Hello All,
Firstly, sorry to be asking for advice on my first post. I normally like to be part of a community before asking for advice. But i found you guys after searching for answers to my issue last night. So, i thank anyone for reading and offering up any thoughts or advice.
Summary before reading
Old company i contracted for stating work not completed, and currently not near completion, asking for full refund, even though they received items 100% complete, and now handed to the final user. No paperwork in place between the two of us. Items picked up as complete about 3 weeks ago, spoken to them several times since then and no mention of this problem.
Original Work Setup
Limited company
Providing a service to one other company exclusively
Building drone aircraft for the movie industry
A customer would contact the other company, this is then forwarded to me, i would quote for the job to the customer, including parts, and build fee etc
If the job is to go ahead, the other company then orders all parts and ships to me, i build the aircraft and then deliver it to the customer.
The other company took the markup on parts and 50% of the build fee for each aircraft.
I would then invoice at the end of each month for my part of the build fee, and be paid direct from the company.
Particulars in place
None!
No contract, or agreements between me and the other company.
Had never met in person
Conducted entirely via email and occasional telephone call.
The Problem:
I got offered a job about 6 weeks ago, which was a dream job, so i snapped it up. I then gave the other company notice i was leaving. As good will i stated i would complate any builds in progress, rather than just working a weeks notice.
Once the old company realised in my new employment i would still be doing a little work in connection with the old industry everything turned messy. And they requested all the builds back, stating they would complete any work required and i should enjoy my new job. With no mention of finances.
At this stage i was owed money from them, but decided to leave it, and try and forget about the old company as they had been doing a number of tactics in order to muddy the waters in my new employment. which did not work.
Current situation
I now have a demand for them for nearly £3000 citing 3 builds that where not complete. In fact the words used on the 22nd of December "currently no where near completion". But i have been in contact with the potential owners of these new aircraft who have stated they have had them for over two weeks complete and working.
In fact i have been helping a number of the old clients via email, as they have reported the old company is now not offering them any after sales support.
I could understand the old company trying to claim 1 or 2 hours per build for testing and finalising of the hand over, but to ask for the whole build fee back, stating the aircraft was not built. Even though they have delivered it and taken full payment for it, seems a bit much to me.
Another good point, is about two weeks ago, after they had received the aircraft back, they sent a demand for around £600, for various bogus reasons. The fact that they did not ask for the near £3000 then seems strange. In fact this current demand only comes after i point out they still owe me £1600.
Advice needed:
So i am looking for any pointers of where i might stand, several people have stated they would not have a leg to stand on in court if they went ahead with legal action, and they are trying to scare me into paying. I am also currently owed by them £1600, which i was willing to leave.
I also know of a couple of occasions the other company director has performed VAT fraud, with written evidence via email from him. I was contemplating asking him to stop any action, or would report him for this, as i am sure there are other occasions. But i worry that this could make things a whole lot messier.
There are other bits and pieces of info to this, but the above sums it up.
In summary
Old company i contracted for stating work not completed, and currently not near completion, asking for full refund, even though they received items 100% complete, and now handed to the final user. No paperwork in place between the two of us. Items picked up as complete about 3 weeks ago, spoken to them several times since then and no mention of this problem.
I suspect i could state, please then return the work to me to complete, which they cannot do as it is now with the customers. Would that put an end to it?
Again, thank you for reading, and look forward to any pointers.
Firstly, sorry to be asking for advice on my first post. I normally like to be part of a community before asking for advice. But i found you guys after searching for answers to my issue last night. So, i thank anyone for reading and offering up any thoughts or advice.
Summary before reading
Old company i contracted for stating work not completed, and currently not near completion, asking for full refund, even though they received items 100% complete, and now handed to the final user. No paperwork in place between the two of us. Items picked up as complete about 3 weeks ago, spoken to them several times since then and no mention of this problem.
Original Work Setup
Limited company
Providing a service to one other company exclusively
Building drone aircraft for the movie industry
A customer would contact the other company, this is then forwarded to me, i would quote for the job to the customer, including parts, and build fee etc
If the job is to go ahead, the other company then orders all parts and ships to me, i build the aircraft and then deliver it to the customer.
The other company took the markup on parts and 50% of the build fee for each aircraft.
I would then invoice at the end of each month for my part of the build fee, and be paid direct from the company.
Particulars in place
None!
No contract, or agreements between me and the other company.
Had never met in person
Conducted entirely via email and occasional telephone call.
The Problem:
I got offered a job about 6 weeks ago, which was a dream job, so i snapped it up. I then gave the other company notice i was leaving. As good will i stated i would complate any builds in progress, rather than just working a weeks notice.
Once the old company realised in my new employment i would still be doing a little work in connection with the old industry everything turned messy. And they requested all the builds back, stating they would complete any work required and i should enjoy my new job. With no mention of finances.
At this stage i was owed money from them, but decided to leave it, and try and forget about the old company as they had been doing a number of tactics in order to muddy the waters in my new employment. which did not work.
Current situation
I now have a demand for them for nearly £3000 citing 3 builds that where not complete. In fact the words used on the 22nd of December "currently no where near completion". But i have been in contact with the potential owners of these new aircraft who have stated they have had them for over two weeks complete and working.
In fact i have been helping a number of the old clients via email, as they have reported the old company is now not offering them any after sales support.
I could understand the old company trying to claim 1 or 2 hours per build for testing and finalising of the hand over, but to ask for the whole build fee back, stating the aircraft was not built. Even though they have delivered it and taken full payment for it, seems a bit much to me.
Another good point, is about two weeks ago, after they had received the aircraft back, they sent a demand for around £600, for various bogus reasons. The fact that they did not ask for the near £3000 then seems strange. In fact this current demand only comes after i point out they still owe me £1600.
Advice needed:
So i am looking for any pointers of where i might stand, several people have stated they would not have a leg to stand on in court if they went ahead with legal action, and they are trying to scare me into paying. I am also currently owed by them £1600, which i was willing to leave.
I also know of a couple of occasions the other company director has performed VAT fraud, with written evidence via email from him. I was contemplating asking him to stop any action, or would report him for this, as i am sure there are other occasions. But i worry that this could make things a whole lot messier.
There are other bits and pieces of info to this, but the above sums it up.
In summary
Old company i contracted for stating work not completed, and currently not near completion, asking for full refund, even though they received items 100% complete, and now handed to the final user. No paperwork in place between the two of us. Items picked up as complete about 3 weeks ago, spoken to them several times since then and no mention of this problem.
I suspect i could state, please then return the work to me to complete, which they cannot do as it is now with the customers. Would that put an end to it?
Again, thank you for reading, and look forward to any pointers.
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