Bray Roofing: Non-paying Customer

Bray Roofing are a small roofing company based in Maidenhead (I think). They won't pay the money they owe us. We sold them some hedge plants last March, since when they have disappeared off the radar. It was stupid of me not to take payment up front - I don't know anything about Bray Roofing. Their website looked credible and it was only a relatively small order. Perhaps I also remembered the song affectionately. I'm very sympathetic if Bray Roofing are having problems, but they won't reply to messages or pick up the phone so I don't even know if they can't pay or won't pay. I've even got a court order against them, but the address on the Bray Roofing website turns out just to be for mail so the bailiffs are useless. I'm not going to get upset about it any more than to write a blog about it and warn Bray Roofing's other suppliers and the trade organizations who currently endorse them.
It has been remarkable that this is only the second problemmatic account we have had in over three years' trading, despite the recession. Given that our margins are so small bad debtors were one of the things that really worried me when we set Habitat Aid up. I was determined to pay our suppliers on time. It could be our superb credit control(!) which has helped. More likely it shows how honest folk are in the horticultural trade (unlike roofing companies!). That's despite many of them having to cope with really difficult cash flow issues while they handle larger contracts.
So the main point of this blog is not to talk about the one exception, but to thank all our customers for being so well behaved. Apart, of course, from Bray Roofing*.

*and Bray Roofing, if you're reading this, our bank account details are on the invoice.

"Never tried these but always thought they look a bit of a pain to cart about. Looking at the picture, seems you're quite away from the hedge so you have to reach out more? I just use ordinary aluminium extension ladders that you can easily adjust…"

"Tripods are better than any other ladder that's a fact. You can cut hedges that are lower than the ladder but it is more awkward, I have a 6ft amd a 12 foot been using both for the last 15yrs and haven't come stuck yet. Believe me once you've had…"

"Increase prices every year, costs go up every year both on business and at home so otherwise your taking a pay cut, i dont get greedy i make small increases annually but as I do it every year and customers have learned thats part and parcel of it,…"

Comments

PRO

Phil Voice January 13, 2013 at 9:16am

Nick

Looking at their website it appears they are members of Checkatrade. You can make a complaint about a trader who's registered with them.

http://www.checkatrade.com/Consumer/Complaints.aspx
PRO

Phil Voice January 13, 2013 at 9:20am

p.s. You can also leave feedback via the Checkatrade website: http://www.checkatrade.com/GiveFeedback/?id=&Member=BraybuildRo...
Nick Mann January 13, 2013 at 9:38am

Yeah, that's one of the things I'm doing. It's so stupid of them to have brought this on to themselves...
Nick Mann January 14, 2013 at 12:21pm

It turns out these guys are using the Guild of Master Craftsmen logo illegally on their site as well... grrr....
PRO

Gary RK January 14, 2013 at 5:39pm
Nick Mann January 14, 2013 at 5:43pm

Hi Gary - can't see your comment?
PRO

Gary RK January 14, 2013 at 5:44pm

Nick, have you spoken to local Trading Standards to gain any insight they may have on the business concerned - I'm guessing you may not be the only one :-( ?

I have always found my County's TS organisation very helpful...
Nick Mann January 14, 2013 at 5:46pm

Yes I have thanks, at the Guild's sugestion, and they knew all about Bray Roofing. They were very nice but not sure what they might be able to do to help.
PRO

Phil Voice February 21, 2013 at 8:54pm

Did you get a satisfactory resolution to this Nick?
Nick Mann February 21, 2013 at 9:09pm

Phil - good question - it does seem to be ending happily thanks to the local trading standards people. As Gary suggested, they have been amazingly helpful. I wish I'd gone to them before small claims. Bray have started to pay me back in monthly installments, including my legal costs. I hope they'll carry on and I will get my money back in entirety by the end of the year.