Do you think I was right in asking for a deposit.

[afright]

Went and looked at a job a couple of weeks ago kitchen floor ,bathroom half tiled walls and floor and an en-suite shower.He cancelled, the excuse was a lack of funds ,then the job was back on,went to look at the tiles he had for the job to give a price ,the customer was not there and I noticed the kitchen(very badly) and en-suite floor was tiled so gave him a price by text.I started to think it looks a bit dodgy so I text him again and ask for a deposit now I very rarely ask but this job did not feel right.The outcome was a few nasty text's and a phone call with him shouting down the phone,saying that this is unprofessional.I tried to reason with him but he was having none of it and he also said he will ruin me in the tiling trade,this got my back up and I know I should not have done but I gave him a mouthful back.Its just that I had a gut feeling about this one ,do you think it was right to ask for the deposit or should I have gone ahead and supplied the ad,grout and trim and done the job?,I have now found out that he might have used my discount in Tile giant to get the adhesive and grout for the two floors that were done without my knowledge.

 

[Gazzer]

Sounds like a right chancer , I cant understand why stores give clients discount....well I do because if anyone pushes hard enough they can get tiles at our rates in most stores.
You were within your rights to ask for a deposit and I cant see why the hassle.

 

[Qwerty]

I'm with Neale. It's written into my T&C's now

 

[Sean SML Tiling]

Definitely agree to ask for deposit. Hes clearly after work done for nothing.

 

[afright]

I think he got the hump because I ask for the deposit after I priced the job I was all set to start today,so decided to ask him this morning I told him that I would get the materials but would need the deposit when I arrived he told me he was to busy working up and down the country,he has been hard to track him to talk to, so I thought this might get a lot harder after I completed the job.

 

[Dan]

Yeah totally. If you get the feeling you need to, do so. Too many chancers these days.

 

[radim]

you supply mats and ask for deposit.- fair enough imo. if he has problem with it better go away...
btw is he bigger than you?:boxing_smiley:

 

[Ajax123]

You are perfectly entitled to ask for a deposit regardless of whether or not he sounds like a total toss pot which in this case he does. You are better off out of it. And don't worry about him "ruining you" in the tiling trade. You will thrive on recommendations following good quality work nt from Wallis like him trying to out one over on you.

 

[afright]

Thanks for all the support lads I can sleep better tonight was awake all last night thinking about it , I think a deposit will be asked for when I price the job for customers that I am not sure off cheers.

 

[Chalker]

Better to walk away without the job than do it and not get paid!
By the sounds of it you were not going to get paid.

ive just started a bathroom, and politely asked for a deposit. I said 30%. She paid 50%! On a £12000 job.

 

[John Benton]

If you are supplying materials you MUST get a deposit. There is nothing wrong in that, it shows commitment from the customer and potentially stops them backing out of the work to be done.

If I have a job particularly when I'm supplying tiles I get them to forward a cheque/bank transfer and make sure it is cleared before I even order tiles. That way I will never be out of pocket. Materials such as addy etc can always be used. 20-30m of tiles sat in your garage are not something you can sell easily, obviously they are not to everybodys taste. If they back out before the job is done, unlikely, because I don't get them delivered until maybe a day into the job when I'm ripping out. They're not going to lose maybe £6-700 of tiles at that point.

 

[AliGage]

I always ask for a deposit. As above. shows their commitment to you.

 

[thompsonbrown]

Always go with your gut feelings, no point getting a job if you dont get paid.
A customer who threatens to ruin you is someone you should be pleased you didnt work for.
Keep the text messages, your the guy who lost work over this idiot, dont doubt yourself.

 

[High Peak Tiling]

With a customer like that I would have taken the other floors being done as a slight insult, people like that get no discount off materials and get a fat quote... If they are stupid enough to take the quote then I'll do the job with a smile

 

[High Peak Tiling]

I also ask for a deposit on large jobs normally for materials and always take a deposit for commercial.

 

[On one]

I had a one in December that didnt quite smell right as well. When I said I didn't have the time to go and get the tiles(60 mile round trip for 3m2) she backed out blaming XYZ.....
Then this week out of the blue she rings up and asks when can I start!
I ask....have you got the tiles ......................''No''
have you got the Electrician sorted......''No''

 

[Andy Allen]

I had the same happen to me on a 50m2 floor just before Christmas, priced the job , had it all booked in, then he rang me wanting me to get the tiles for him with my discount, told him I wanted a deposit, he said he would drop it round on the Friday, as I was starting the job on monday nothing appeared so that was it, cancel the job, can't be doing chasing people for money, and like you something didn't add up with him, I found out later he was down the tile suppliers trying to use my trade discount, he had a right go at me on the phone too, as he had to get the floor done to get the kitchen fitted, this was all 2 weeks before Christmas..lol all water off a ducks back to me, I wouldn't let it worry you....just forget about him and move on to the next job...

 

[White Room]

Absolutely your right to ask for a deposit, sometimes that gut feeling is spot on....

 

[lizzardtong]

I have now found out that he might have used my discount in Tile giant to get the adhesive and grout for the two floors that were done without my knowledge.

how did they let him to use your discount?
usually i have a phone call from tile shop if someone wants to use my discount.

 

[White Room]

Topps let one of my customers use mine, I know nothing was the reply when questioned...

 

[stusgsx]

Sounds like the kind of customer that wouldn't of paid you if you had done it. It always makes me suspicious when I go to quote and it's obvious they have had other tiling done recently or if work has been started but not finished.

 

[Rossymcg]

Why not pay a deposit? I get them to pay the supplier, say iI get materials at £100 I get customer to pay £120, £20 off my account and materials paid for, I see it as my discount not theirs, they think they're paying trade, everyone is happy