Posted by bfd110_IN on 5/24/07 12:24pm
Msg #191763

ok ...what would you do????kinda long

Chased a signing company for 60 days for payment. They finally agreed to pay with a parting statment from them that hopefully i wouldnt hold it against them cause they wish to continue to use me. I promised "Sure" with my fingers crossed. Well I received a check from them that day ( How is that for service or is that a lack of accounting skills).

Over the next week I found out they were past due to my mother( she signs in another state) and I instructed her to stay on them. Well yesterday I received another check for the amount that was owed (3 weeks after it was promised to go out). I called my mother and asked how much they owed her and if she had been paid. She stated no and they are at 60 days now.

I am not going to cash the check for myself due to I feel I have been paid previously on their mistake, But i have thought about cashing it and fowarding the payment to my mother and then notifying the signing company in about a week of their mistake and to show my mothers invoice as paid. I am not worried about the tax aspect due to small amount.

What would you do? Remember I consider myself paid. I am going to either send the check back or cash it and forward it to my mother.

Reply by PAW on 5/24/07 12:32pm
Msg #191765

While I certainly can appreciate the familial conundrum, but you must remember that this is a business and you must act accordingly, family members or not.

Reply by Marlene/USNA on 5/24/07 12:50pm
Msg #191770

If you cash the check and the company discovers its mistake and comes after you for the overpayment, what are you going to do? Get it back from your mother?

Use some common sense. Once you sign and cash that check, everything is on you - responsibility, liability, ethics, your good name. If you take the money knowing it's not yours, you're no better than the company who's making you wait so long for it.

If it's that small of an amount, it won't help your mother and might harm you. If you want to help your mother out, help her keep after the company for what's due her until she gets it.

Reply by bfd110_IN on 5/24/07 12:57pm
Msg #191772

I know from a business what should be done... but it is just soooo frustrating...This is another signing company gone bad.

Reply by Marlene/USNA on 5/24/07 12:59pm
Msg #191775

My sympathies. . .

. . .but don't let them drag you down there with them.

Reply by MistarellaFL on 5/24/07 1:36pm
Msg #191780

What I might do

Is to return the check to the company, along with a nice, friendly, appreciative handwritten note about overpayment and Ma's situation with them, and forward her statement to them.
They are certain to appreciate the return of the misappropriated funds, and may return your move of integrity with one of their own.
JMO

Reply by Barb/MO on 5/24/07 2:32pm
Msg #191791

Excellent advice n/m

Reply by SharonMN on 5/24/07 4:06pm
Msg #191814

Re: What I might do - another idea

Cash the check and send them a statement showing a credit. You will notice that this is what happens if you pay your phone bill or whatever twice by mistake. They can then either request a refund of the credit or book you for another signing - prepaid.

I would leave your mom out of it, other than perhaps coaching her on your effective accounts receivable chasing method.

Reply by bfd110_IN on 5/24/07 4:59pm
Msg #191835

Re: What I might do - another idea

I like that one.....Hmm. Credit for a closing and they never call again...I might be ahead then...but I did call LIA SIGNING and told them to void the check and that I had been paid in full previously due to their mistake. I did inform them of the lack of payment to a notary in TN and hoped they would pay prompt attention in getting that payment sent out.

Soo we will see.. AND Yes I messed up I have never had a payment issue before from them and I took one in feb and wouldnt you know...Shame on me... won't happen again.

Reply by MikeC/NY on 5/24/07 10:03pm
Msg #191899

I had something similar to this (minus the late payment) not too long ago - it was a confused signing, canceled at the last minute after I printed docs and then scheduled for the next day with O/N docs. SS said they would pay a print charge on the first assignment, but when the check arrived it was minus the print charge. I called and explained; they apologized and said they'd send a check for the balance, but the second check was for the full amount, so now I'm overpaid.

I called the next day and spoke to the owner. She gave me the option of cashing the first check and using it as a credit against future work; I told her I didn't want to hold her money, and would prefer to just send the first check back. I may have scored a few brownie points there, but for me it was all about ethics - deal with the customer the same way you want them to deal with you.