By Brian Lee
The other day I listened to yet another friend complain about a client dodging his bill. He’s just another guy who operates his own equipment for money with the usual wheelbarrow of stories about jobs where the client didn’t pay.
The client might have been happy enough with the work but when the time came, had a problem writing a cheque. They are commonly referred to as "deadbeats" and, according to an article in Canadian Contractor magazine, they account for 2.5 per cent of customers. And they’re relatively easy to spot.
The article suggests being wary of the client who says, upfront, "Is that your best price?" or asks you "to sharpen your pencil." The author says it will be those clients who demean your work, add picky extras to the job and, when handed the final bill, ask if you can "take off the tax."
Much of the residential work that takes place around here involves a handshake — an expectation that after a contractor delivers service X, they will be paid. It’s a simple system in which the contractor advances fuel, materials, equipment and time, trusting payment will arrive before his credit card bill.
When I first moved back here and started working on construction sites, I recall being astounded at some of the stories I’d hear during coffee break. Each tradesman would chip in with their own stories of money owed. I knew some of the scumbags and had a hard time accepting how common the practice was. It seemed so foolish and shortsighted.
Most living in Pender Harbour understand the value of a reputation and how fragile it can be. But it seems there’s the odd newcomer who doesn’t get it or doesn’t care. They might think they’ve stumbled upon a paradise of naive bumpkins who don’t know enough to ask for payment up front.
Taking advantage of the local honour system works for awhile but inevitably those burnt bridges start to pile up. Within a few years they wander away, bitter and unsure why this place was so unfriendly to them. They probably didn’t even realize they’d been branded a deadbeat.
It’s a small town and there are few secrets. And if there’s one subject folks like to gossip about more than who’s cheating on whom, it’s passing on who the crooks are.
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