Harsh-tone letter demanding payment for inspectors to use.

Note: It is important that this letter be sent by the Inspector, not a third party. Third party debt collectors are subject to the requirements of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and their demand letters must contain specific language.

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Why not just say “if you want your report, pay your bill”?

Keep them coming Nick.

I don’t release report until I have payment in hand. This however could be used along with the bad check agreement. If the check bounces and they don’t pay you, then this would come in handy.

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Hello!

Being new to the business, this topic was on my mind and I cannot find any other threads speaking to this.

How does everyone manage the timing of report distribution vs. receiving payment?

  • No Reports until Payment is received?
  • Summary Only until Payment is received?
  • Summary & Electronic Reports until Payment is received?
  • Summary, Electronic & Paper Reports before Payment is received?

I welcome everyone’s insight and experience with this!

Thank you!

Don,
No payment, no report. Simple and it works. Use ISN so you don’t even have to think about it. Realtors will see the report is ready, but they can’t look at it until the client pays, so now the Realtor is telling the client to pay! Free collection agents.

Mike

This.

No payment, no report. But the report will dangle there in front of your like a carrot until payment is received!

My email to confirm the inspection says clearly payment is due at time of service with a link to play in advanced. So I’ve only ever had use the dangling carrot option once (so far).

This… no payment, no inspection.

Prior to this policy…Once and only once, a client that was present at the inspection “disappeared” near the end of the inspection, nowhere to be found.

Unbeknownst to him, I knew the exact home he currently lived in, and a knock on his door with a demand for payment handed to him when his family was home, had me a check the next morning. He was informed the report would not be sent until **his **bank honored/cashed his check in person. Not a heck of a lot he could say at that point!

Have never had any issue since with this policy.

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In my agreement next to amount of inspection I put, Payment due by the end of the inspection, Reports will not be sent unless paid in full.

Is it wise to add something about the possibility of placing a lien on the property?

This has worked for me over the years.

Or, like JJ said:

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Your buyer does not own the property, the seller does.

So, no.

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I’m new to the business as well so please pardon my ignorance. What is ISN? Where can I find information on how that could help my business?

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That’s right Larry. I also added along with that in my inspection agreement “until check is cleared”.

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This may help

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So ISN isn’t an entity by itself? To where I can incorporate them into my different inspection software? I don’t use spectora.

So no payment no report works most of the time, but in cases where the buyer backs out of the deal and no longer cares about the report, that may not work. We currently have a pretty large inspection fee (had ancillary services done also) outstanding and clients refuse to respond to ours and agents phone calls and letters. Anyone know what our recourse is once demand letter is sent? Small claims court?

Check with your local police if they will accept a “theft of services” complaint and file charges against the client. It is a misdemeanor in most cases unless the money owed is very large.

From what I understand, some police will do it, others won’t unfortunately. Either way, I would send a letter to the client threatening the charges.

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Damm, Tim! LOL!

Just an idea that may help…Read the third paragraph here:
https://www.nachi.org/harsh-letter-demanding-payment.htm

Here is their link. I don’t use Spectora either. I only use ISN for scheduling and getting agreements signed. It is a great resource.