serial non payer of livery fees

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scruffypony

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I and several other livery yards have been ripped off by a woman who doesnt pay livery she owes me and others several thousand pounds ( total she owes that i know of is approx £30,000). Until today had two of her horses in lieu of payment but she broke into the field by smashing off the padlocks taking with her the two horses and two expensive turnout rugs. There is obviously more to this as well but trying to keep it short. (on going for nearly two years) i want to stop her doing anything like this to anyone else any ideas?
 
The BHS have a free legal advice line so, assuming you're a gold member, they would be a good place to start.

Beware of spreading rumours in the local area as that can make you look bad (espec. if the livery contract you had with this lady didn't state that you had the right to keep the horses in lieu/had a lien on them...). Although obviously feel free to state facts about what happened to you if anyone asks...
 
scruffypony said:
I and several other livery yards have been ripped off by a woman who doesnt pay livery she owes me and others several thousand pounds ( total she owes that i know of is approx £30,000). Until today had two of her horses in lieu of payment but she broke into the field by smashing off the padlocks taking with her the two horses and two expensive turnout rugs. There is obviously more to this as well but trying to keep it short. (on going for nearly two years) i want to stop her doing anything like this to anyone else any ideas?
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Wow, how many horses does she have to rake in £30,000 in livery fees!?!

Very naughty though
 
Never take on a livery without taking payment a month in advance (assuming you have a months notice to be given when leaving). Happened to a few people I know, most of the yards where I was at uni this happened to - some then also bought in contracts as there was no proof of the horses being kept on the yard so the police were not interested. Sorry you have lost so much money though
 
We have one of these serial people down here. They have too many horses, turn up at yards, pay in cash a month up front and have a very very plausible story. They pay without problem for 2 - 3 months then just don;t bother. They don;t go and visit, they don;t provide food, they have scammed the local vets so vets only go and see the horses in the event of an emergency. Other liveries/YO's end up looking after the horses as they cannot see them neglected. Owner then screams RSPCA if the YO tells her to go, she threatens legal action, and becomes extremely agressive. She has already been declared bankrupt so no money to get back there. So many people in the area have been conned by her, but who do you go to, no point in going to court - she is already bankrupt. Too late to have a contract with a lien over the horse in it. To the OP I would simply be bloody grateful she has taken her own horse and gone. What else can you do? Possibly contact all livery yards in the area and let them know what has happened, however you do run the risk of being seen as being bitchy and it could affect your business. If she has not been declared bankrupt then go to small claims over it, you cannot keep the horses unless you have a contract which she signed which detailed exactly what would happen if she defaulted on the bill, and you cannot take a horse in lieu of a debt unless you have a lien over it. Unless she has signed it over to you and you have that in writing.

It always astounds me how these serial non payers ever manage to get onto livery yards, do the YO's not talk to each other or to other horsey people in the area. I have never been caught by the above livery becasue I have loads of local friends who know her well, so have been warned off her. also becasue I insist of watertight contracts I am safe - well as safe as possible.

Good luck
 
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