How Do You Deal with Clients that Fail to Pay?

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truelux

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I have a client that has been paying in cash/check but went rogue... I host his website and have been doing local marketing for him but now he is out of reach.

It was my mistake to not have him sign a contract; however I don't want to continue hosting or working for someone that's not paying.

I was thinking of taking the site down with a "Failure to Pay" notice. What do you think?

This is not someone that I want to continue working with, especially due to the fact that he doesn't return my calls.

I'm fine with getting what he owes me and not dealing with him again.
 
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Taking the site down is a good idea, but save a copy. That way you can make him pay more (charge in advance this time) to get a .zip of it.
 
Always charge some % in advance and make contract that gives you right to put down site if he doesn't pay in X days.

Now, you can put site down and write on index page "Client Didn't Pay" :)
 
If you're using WHM (Cpanel) just suspend the website. Edit the template so it shows your branding, similar to what HG does. Something like "Please Contact our Billing Department as soon as possible" works great, as it implies they're not paying, and it's embarrassing for most business owners.
 
If it is a business website, you would be amazed how quickly it will bring a client who has hitherto been unreachable, back in contact with you.
Take the site down and put up a "site suspended due to unpaid invoices" page. It will lose them clients and make the company lose face, they will want it removed instantly, and to do that they will have to pay what is outstanding...

Not enjoyable, but sometimes it has to be done.
 
roamer said:
If you're using WHM (Cpanel) just suspend the website. Edit the template so it shows your branding, similar to what HG does. Something like "Please Contact our Billing Department as soon as possible" works great, as it implies they're not paying, and it's embarrassing for most business owners.
Click to expand...

I definitely agree with this. Do what any other hosting company would do.
 
Heres a step by step list of what I do when someone doesn't pay:

1: Look up their name and address
2: Pack my bags
3: Head to airport
4: Get off plane and get a room
5: Plan my attack
6: Go to their house
7: Knock on the door
8: When they open the door, I keep knocking (on their forehead while asking "wheres my money")
9: Most likely I will leave with no money and a fresh assault case :D
 
Haven't faced this before, but these suggestions seem good. Let us know what he does if you do this.
 
roamer said:
If you're using WHM (Cpanel) just suspend the website. Edit the template so it shows your branding, similar to what HG does. Something like "Please Contact our Billing Department as soon as possible" works great, as it implies they're not paying, and it's embarrassing for most business owners.
Click to expand...


I like this suggestion and wording... I'm going to implement this shortly!


edit: I am using Cpanel and the client is on his own account but it's not connected to a credit card. I just created a separate plan for him and created the wordpress site. What would be the best way to add such a notice? Should I edit the wordpress index.php itself? or is there a way to edit something within CPanel so that none of the wordpress files get ruined?

thanks again
 
Last edited:
Find name and address

send strippers / 'escorts' of the opposite sexual preference (men for straight men, you get the picture) with notes saying 'love from: GIMME MAH MONEY'

tell the escorts they'll be paid by the debt ower when they show up.

if you're really mean, tell them that he's into bondage / submission roles, and enjoys rape roleplay :p
 
Study all of Liam Neeson's movies, see what he does, and copy him. In all seriousness, definitely take the guy's website down and demand payment. Sounds like he's rather stupid if he's not paying somebody who totally controls his website. Another cute trick would be to list his website on flippa.
 
If it is in own country than i tell to that client i am sending FIR report to your office and see you soon at my hometown court.. this tricks always works.. try that method :D
 
How is the site doing? Has he earned something out of this site? He may have gone rogue due to lack of results (just assuming). Why don't you email/contact him one last time and explain to him in no uncertain terms about what you intend to do if he doesn't respond? After all, this is a client who has cleared your dues earlier, he could be out of contact for some genuine reason - (unlikely but probable). Sending him this last email will cover your bases...
 
Small claims court works well. Plus take down his site!
 
Build the page in html, and temp redirect the domain to that specific page.

truelux said:
I like this suggestion and wording... I'm going to implement this shortly!


edit: I am using Cpanel and the client is on his own account but it's not connected to a credit card. I just created a separate plan for him and created the wordpress site. What would be the best way to add such a notice? Should I edit the wordpress index.php itself? or is there a way to edit something within CPanel so that none of the wordpress files get ruined?

thanks again
Click to expand...
 
Added the following code to the header.php file within wordpress:

Code: 
<meta http-equiv="REFRESH" content="0;url=URL-HERE-TO-BILLING.PHP">

thanks again! I'll let you know what happens ;)
 
i would take it down,if he askes why tell him it will cost him for the reply.
 
2011nfl said:
Heres a step by step list of what I do when someone doesn't pay:

1: Look up their name and address
2: Pack my bags
3: Head to airport
4: Get off plane and get a room
5: Plan my attack
6: Go to their house
7: Knock on the door
8: When they open the door, I keep knocking (on their forehead while asking "wheres my money")
9: Most likely I will leave with no money and a fresh assault case :D
Click to expand...

Awesome :D
 
I've had this happen before and taking the site down gets me a call back within a week or two. They will be pissed, but you can say I tried reaching out to you and I gave you a decent grace period, but with no response this is the only thing I can do.

Then after they finish bitching and saying you should have called them first they pay. It's worked 90% of the time for me. It didn't work for one client that basically went out of business anyway, but it's worked with just about everyone.
 
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