I've had clients offer to pay me even if something falls through at the last minute. I don't accept anything because these people at least get it that they've taken up my time and they acknowledge the inconvenience placed upon my schedule. But I too have thought about having a cancellation fee for last minute cancels but figured it would be too much of a pain in the ass to collect on.

I place nice with past clients too and for the most part I have no reason not to. But I did have one client who I must have done 5 inspections for as he kept finding some reason to not buy the house. Payment was not an issue with him. His problem (and mine) was that he refused to leave voicemail messages for me and would call incessantly until I picked up the phone. I was on vacation and had my office phone forwarded to my cell. My cell phone showed 8 missed calls from his number in 3+ hours. I had to remind him that he's not my only client and that for whatever reason (this time vacation) that I cannot always be there to take his calls.

The time that made me snap at him was when I was talking to him in the car while I was on the way to an inspection. He wanted to give me a phone number but I told him I was in the car and couldn't write it down. I asked him to just call me back after we finish this conversation, I would let his call go to voicemail, and he could leave the number for me in a message. Well he called back all right, 6 more times while I'm driving and again would not leave a message. When my phone rang for the 6th time, I'd had it. I answered the phone and spoke very tersely and bluntly reminding him that I was in the car, could not write the number down, and that he HAD TO LEAVE A MESSAGE!!!. After all that, he didn't call to leave the number and I had to call him later that day.

Getting back to the payment thing, I don't hold their report hostage (for lack of a better term) if they've forgotten their checkbook. I simply give them my address and they mail a check to me. I have never been stiffed when doing this but if I don't get their check in a few days after the inspection, I pester them. I have no argument against holding reports until you get paid. It's just not my style and I prefer to give the client the benefit of the doubt. Maybe I'll change my approach to that the first time I do get stiffed.