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Debt Collection Agency
Thread poster: Orla Ryan
Orla Ryan
Orla Ryan  Identity Verified
Ireland
Local time: 07:07
Jul 28, 2004

Hi everyone,

I've had it up to here with an American customer (private individual, not a company or agency), who is now 2 months overdue with an invoice and not a word from him.

I looked up his phone number online, left messages and today I tried again only to be told that this guy left this address a year ago. I've sent loads of e-mails and no reply since mid-June.

Well, I am at the end of my tether. If it was like €20, i'd leave it, but he owes me *muc... See more
Hi everyone,

I've had it up to here with an American customer (private individual, not a company or agency), who is now 2 months overdue with an invoice and not a word from him.

I looked up his phone number online, left messages and today I tried again only to be told that this guy left this address a year ago. I've sent loads of e-mails and no reply since mid-June.

Well, I am at the end of my tether. If it was like €20, i'd leave it, but he owes me *much* more than that.

Now, I think it is time to get in some outside help, like a debt collection agency, but I do not know how to go about it. I don't want to be wiped out with the expense of tracking someone in the States from here in Ireland. Do they take a commission of the debt to be collected?

I would appreciate some thoughts and your experiences, this is the first time I have had to consider resorting to this method. I wish I did not have to.

Thanks,

Orla in Dublin ▲ Collapse
 
Elías Sauza
Elías Sauza  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 00:07
Member (2002)
English to Spanish
+ ...
I was just browsing on the Internet Jul 28, 2004

I was just browsing on the Internet, checking a very respectable firm in debt collection:

http://smallbusiness.dnb.com/collect-debt/browse-products.asp?

Let's wait on more interesting input from other colleagues.


Greetings,

Elías Sauza
 
Williamson
Williamson  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:07
Flemish to English
+ ...
Reference Jul 28, 2004

Have a look at : http://www.proz.com/post/9838#9838
 
Paul Lambert
Paul Lambert  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 23:07
French to English
+ ...
Hi Orla Jul 29, 2004

I had exactly the same problem a few months ago. What I did to resolve the situation was to send an e-mail to the person along the lines of:

Dear XXX

Despite previous attempts to contact you regarding the matter of the outstanding amount of $XXX owed to me for translation work, I have yet to receive a reply.

If there is some problem with payment, I would appreciate it if you would let me know. If I do not receive a reply from you, or a notification of payme... See more
I had exactly the same problem a few months ago. What I did to resolve the situation was to send an e-mail to the person along the lines of:

Dear XXX

Despite previous attempts to contact you regarding the matter of the outstanding amount of $XXX owed to me for translation work, I have yet to receive a reply.

If there is some problem with payment, I would appreciate it if you would let me know. If I do not receive a reply from you, or a notification of payment within the next XXX days, I will have no option but to take this matter further.

I have made initial enquiries with a debt collection agency so, in order to prevent me taking legal action, I would ask that you reply to this e-mail immediately.

It worked for me, and the transfer was made that very day! It scared the **** outta the guy, and I also got a very apologetic e-mail! So, try with the threat first - if that doesn't work, then go for the kill - good luck! Slan ▲ Collapse
 
Orla Ryan
Orla Ryan  Identity Verified
Ireland
Local time: 07:07
TOPIC STARTER
One last chance Jul 29, 2004

Go raibh mile maith agat, a Pol! That is a great template - polite but still firm.

The problem is, the guy is not answering my e-mails. He made out in early June that my work never arrived (which is a lie, my emails to him have never been bounced or returned. I have sent it about 7 times now) and that he had not heard from me since the end of May. So I wrote from my other email account, no reply to that address eithe... See more
Go raibh mile maith agat, a Pol! That is a great template - polite but still firm.

The problem is, the guy is not answering my e-mails. He made out in early June that my work never arrived (which is a lie, my emails to him have never been bounced or returned. I have sent it about 7 times now) and that he had not heard from me since the end of May. So I wrote from my other email account, no reply to that address either.

However, I will e-mail him again with a Final Demand but I will also send a copy of that particular correspondence by registered snail mail to the States. We\'ll see if that envelope is sent back \"return to sender\" or if there is any reply to my email.

If that fails, I will totally go in for the kill, No More Ms. Nice Lady!

Orla


Paul Lambert wrote:

I had exactly the same problem a few months ago. What I did to resolve the situation was to send an e-mail to the person along the lines of:

Dear XXX

Despite previous attempts to contact you regarding the matter of the outstanding amount of $XXX owed to me for translation work, I have yet to receive a reply.

If there is some problem with payment, I would appreciate it if you would let me know. If I do not receive a reply from you, or a notification of payment within the next XXX days, I will have no option but to take this matter further.

I have made initial enquiries with a debt collection agency so, in order to prevent me taking legal action, I would ask that you reply to this e-mail immediately.

It worked for me, and the transfer was made that very day! It scared the **** outta the guy, and I also got a very apologetic e-mail! So, try with the threat first - if that doesn\'t work, then go for the kill - good luck! Slan
 ▲ Collapse
 
Bianca Adriaensen
Bianca Adriaensen  Identity Verified
Local time: 08:07
English to Dutch
+ ...
Similar experience Jul 29, 2004

Orla Ryan wrote:

I looked up his phone number online, left messages and today I tried again only to be told that this guy left this address a year ago. I've sent loads of e-mails and no reply since mid-June.



Hello Orla,
was your client's email address a rock.com?
If yes, please contact me privately.

Kind regards,
Bianca
 
Orla Ryan
Orla Ryan  Identity Verified
Ireland
Local time: 07:07
TOPIC STARTER
Track Record Aug 2, 2004

I did some research over the weekend and it turns out this guy has pulled the same stunt with other translators (i found this info in a T Cafe forum)... the difference with them was they did not translate for him and I did. (D'oh!)
Anyway, I am getting in with a recommended debt collection agency, so I will keep y'all posted.

O.
 


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