To all the ex customers who owe my business money from previous financial years:
Get stuffed you bastards.
Engaging the services of a sole trader tradesman without any intention of paying for that service is a low act.
No doubt you were already aware that I have little recourse under our current legislative system and therefore felt you could rob me. No doubt you are the first to cry to all and sundry that the rates tradesmen charge are robbery. Try engaging the services of a debt collector for a debt of less than several thousand dollars for a fuller appreciation of the overused robbery catchphrase. I hope the gas repairs that I carried out for your premises have kept you safe and well, confident in the knowledge that your clean efficient gas appliances have been checked by a licenced professional. I hope your cooker cooks, your water heater heats water efficiently and well. I hope your room heater heats you and your cohorts to a comfortable and cozy temperature in the colder months.
I hope that when that fateful day comes and you unfortunately once again require my services you will not be too upset when I say: "yer thanks, but no thanks, I'm busy." I hope the cheap, unlicenced, wannabe gasfitter that you eventually convince to attend your premises fucks up and burns the whole dump to the ground. I hope you find out way too late that your insurance cover is unfortunately void because you did not have your installation certified under the act as compliant with AS 5601. I hope you didn't neglect to honor your debt with your licenced electrician so the same unfortunate circumstances could recur with your subsequent cheap dodgy wiring. Oh wait, yer I hope that bites you in the ass too.
If you find that this post offends you and you are not indebted to a tradesman, I profusely beg your forgiveness. If you have an unpaid tradesman's bill, and a reason you do not want to pay it, give the poor bugger a call. Chances are that he will readily rectify any genuine fault or grievance given the opportunity.
If you feel you simply cannot talk to your tradesman, settle up and choose another.
We tradesmen talk too. Leave the account outstanding and one day we all just say no thanks. We have exactly the same rights and opportunities to check the desirability of your custom as you do when it comes to asking for your friends and colleagues opinions about tradesmen they know or choose to call. If a mate asks you for an opinion about another person's trustworthiness is that opinion, gained through personal experience slander? Hardly. If you live in a small country town and you have a habit of conning service providers the day inevitably comes when service is no longer provided.
Many trades service companies in the cities are strictly COD with an upfront service call or appearance fee.
How can there be a mutual trust between a customer and the tradesman under that arrangement? How many times would your doctor consult with you if you didn't pay at the desk before you leave his surgery? How many times would you be able to fill your fuel tank and just drive away from your local service station? Pay me or call me, don't ignore me and think I'll just forget you. I haven't....
To the other 96% of my customers from this and previous years: G'day how ya going, I appreciate your ongoing business. I hope you don't need me to come visit because everything is fine. If however you do, just give me a call, as always I'll be there for you.
Elsewhere on the web, take a look at my Squidoo posts.
