Unreasonable To Refuse to Pay?

ExFlyBoy5

ExFlyBoy5

Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Joined
May 29, 2013
Messages
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Location
ATL --> Flyover Country
Long story short...I don't have any intentions of falling off my roof. So, I paid a reputable company to come blow the leaves off the roof and clean the gutters. While the team was out there, I happened to notice (via security camera) that one of the employees took a break to urinate on the back of my house. I sent an email to the company with a link to video to let them know that this is pretty much unacceptable. I heard nothing back from them but got a reminder this AM to pay my bill. I am not so inclined to do so. What are the thoughts of the members here? Am I being unreasonable?
 
While I agree that the worker urinating on the back of your house was inappropriate, as was their not responding to your email, I don't see that as an excuse to not pay the bill. Why not give them a call and ask to talk to the owner and voice your complaint?

Was the reminder by email? If so, can you respond that you intend to pay promptly after they address your complaint dated xx/xx/xxx?

It probably is true that withholding payment is a way to get their attention. Is there anything you want other than an apology?
 
I would respond telling them that I wasn't going to pay until I got a response from them concerning the prior e-mail with the link.

If they respond with an apology (how else could they respond?), then I'd pay them and then switch to another company.

If they don't respond, I'd switch to another company.
 
I'd send them a check, after I urinated on it.
 
Car-Guy said:
I'd send them a check, after I urinated on it.
Click to expand...

The best! Although probably not the greatest advice from a legal standpoint. How about sending them a bill for siding replacement and sterilization of that portion of your house.
 
I have no real issues with paying the amount. They completed the service as requested. I am not too happy that there has been no response, but there have been 20 views of the "private" video I sent them...so they KNOW it happened.
 
I'd send a check with a note stating your problem with their behavior


Sent from my iPhone :).using Early Retirement .//82339)
 
What the worker did is called indecent exposure. If you are really upset, you have every right to report this to law enforcement. The guy could be labeled a sex offender for the rest of his life. I would tell the company that if you do not get a response, that is the path you will take. The solution for me would be for the crew to come back out and clean that portion of your house before you will pay the bill because they have not finished the job until that is done.
 
Hermit said:
What the worker did is called indecent exposure. If you are really upset, you have every right to report this to law enforcement. The guy could be labeled a sex offender for the rest of his life. I would tell the company that if you do not get a response, that is the path you will take. The solution for me would be for the crew to come back out and clean that portion of your house before you will pay the bill because they have not finished the job until that is done.
Click to expand...

I don't have any intention of getting law enforcement involved. I do like your idea of them "cleaning" the house, although a little unconventional. I would like to voice my refusal to pay until addressed, but I would also like to mention that if it's not addressed, any reviews I submit will disclose the employee's actions...but I don't want it to sound like I am trying to blackmail them, either.
 
Ask for the owner's home address in case you're in the neighborhood and have the need to lift a leg.
 
Hermit said:
The solution for me would be for the crew to come back out and clean that portion of your house before you will pay the bill because they have not finished the job until that is done.
Click to expand...

I like this idea! Even if they do a crummy cleaning job and it makes no difference, still it is a great idea and I would pay after they did this.
 
So here is the email I just sent them:

"Thank you for the payment reminder. As I mentioned in an email yesterday, one of your employees urinated on the back of the house while they were working. I would like to use your service again, but if this isn't addressed, I will take my business elsewhere and I will review the service accordingly."

Now I wait.
 
I'll be nice. No comment.
 
I would ask that they power wash the area of my home, and then pay them.
 
Not paying the bill in a timely manner could result in their putting a lien on the property. I'd pay the bill and demand they pay for a third party company to properly clean/ power wash the house. When they don't pay file a small claims law suit citing the video as evidence and include punitive damages because of the health risk. They'll probably pay the bill if you drop the suit.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum
 
send them a certified letter indicating the issue and that they will be paying the bill for the hazardous waste clean up.

or

put the video on utube and tag it real well with the company name

or

file a complaint against the worker (assuming there are laws in your locality against such things) and use the video as evidence

---------------
to get some people to move may take some publicity or complaints through an authority (BBB, etc).

but pay your bill.

The other thing you could do is take them to small claims court. That would get their attention.
 
Dash man said:
Not paying the bill in a timely manner could result in their putting a lien on the property.....
Click to expand...

I don't think so in this case since the work they did did not improve the property... cleaning gutters would be more of a maintenance rather than an improvement.

Such liens apply more where someone doesn't pay for a home improvement project.
 
Hermit said:
What the worker did is called indecent exposure. If you are really upset, you have every right to report this to law enforcement. The guy could be labeled a sex offender for the rest of his life. I would tell the company that if you do not get a response, that is the path you will take. The solution for me would be for the crew to come back out and clean that portion of your house before you will pay the bill because they have not finished the job until that is done.
Click to expand...

Actually not indecent exposure from what I was told by a lawyer.... that requires that the exposure is for sexual gratification.... since he was at the back of the house urinating, that part is not there....


There are laws in place against public urination which come into play.... but I wonder if he would be guilty of that also....
 
While it may sound disgusting, your making a big deal over a trifle, IMHO. Did he actually pee on your house or just surrounding ground? Did it appear malicious or the guy just had to go and tried to do it discreetly? Throw a bucket of water at it and go about your day.

Having had to deal with desperate young boys and walking my dog, I'm glad my neighborhood is somewhat understanding that things happen.

I'd pay the bill but feel free to put a note in that since the company has not addressed your complaint, you will be taking your business elsewhere. Not paying attention to a customer's concerns is inexcusable.
 
Life is too short.

Take the hose to it yourself and slam them on Yelp. All done in 10 minutes.

You'd simply be punishing yourself if you try to get them to pay for cleaning or drag it out with authorities.

Take all the time you would have wasted on retribution and find something to enrich your life.
 
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