I am a small business owner looking to begin collecting money from some of my delinquent accounts. I delivered goods to the customers and they wrote me checks which later bounced, I contacted them to let them know the checks have bounced, they still have not paid me. Many of the past customers have since gone out of business. I have sent them a letter demanding payment by certified mail but only one of my certified letters sent was received, the others have all been returned and filed away in the sealed envelope. I have a copy of the signed invoice showing they received goods from me, a copy of the check they sent me that bounced and I am looking for some advice on the steps I should take in collecting the debt. In most cases the account totals are $700 to $900, but they range from anywhere from $400 to $4,500 that they owe me, a friend mentioned to me that I should look into taking them to small claims.
What steps should I take?
What documents, or preparation will I need to build a strong case against them if I proceed to small claims?
Should I call them first to work out a negotiation, perhaps settle for a bit less than what they owe, if so what's a typical % reduction I should offer?
Can I collect interest on the debt they owe me (Utah), if so how much?
Are there regulations or rules that apply to me that I should be aware of before trying to collect this debt?
Are there time tables on how long I should wait after demanding the debt by phone or mail before suing them?
It's frustrating to see them get away with not paying me. I have always paid back my loans to the bank, always paid off my credit cards, and I sure as heck didn't get the products I sold to them for free.
Any help would be awesome!
What steps should I take?
What documents, or preparation will I need to build a strong case against them if I proceed to small claims?
Should I call them first to work out a negotiation, perhaps settle for a bit less than what they owe, if so what's a typical % reduction I should offer?
Can I collect interest on the debt they owe me (Utah), if so how much?
Are there regulations or rules that apply to me that I should be aware of before trying to collect this debt?
Are there time tables on how long I should wait after demanding the debt by phone or mail before suing them?
It's frustrating to see them get away with not paying me. I have always paid back my loans to the bank, always paid off my credit cards, and I sure as heck didn't get the products I sold to them for free.
Any help would be awesome!
