What's worse than covid-19? Customers not paying.

[WildWestDesigns]

Please check your state laws.

For some that will fall on deaf ears.

To each their own. Here and for the other's that don't happen to pay attention to their state laws (but not may not be for every state), if one wants to be able to legally repo, it has to be stated in the contract and it has to be explicitly stated that it is a repo. Can't use language such as "emergency repair".

Now, some don't think that there will be much trouble, because their client is a welcher, so they are in the wrong for that, why would they have the law go after me. While also in some areas, the person that commissioned the sign, may not actually be the owner of the property that it is affixed to and that determines ownership of said sign.

It has always perplexed me, why those that advocate repos (especially illegal ones), they always advocate doing it at night and when no one is around? And if the cops do go knocking at your door, they suggest lying about any involvement. I just don't get that logic. If one is in the right, shouldn't have to deny involvement in it.

For me every time I help someone I am burnt, unless I have been to your house and know your family and have eaten and drank with you, there is no credit.

"No good deed..."

 

[visual800]

I never threaten a customer with repo I just surprise them one morning when they show up, and it is stated on my quotes.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Whats the point of illegally repoing a sign? It has no value so all you’re doing is throwing good money at bad to take it down and risking arrest or a civil suit.

 

[visual800]

Whats the point of illegally repoing a sign? It has no value so all you’re doing is throwing good money at bad to take it down and risking arrest or a civil suit.

Repoed one monday last week, it was a lexan face that was cleaned off and relettered and reinstalled. Customer went silent for approx 2 months. MIRACULOUSLY after taking sign down at 6am he texted and called at 9am, I posted the repo on facebook and called him out. After payment was made, I put sign back up and took post down on facebook.

I respect your stand on repoes, if you dont like it and your scared to do it, just dont it. Scared of getting sued, dont do it. Ive had nothing but success doing it and will continue to do it. Ive not had to do many but everytime it was as success

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Repoed one monday last week, it was a lexan face that was cleaned off and relettered and reinstalled. Customer went silent for approx 2 months. MIRACULOUSLY after taking sign down at 6am he texted and called at 9am, I posted the repo on facebook and called him out. After payment was made, I put sign back up and took post down on facebook.

I respect your stand on repoes, if you dont like it and your scared to do it, just dont it. Scared of getting sued, dont do it. Ive had nothing but success doing it and will continue to do it. Ive not had to do many but everytime it was as success

Im not scared of anything, im just not going to be stupid enough to risk getting a felony and have to check that “yes” box on my license renewals every year. Its not worth the risk.
I also dont have problems getting paid. It sounds like you need to work on that rather than running around stealing signs. It is illegal no matter how much luck you have and bad advice to be giving to others that don’t know.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I respect your stand on repoes, if you dont like it and your scared to do it, just dont it. Scared of getting sued, dont do it. Ive had nothing but success doing it and will continue to do it. Ive not had to do many but everytime it was as success

It has less to do with scared as it to do what is legal (regardless if one agrees with the law or not). Hell, include it in your contracts (the one that is directly related to production of the good that is) for what it is (by this, I mean don't disguise it as an "emergency repair" when it is really a repo). Now some jurisdiction do require other things, like contacted them for so long etc, so there may be that as well. Then you are able to repo, in most instances, again depends on the jurisdiction and what they require.

I have a question for you, if the law was to come to you asking about the missing good, how would you answer them? Know nothing about it or would you tell them, yea it's in the back corner over there?

Part of your "success" is that some people may not really know what protections that they have or don't have. Plus remember, depending on the jurisdiction, ownership of property, how it's affixed, your client may not be the aggrieved party and it may be the land/property owner that actually owns the sign after you had originally installed it. So there are a lot of factors that do come into play and not as simple as one thinks.

 

[netsol]

Get it all up front or accept the fact that some wont pay. If you cant afford to not get paid then dont do it without money in hand.
I dont stress over the couple of jerk offs that stick me. I took one to court before and it was a waste of time and took a few years off my life. Another option is to hire an admin and make that part of their job. A good one will wear them out until they pay.

"not a real sign guy" in new jersey when you take someone to court you get "what am i your f**king collection agency?" from judge AND prosecutor. my largest client writes off hundreds of bad checks a yr. in spite of the fact that it is a felony

it has become. very funny country

 

[Notarealsignguy]

"not a real sign guy" in new jersey when you take someone to court you get "what am i your f**king collection agency?" from judge AND prosecutor. my largest client writes off hundreds of bad checks a yr. in spite of the fact that it is a felony

it has become. very funny country

I do agree too many people get away with scamming others but collections are civil. There are no prosecutors in civil court. They will prosecute a bad check sometimes but not get your money for you, thats your responsibility to take up in civil court. Its the same everywhere

 

[peerlessdani]

Im not scared of anything, im just not going to be stupid enough to risk getting a felony and have to check that “yes” box on my license renewals every year. Its not worth the risk.
I also dont have problems getting paid. It sounds like you need to work on that rather than running around stealing signs. It is illegal no matter how much luck you have and bad advice to be giving to others that don’t know.

Who is really "stealing" here? Hmmmm, probably the guy who ordered a sign, received the sign but did not pay for it...

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Who is really "stealing" here? Hmmmm, probably the guy who ordered a sign, received the sign but did not pay for it...

No. That is not how the law defines theft

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Who is really "stealing" here? Hmmmm, probably the guy who ordered a sign, received the sign but did not pay for it...

You have to keep in mind, depending on your jurisdiction, the sign even though it was commissioned by one person, depending on how it's attached to the building, may actually be the property owner's sign, if your customer isn't the property owner.

And depending on jurisdiction, your contract has to explicitly say repo, not "emergency repair" or any bs like that in order to have that type of protection to repo. Even then, there are steps that need to follow afterward. Wait so long, attempt so many times of communication to get payment etc.

It's not fun doing everything on the up and up and sometimes still get screwed. But it is what it is at this point in time.

 

[printhog]

• Retail orders under $1500, payment upfront in full at time of order. sign on the counter says so. no reason to float them at all.
  
• have all net terms customers fill out a credit app and contract annually. Incentivize that with credit raises for more sales. (helps to stay on their bookkeepers radar too.)
• CHECK EVERY CREDIT CUSTOMER'S CREDIT at least once a year, raise and lower their limits based on that. if they get risky lower the line or require deposits
• GET PERSONAL GUARANTEES on all CREDIT accounts - I really cant stress this enough - you likely cant borrow money without one, why should they?
• Get simple personal guarantees on retail sales over your $1500 prepay limit - if you're carrying any balance at delivery. even install fees, etc
• Use a credit application that gets their social security number, bank account #s, and business license info, that's required to enforce a judgment in court and to report to their credit.
• hire a collection service for the bad one's
• research using your mechanic or contractor lien rights in your area.
• For vehicle graphics - if you have mechanics lien rights, and its posted, don't release the vehicle until paid for. park it securely inside.
• use receivable factoring to carry the accounts that have good credit but pay slow, common rates are equal to cc fees. you can get 90% upfront often right away.

ive used these rules for decades, they work.