[RANT] Need to rant, sorry

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keepcalmanddriveon

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Firstly - hello fellow HHO types. Hope you're all well.

Now...I'm sorry about this but I realllly need another rant about life, work & people in general. As some of you may know, I run my own business consulting in the technology world. Since moving to the Emerald Isle from England some 5 years ago now, work has been sporadic but I've never been without the cash to survive. Just lately though, its all getting a bit much.

I'm currently owed just short of £18k by various people, all this side of the water, who for one reason or another have laughed & refused to pay their invoices. One of them is going to court, & has been trying to bully me into dropping the case without success - so has made a false criminal allegation which resulted in many of my tools of the trade being seized for examination. The truth will out, of course, but meantime I cant make a living & this is a long drawn out process hanging over me. In effect, you're a criminal for trying to run a business & get paid.

I've toyed with the idea of staying to tough it out & make it all good again. I've toyed with the idea of giving up & living with family again. But I could never leave here because it is otherwise perfect - I have perfect horses, great friends & live in a lovely place. Leaving would kill me, probably in the literal sense, but staying is full of danger & stress.

I'm just so lost & stressed, my mental health is going to pieces, the only escape I have from it all is my wonderful animals. I just guess I'm looking for someones wider, maybe older, wiser experience & help here, probably an online forum isn't the best place, but when it feels like your world is crashing down around your ears, any outlet seems like a good idea.

Sorry guys, I know we're not here for rants, but really do need to get all that out there. *HHO hugs*
 
Didn't want to read and run. Hope you are OK and wish I could help....

Have you been to the docs for mental health worries? My GP is great & very supportive

x
 
Oh dear, I am so sorry to hear this. Firstly, I echo the advice given, please get some help, and always bear in mind that it will pass eventually.

Now the businesswoman in me is pretty idignant on your behalf. Firstly, do you credit check your clients, or check out their financial worthyness? Do you insist on payment up front etc? Secondly, I dont want to pry, but it also sounds like you need a good lawyer if you have had false criminal allegations made against you so that you cannot trade.

Secondly, I would not allow anyone to bully me. If somebody owes you money for work done by your business, you have a perfect right to be paid for it. The Small Claims Court procedure is very easy and simple to use. In my business if a client refuses to pay us - and we get threats to blacken our good name, we simply log onto our account on www.moneyclaimonline.co.uk, fill in all the details, pay on line and simples - the scro*ts that owe us cash get a court summons. Have you also thought about going to see a business coach for a consultation - we use one very effectively. They arent cheap, but you might find somebody to help you fairly cheaply, and they are great for business owners who have lost their way.

Dont be bullied, dont give up, but do take care of yourself. Life will get better, time will pass, so keep the faith.
 
Make sure for any future work you do you get a signed agreement /engagement letter as to costs up front, before you start work, & a part payment up front. (This helps if it goes to court, or you use a debt collection firm- the scope of the work should be set out and the cost of fee per hour and estimate of hours).

Speak to a debt collection agency, maybe you can hand over the collection of amounts owed to them. They do not charge unless successful, and then a % of the amount collected. (it becomes a bit more expensive if proceeds to court, but way less than using a solicitor).

See a counsellor/doctor/someone for your stress.

It is frustrating to do work for someone and then have them refuse to pay, some people operate like this all the time. If you perform a service then you have a right to expect to be paid.
 
I'm so sorry, it's a really rubbish time to be in a small business in Ireland, small businesses all over country are being screwed by larger companies and people refusing to pay. My parents run their own business in Ireland and I can only sympathise hugely with you.
 
Have you thought of working part time as an employee as well as running your company? Then all your eggs aren't in one basket.
To organise your thoughts, make a list of all the things you like doing that are free or cheap. While you can't work, treat it as a bit of a holiday and try to relax and have fun. Then when you can work again you'll be in the right position mentally to get busy with it and maximize your chance to earn.

Good luck with the court case. If it was me I'd try to get money out of everyone who owes, but for the long term consider whether you're in the right business or if you need to change the way you run it etc, so the situation doesn't happen again.
 
Oh dear you dont sound like you are in a very good place right now and i am sorry you are so stressed. If you are feeling excessively stressed and starting to feel your mental health is suffering you will probably not be able to see things too clearly right now and that could affect your decision making ability. Can you find a way to step back from the situation and take stock, decide what parts of your situation you can actually have some influence over, and take control of those aspects, there is no point worrying about something you cant control, and ultimately you need to take care of your mental health to be able to deal with it all, a chat with your doctor might not be a bad idea to help here, or you might find a hypnosis cd can help you to relax and cope with the stress - Chasing debts is very frustrating, you need to work out realistically if there is any point chasing through the courts, are you going to risk losing still more money in court fees and find your customers unable to pay? Is there a business advice organisation available to you that could give you some advice about the debts owed to you? Above all take care of yourself - and if having an anonimous rant from time to time helps, then go for it!
 
I have to say your thread has made me want to have a rant as well. For my sins I am an estate agent and we are seeing more and more people trying to wriggle out of paying us. Both vendors and landlords seem to be the same, if they can get you to do it free, for some perceived 'lack of service' they will try it on. It makes my blood boil, after all, you provide a service, and you are entitled to be paid for it. FWIW we also look after our clients very well. Of course we have signed terms of business etc, but they still try it on.

I hope you do manage to sort it out, I know just how it feels to be owed money as well. People can be so horrible sometimes, but there are some lovely people out there as well.
 
Hi folks,

Your response has been brilliant - thank you so much & massive hugs to each & every one of you.

To answer a few questions (& sorry if I missed one, just poke me!)

Yes we do credit check the clients, but if we insisted on payment up front we would have no clients. I recently (3 months ago) moved all clients to up front payment & the client making these false allegations immediately asked us to stop working with them, because they never could accept or would accept payment up front. Same goes for a few others. One of which owes us a cancellation fee before we hand over their intellectual property - but apparently holding onto this is also a criminal offence here!! The basic facts are I cant afford to pay any lawyer because there is no money, due to what is owed. *sigh* I spent the last available money putting a small claim in against a debtor. That wont go to hearing much before Feb apparently. Debt collection agencies actually have no authority in this country from what I can work out & people can just ignore them. We used one for a while but they came up against the same brick walls as we did - they weren't a small firm either, they were a national company.

I have thought of doing part time work, waiting on hearing back on a few things & actually quite looking forward to that bit. I'd love to do nights, doing something, I've always thought nights a special place to work when I've done them before.

I've got this plan - the money isnt in the bank but I need to do my HGV test & get myself in a position to be in competition next year, think thats my big goal, because I've promised myself I'll do it & even gone as far as getting a sponsor or 2 aboard. It seems a waste to have breezed the theory & hazard tests, not to do the rest, right? Plus I can then go through CPC & get a c**ppy driving job if I have to?

Selling debts is a thought I've had but the companies I've spoken to so far have suggested that our portfolio is too small for them to take an interest. I live in hope of finding someone who will take it & save the day, but if I didnt have bad luck, I'd have no luck.

@TheoryX1 - I feel your pain. A friend of mine tried to start a letting agency & just couldnt sell a quality service to anyone. I tried helping them with web, branding, that kind of thing, but nothing they did worked. It seems doing the right thing, looking after clients, giving them lots of favours, freebies, gets you treated with utter contempt, doesn't it?

@MrsMozart - Will drop you a DM re your agreements drafting - our standard terms, to see what if you can see why people love to ignore them.

I just feel l like some form of criminal scum, who is destined to spend a life in & out of police stations/court/prison/whatever else they want to do to me & is such by virtue of just wanting to run a business & do the right thing, but every time one tries to get paid, it results in a police visit. This is all so impossible.

On the stress side - I've got family coming to visit for a week, but they dont yet know I'm back in horses (its been many years) - was going to be a surprise when I started competition next year, but thats going to get ruined now too. All these hopes, dreams, ambitions & must-dos. I guess most of it is my own pressure to perform, but there are certain things one lives for & my animals are everything. The girl of my dreams left years ago, been single since because I cant bear to be with anyone else, so all my love goes on the 4 leggeds. I'm sure we all know how that one feels.

Said I'll change career for years...but what to? Just feeling a massive failure.

I cant thank you all enough for the replies, e-hugs & advice, to know others care enough to take the time ot read my rantings & give me their thoughts, it helps hugely. Friends are biased & to get objective views, its worth a whole ton. Much love all x
 
What law are your contracts subject to?

I'll have a think about who you could sell the debts to.

Any future work, make sure you have staged payments against signed off milestones.

As an IT consultant you have very marketable skills. PM me your particular area/s of expertise if you want. I can see if any of my clients are in need or know of someone who is (I'm in IT Procurement).
 
Hugs from me, really sounds like you are having a truly rubbish time.

I appreciate its too late for the current debts but have a look at factoring for future invoices. All the big banks do it for example and you get somewhere around 90% of the invoiced amount, paid immediately.

Good luck and dont get the beggars get you down.
 
Have you tried camping out at offices of those who owe you? Know my mom has and it's worked as it guilted them enough when they were faced with a real person rather than letters and law
 
All I can really say is stay strong.

However, reading your reply, it seems to me like you ARE a really strong and successful person. You talk about the bad luck but turn it on its head and read your first post again.

You DO have good luck. You have your own business, horses, home and friends. That makes you pretty successful in my eyes.
Yes you are having to deal with a whole load of cr@p with your business but you have made plans and are dealing with things.


Give yourself more credit. These things are sent to try us and once it is over it will make you a stronger person. Some paths we have to take in life are really crappy, stoney, muddy paths, but, you will reach the end of it at some point and get back on track.

Keep smiling and stay happy. You only live once.
 
OP do not give up on doing the things that matter to you - sometimes we need to find "another way" to acheive our ambitions. As far as your debtors are concerned I am not familiar with laws outside the uk so cannot suggest your best option - but i have to say that when uou take a close look at many wealthy successful business people you will find they have had times when they have not suceeded, the trick to success is not necessarily either pure talent, or good luck - its tenacity and determination! I dont know if you will be able to get your money, but you have a choice about how this situation will affect your health, your career, and your ambitions outside work, remember that you, as a person, are bigger than this, you will deal with it, put it behind you, then move on to acheive your goals.
 
TheoryX1 said:
Oh dear, I am so sorry to hear this. Firstly, I echo the advice given, please get some help, and always bear in mind that it will pass eventually.

Now the businesswoman in me is pretty idignant on your behalf. Firstly, do you credit check your clients, or check out their financial worthyness? Do you insist on payment up front etc? Secondly, I dont want to pry, but it also sounds like you need a good lawyer if you have had false criminal allegations made against you so that you cannot trade.

Secondly, I would not allow anyone to bully me. If somebody owes you money for work done by your business, you have a perfect right to be paid for it. The Small Claims Court procedure is very easy and simple to use. In my business if a client refuses to pay us - and we get threats to blacken our good name, we simply log onto our account on www.moneyclaimonline.co.uk, fill in all the details, pay on line and simples - the scro*ts that owe us cash get a court summons. Have you also thought about going to see a business coach for a consultation - we use one very effectively. They arent cheap, but you might find somebody to help you fairly cheaply, and they are great for business owners who have lost their way.

Dont be bullied, dont give up, but do take care of yourself. Life will get better, time will pass, so keep the faith.
Click to expand...


just want to second this really. My dads company is currently owed in the region of 500k. (its expensive manufacturing anyway) and this is the best way of solving it.

If you are struggling in general maybe look into some funding schemes in your region or government? some small business funding schemes really helps.
 
{{{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}}}

Can't offer much lawyer type advice but, once the small claims stuff is done, it would be worth talking to a lawyer about going after the 'client' regarding slander or similar due to false criminal accusations, also loss of earnings due to your inability to work because of the criminal investigation. It doesn't help in the very short term but might be worth investigating long term.

Also might be worth talking to some banks (you may already have) as there is at least one bank in the UK that offers a business account that supports you through unpaid invoices, might help for the moment :)
 
I really feel for you :( what improved the cash flow at a company I worked for was putting the prices up and offering discounts for payment in 10 or 20 days so we got what we wanted and the clienrs thought they were getting a discount and it worked well as a lot paid early who had been bad payers and those who did not take the discount paid more. I hope the court claim goes through quickly for you though and that the allegations against you are seen as wasting police time and that they get hit for that as well.
 
Hi all,

I've just read through more of your posts & my apologies for not getting on sooner - busy day today.

@Travelmad - Yes, I've tried camping out at offices of clients. Including turning up with camera crew in step. The most recent one I went to serve papers on a client, they refused so I camped out & they had me forcefully removed by the local police force. Apparently, wanting whats due is a criminal offence.

@guido16 Thanks so much for your kind words - I don't see myself as that much of a success right now, but objectively I guess you've got a point & from someone just across the water (my view is the sea & Portpatrick), thank you once again. I just cant lose all that good stuff because of this though, its a fear thing.

@maresmaid I think this will change my view on career greatly. If I'm honest, I've been keeping it under review for a long time. For years I've said I'm getting out of the line of biz I'm in & changing, yet I always end up back there. Ideally for me, the video & photography business would take off, but that doesnt seem to be happening - mainly my fault. At this moment though, I couldnt run that either as I have no editing software, as it went with the goons.

Huge, massive hugs to all of those who have offered help, support, words, or just their time to reply in any way to this one. Its helping me through right now more than any of you could know. Sometimes, just talking to those who are in the same mindset as you helps, right? & I'm sure we'll all agree, we horsey types have a unique & pretty resilient mindset...often to the disagreement of others, but we know we're right ;)

Time for bed now, I've had a good drink tonight so will sleep like a log...& many apologies if this is slightly incoherent as a result of alcofrolic lubrication :) x
 
I can't offer anything of any concrete value, except to say it actually seems you have already taken a long hard look at your situation and are working out plan b so you are taking back control. Lots of good suggestions on this post so hope some will work out for you and if someone will not pay upfront then think they have now demonstrated its not worth working for them. I don't know enough about your circumstances but be honest with your family and let them in. I frequently keep things to myself to deal with as used to being solo. Family have been immensely upset in the past when I have finally updated them. I presumed they were too busy and I should sort out problems on my own. They have, without exception, been incredibly hurt that that was my view and actually could have helped me tremendously with advice etc.
 
Wow - never do business in Ireland. People have a bl**dy cheek, don't they!

We always insist on payment up front, its the only way we can do business safely. We have been burnt several times in the past by shysters.

Please don't see yourself as a failure - its not your fault other people expect something for nothing.
 
fatpiggy said:
Are you anywhere near a University with a Department of Law? Our students do pro-bono work in order to gain experience.
Click to expand...

Hadn't thought of that angle...& yes, I am, very near as it goes. Monday phone call coming up.

Things are slowly getting close to normal, but I still don't have a business yet because we're still sans kit.

I guess I'm just torn between staying & leaving.

If I stay:-
I'm in the same country as the girl I love & have loved for the last 4 years even after she left me. I miss her every day even if she couldn't care less
I am in the place I love for it scenery & perfection in terms of enjoying horseytime
I'm living my dream of being here, having fought for nearly 10 years to get here
I will have to face all of this nonsense with police & malicious client. I guess it'll follow wherever I end up but still, you know what I mean.
I will likely be struggling for work forever more

If I go:-
I will be 400 miles from the person I miss the most, with no chance of ever fixing it
I will be sure to have plenty of work & earn what I'm worth
I will be nearer to family
On the downside, I will have to make another whole new life for a 3rd time.

I will have to find money to move the horses if I go, but they're worth it & need to make that decision soon before funds get too low.

I guess its a call only I can make, but I will consider I've failed if I leave. I just don't know what the hell is for the best.

Love you all for sticking with me through all this x
 
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