Founded in 2008. The Landscape Juice Network (LJN) is the largest and fastest growing professional landscaping and horticultural association in the United Kingdom.
LJN's professional business forum is unrivalled and open to anyone within within the UK landscape industry
LJN's Business Objectives Group (BOG) is for any Pro serious about building their business.
For the researching visitor there's a wealth of landscaping ideas, garden design ideas, lawn advice tips and advice about garden maintenance.
Replies
I had a problem like this last year even turned up on site and client claimed they werent ready for us could we come back next day. I was being subbied in and had just got back from holiday so was not happy.
But as you say short of taking 25% deposit at time of booking what can we do and i feel like you if we try the deposit route it will put a lot of people of due to all the press about cowboys and no money upfront.
The only other option I can think of is to write something in your terms and conditions and get them to sign a copy of them upon confirming the booking so any cancellation within a certain timescale of starting work is liable to cost them. But i dont know how that would stand up in court.
Having said that - if a client cancelled then we would almost certainly return the deposit anyway so it doesn't mean a lot! I think it just helps to sharpen the clients mind.
As an aside if you do take deposits a long way before work commences I'd stick the money in a seperate account otherwise it can get lost in the day-to-day flow of cash which can create a headache later on!
Dave
www.the-gardenmakers.co.uk
If you've incurred any cost or obtained products or materials under a special order then you have leverage with which you can negotiate compensation for your costs and time spent.
It's another example of where concise terms and conditions can help save your day.