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Difficult Customer

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  • Difficult Customer

    I'll try and keep this brief to start with.

    I operate a classic car restoration business. We completed a restoration job for a customer in March 2014. shortly after this he came to us with a couple of issues that he wasn't happy with, which is entirely usual as we usually have a snagging list appear once the car is back on the road.

    We took the van back and corrected this snagging list, some of the problems were down to him wishing to re-use old parts that subsquently failed and some were new parts, all problems were rectified.

    We usually offer a 12month guatantee on our paintwork and 6months on any mechanical assembly work. Any re-used items from the vehicle prior to restoration aren't covered and the remaining parts that come from external suppliers usually come with its own warranty.

    The customer flagged a paint issue that reared its head after a couple of months, after discussion it was found to be our responsibility and I have offered to rectify this without charge on numerous occations. he also then found a leak with an item that was purchased second hand and has no guarantee which we also offered to fix out of good will.

    We agreed that it would be fitted in around our normal schedule but a date couldn't be pinned down and the customer then said he couldn't be bothered to journey the 1hr from his house to our workshop and would therefore like to seak to have the work repaired nearer to home. ordinarilly we would insist on fixing the work ourselves in this instance I agreed but put a cap of £350 on the cost of work, which I had estimated would cost me if we were to rectify at our own facilities. He sought advice from another company and said it would be difficult to meet that money cap to rectify the work (at normal workshop rates). At this point I re-itterated we would do the work or pay up to £350 and at this time it would end our relationship, drawing a line under the whole thing.

    I have now been handed a bill from the customer for nearly £1000 for correcting the work and additional things that he hasn't brought to my attention (including stuff he didn't want changing at the time of the restoration) along with the invoice is a statement that this should be paid to him within 14days and that there is additional work to come still for even more stuff that he also hasn't brought to my attention.

    Previously during our communications he has threatened me with legal action twice to force a reaction (which worked). I have wanted to avoid this route to date because I feel i have been very accomodating and I am still prepared to correct any of the other work or pay up to £350, even though we are well outside the guarantee period and I hate the way people jump straight to legal action without a conversation. I have managed to talk him down twice and try to reason with him.

    I feel this now is the final straw for me and I need to know where I stand legally as I would consider fighting fire with fire, as it seems he is trying to take me for a ride. He has always come accross as the type of customer who is looking for something for nothing and i'm simply not going to give in. I'm a small company trying to make ends meet and most of our customer are very reasonable if problems arise which is rarely.

    Sorry for waffling and it didn't turn out very brief. I am looking for an idea of where i stand before I fire off a kneejerk response to him.

    Thanks for your time in advance.
    Tags: None

  • #2
    Re: Difficult Customer

    Hi and welcome
    Assuming you have a paper trail and can prove what you are saying, I would repeat the offer (if you are still willing) and tell him that's that!
    If he wants to sue, let him and defend yourself.
    It will be a small claim so even if you should lose the costs will not be excessive.

    And what a satisfying business! Owner of two classics but getting too old to clamber underneath with the welder!!

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Difficult Customer

      Thanks for your quick response des8. Yes 99% of our conversations have been email based which i still have.

      having never been in this position before is there any way of knowing likely costs even if i do lose?

      It is a very satifying business or should I say it is usually, this is taking the shine off it some what.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Difficult Customer

        Basically costs will include court fees,travel expenses and loss of earnings when attending court
        More details here: http://www.compactlaw.co.uk/free-leg...ing-costs.html

        The important bit is that any solicitors costs aren't included.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Difficult Customer

          What was the total cost of the restoration work?

          From your account you sound to have acted in a perfectly reasonable fashion.

          No doubt had it been your customer who posted on here he would have had a rant about having to have gone backwards and forwards to an incompetent dealer with fault after fault that you failed to rectify. There are always two sides to every story.

          I know nothing about vehicle restoration, but your approach sounds more than reasonable, as in not warranting reused parts etc etc.

          As you have concluded, it may well be put up or shut up time.

          Should he follow through, you may decide to get professional advice, but there are lots of us here, some qualified, some with huge experience, willing to offer to assist where we can.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Difficult Customer

            Put your original offer to pay up to £350. 00 in writing by signed for post.
            This should be titled final response.
            List the works that were to be covered by your offer in detail, and those works
            which are unacceptable/ not previously notified to you.

            Pay the £350.00 by cheque noted in the letter as being sent without acknowledgment
            of any liability for the extra works carried out and any further work completed without your
            express agreement.

            More formal than an e-mail and will hopefully have more impact.

            nem

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Difficult Customer

              Hi guys,

              thanks for your responses to my issue here, they have been very informative and useful to me as a complete novice in these situations. I have now taken plenty of time to mull over and formulate a reply to the customer. I will hopefully send this over to him today once I have wrestled with my mind that i am happy with it. It is great to hear how much support you guys can offer to people in my position and all your time so far is greatly appreciated. Lets see how it pans out. Many Thanks.

              Comment

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