Posted by Jenny_CA on 2/8/06 11:04pm
Msg #95694

Would like your thoughts please on a check

that I received that was $5 short. Agreed fee with the lender was $175 but check is $170 no mention of penalties for any possible mistakes. Since I did this signing a week ago and received the payment today, happy here, I am not going to pursue the matter but I am curious (sp) on the thoughts of others. This was the first time signing for this lender.

Reply by Dee_Fla on 2/8/06 11:14pm
Msg #95696

That has happened to me by a SS in California. They told me they were going to pay me $40 for double booking and when I got the check it was $35. I called them to find out what was going on and they could never give me a straight answer and never got back to me. I just decided I would not work for them anymore.

Reply by Brad_CA on 2/8/06 11:15pm
Msg #95697

Money is money. Business is business. It may be a simple mistake, but it may be intentional. If you let them get away with it this time, they will probably try it again next time.

Send them a professional message explaining the situation, and see what their response is.
I have had this happen. Mosy of the time it is a simple mistake by someone in accounts payable.

Reply by Paul_IL on 2/8/06 11:19pm
Msg #95698

Call them and ask why the discrepancy. Could just be an accounting error. Why would you just want to let it go? Imagine if they do that to 500 people each month who did not inquire? Now that would be $2500 of found money each month for that company.

Reply by Stamper_WI on 2/8/06 11:22pm
Msg #95700

Which raises another question....

Cashing a check is acceptance of payment right? Therefore, you are accepting that amount.

Reply by CaliNotary on 2/9/06 12:12am
Msg #95706

Re: Which raises another question....

That's not true at all. They still owe her the full amount.

Reply by Shane_OH on 2/9/06 10:46am
Msg #95791

Not at all

Cashing a check that is short of the money due is just accepting partial payment..
Othewise, I'd be happy to send my credit card company $10 and have them clear out my debt.

Reply by TitleGalCA on 2/8/06 11:59pm
Msg #95704

Hey Jenny.

You're arrangement was for $175. I would cash your check (forget the comment about cashing a check means you've accepted their amount, it's wrong) and immediately send an invoice pronto for $5.00, showing the original amount debited and and the check received credited, indicating a balance due of $5.

I think five bucks indicate a misunderstanding, rather than an attempt to short you. Regardless, unless you are willing to subsidize signing services, they owe you $5.00.

Think of it as simply an accounting error, instead of "happy here". If you are "happy here" what do you do with a shortage of $35.00 in your next check? Thank God that you got paid at all? It's not okay, bill them for the remaining five bucks.

Reply by Jenny_CA on 2/9/06 12:14am
Msg #95707

Re: Thank you everyone,

I am glad I posted it's great to get feedback. I just emailed my invoice for the $5.

The irony of the business, today I also received a check for twice the amount but close to 3 months later, I guess I was just elated to have been paid six days later on the other check.

Business is business and in the long run five bucks does make a difference. Thank you again. :-)

Reply by Jenny_CA on 2/9/06 12:23am
Msg #95708

Re: Was paraphrasing Brad_CA in the last sentence.

Reply by Stamper_WI on 2/9/06 7:16am
Msg #95742

Good to know

Good to know and it does make sense. When I was a realtor I had to take a broker to court for payment and was told that cashing the check I did have constitutes acceptance of the payment prior to taking them to court. At that time I held the check until things were settled.

Reply by Nate_MN on 2/9/06 3:28pm
Msg #95891

Re: Good to know

I would have just let it go the first time since it was the first time dealing with the company. If it was someone I dealt with on a regular basis then I would have mentioned it to them. I really don't think there is a wrong answer. I just would accept the $5 less to maintiain the appearance of being easy to deal with. Now granted, by calling them on their $5 mistake you may look like you are very detailed oriented, so that could be just as good as being easy to deal with. And you may be able to call them on it and still seem easy to deal with. Like I said, no wrong answer, just what I would have done.

I would not let them short me every time, even if I did let it go the first time. And if it was $35 I would have requested the remaining amount due.