain but he should pay!

Can't you take that bloke to a small claims court for payment if he doesn't pay

So sorry,I really enjoy the channel. People know what they are planning to do before hand.

Love watching your videos I wouldn't of give the keys until he paid

As for the van there has to be a local sign/wrapping company that would help you with branding/signage. Usually these companies have a graphic designer that can give you a couple of options using vehicle outlines, so that it's going to be an accurate representation of the finished job. They could use MR-RT stripe as an initial design with a Barum Engines twist ?? As for the non payment, the small claims court is the way to go.

Always keep your mouth shut until they pay. But employees should all know that nothing leaves the premise without an invoice being paid.

I knew 2 guys that were friends. #1 asked #2 for help getting his suv to start. #2 had his mechanic fix it and told #1 $550 and you're good. #1 got his suv and never paid. #2 put a mechanics lien on the $8k suv and repoed it after a bit. #2 drove that suv for years just to make his point.

Small claims court - has to be the route to follow!

not only go after him but let everyone else what he did. social media for shure. good luck on him ever getting work done.

no friends in business good customers and bad and you know what to do with the bad,if in doubt money up front

Never give the customer the keys until payment is made I learnt that the hard way

County court summons. No time for thieves!

You call the police and have him arrested for theft.

luckily i have some good friends in high places like a barrister , a judge and a couple of heavy handed 6ft 8ins mates, just get on the phone and tell him he forgot to pay and then ban him but also when he drove off without paying he was steeling phone the police and tell them he did not pay it is as bad as going into a shop and coming out without paying believe me he will get done .

No pay the bill , NO F## KING KEYS .

File a claim with the court!

In the US we can put a lien on the car papers that must be settled before the car can be sold

Take a copy of the invoice to him in person. Tell him if he doesn't pay, you're going down to the biker bar & sell his invoice to the highest bidder.

Love your ideas on the van stripes and logo (I really like that van), customers come in all flavors and some are truly obnoxious and borderline criminal. This unfortunately happens to all of us that have been in business. You need to have protections in place to prevent this or collection fees will cut even deeper into your margins and the good will you put into your work.... Cheers... Joe

The problem is " YOU " . Never let the customer have access to the car with keys in it and they don't get the keys until they pay the bill. I think you spend too much time trying not to hurt people's feelings. Stop doing people favors you are in business, give the quote and when they come give them the invoice and they get the keys when they pay. The guy who refuses to pay you report to the police for stealing. Weak as piss if you just let him walk away.

Always keep the keys on you until the client pays. Stops this type of stuff happening. Also send a letter of demand and then speak with a debt collector and let them chase it up

I don't know how it works there, but you should file a lean against the title of the vehicle preventing resale while you take him to court. Be sure to get your time chasing him down in damages as well.

Wow,do not let this chancer get away with this,as someone who has built up a business in the construction industry over 30 years I would drag him through every court in the country over a fiver!Set your stall out from the get go and take no shit from anybody, customer or not!That said,love your channel and the old school quality work you achieve.Best regards.

Our policy is nothing leaves until it's paid for. We had one guy try dicker down his bill while having his buddy load the tractor. The gate was locked so they couldn't leave without paying, police came, guy then paid his bill. He said he was going to take us to court but that never happened.