Had a client last night (who cant keep still!!!!) long story but she knocked a large solar oil off a table while doing a set of sculpts and it smashed on floor and she kicked a bottle of nail fresh & a bottle of enamel over my brand new embroidered towels while i was doing her toe nails (as well as kicking me in the face-dont ask). all she said was 'claim off your insurance' and then she didn't pay for nails cos she had no money 'can i pay you next week'

So question is - should i charge her for the stuff she broke (as well as her nails) or can we claim? xx

OMG thats terrible! I'd have been fuming! Did she not tell you till the end that she hadn't got the funds? Kick her back in the face, that should sort things out!

She sounds like the client from hell! Does she normally pay you straight away? Is this a one off that she didnt have any money on her?

I realy do not know how the legal system over there works but in the Netherlands she should be insured and she can claim what she broke at her insurance.
If she broke my stuff my insurance would get in contact with hers.

If I was to break some things in a store I would have to pay for that too.

Why don't you give your insurance a call and ask them for some advice.

I think that is incedibly rude. If you break something in a shop, you're expected to pay for it. I don't know how you'd go trying to claim something like that on insurance.
NO MONEY- NO NAILS

I am speechless, and that doesn't happen very often.

This is terrible, it would not matter if she was the last client on earth. The minute I got her nail money I would insist that she paid for broken goods or no further service.

yeh but if you tell her no further service she will end up going else where. if i was to become self employed and work from homw i would insist that after consulting with client and checking to see if the client can have the treatment done thatthe client pays before hand the full agreed price. that way you dont get someone who says i forgot my miney can i pay next week and they dont comeback

I would be more concerned about this attitude...that she can turn up with no money and still get her treatments....and walk off.

Can I go to Debenhams today and walk out with a party dress and say..Pay you next week....NO that would be called shoplifting!!!!

Get your cash up front in future Rach!!!...no cash no service...

As for claiming Insurance for the damaged items...
Wont you have an excess on your insurance of about £50...
So maybe it wouldn't be worth your while claiming...
I would charge the client...get the money...and then forever be fully booked when she calls!!!

Totally agree........ and if she still turns around and again says that you should claim it on your insurance, tell her she either pays or you will charge her with shoplifting or get the debt collectors onto her. I think that with the debt collectors you will have to create an invoice to hand over to them, so that they can chase payment up for you. Not sure about all the details but you could look into it if she won't pay.

What about if people get to the end of their treatment and say they're not happy and will not pay, do you ask for the money before a service on a new client? I've just been thinking, there must be people that do this on purpose and say they're not happy just to get someting for free?

she does normally pay straight away, and she is a regular so i presume she thought it would be ok, but after she has paid for these nails i am going to be forever fully booked, i dont need clients that cost me money to do!! xx

louiser - good point, if someone told me i wasn't happy id offer to re-do the treatment i think, depending if they had a true cause for complaint!

In this instance you remove the work you have done! well if they don't like it they won't want it will they? I've done it with a client once before and she soon shut up and paid up I can tell you!

I don't think you can ask for money up front unless they are a habitual non payer. After all how would you feel if you had your hair done and they presented you with the bill before you even started? Thankfully these type of clients are rare and it puts us in such an awkward situation that we shouldn't have to be confronted with.

As for the breakages one is acceptable, two is clumsy and 3 is outrageous ... and she kicked you in the face? For goodness sakes!

Rach baby,

I'm not being funny here, but this client is so not worth it !

From what you are saying, she obviously is a bit of a "problem" client and normally makes it quite stressful for you to do your work.

I don't care how regular the client is, if she was a descent person, she would have mentioned to you up front that she doesn't have any money and would it be OK if she could pay you next week ?

That way you could have answered her Yes or No and you would have known about it.

Secondly, after she has caused you so much damage, to not even have the decency to apologise or pay for the items, just sucks !

How dare she presume that your insurance will just pay out

Kick her to the curb !


Marlise

i too would ask her to pay you hun for the things she broke and tell her about the excess on your insurance
i also have clients asks if they can pay me another day ..but its usually before treatment
,exept 1 who half way through infils said "oh yeah i will have to pay you next week ive got mo money" and she was going abroad for a week a few hours late r !!!

I suggest that you take the money from her for the nails that you have done and present her with a bill telling her that you cannot claim on your insurance so she will need to pay for the damages.

What a pain in the bottom. Hope you face is OK!

Teri x