[pianotech] Customer dilemma

[Randy Rush]

I agree that it's best to pursue the matter as far as you can - their 
blowing you off doesn't negate the fact that the work was done and the 
money is owed.  And it's good that you've been on top of it right away.  
I've written off a couple of missed payments when I discovered them well 
after the fact, when updating my bookkeeping (enough about my 
bookkeeping style....)  As far as writing it off as a loss, you can do 
that by listing it as a "Bad Debt" on your Schedule C, if you also put 
it down as earned income in your bookkeeping.  Ultimately, if you want 
to, you can take them to small claims court.

One funny incident:  Quite a few years ago, I did a tuning for a 
client.  He had to take off, left me in the house, and asked me to leave 
him an invoice, which I am always happy to do.  Never received a 
payment, even after several phone calls.  Flash forward a number of 
years, a regular client asked me to examine a piano she was interested 
in buying through an ad in the paper.  Yep - same guy who hadn't paid me 
years ago.  I showed up at the house, explained I was there to evaluate 
the piano, but before I could give a positive report, I needed the back 
payment he owed me.  (He evidently didn't remember my face when I 
arrived.)  He went off to write a check and sheepishly presented it to 
me before I left.  Busted!!

Randy Rush,RPT
Seattle