Thread: Fired a client today

Last week I had an inspection scheduled. I called the buyers agent to let him know I was going to be about 5 minutes late (40 minutes before appointment).
He informed me that he was just too busy to get there. I told him we had the appointment set a week ago. He didn't care. My client's parents had driven 3 hours to be there.
So we re-scheduled it for today.
An hour or so before the appointment, I called my client to confirm someone was going to be there to open the house, and SHE told me that she had just got off work, and was too tired to come.

I then told her that she should find someone else to inspect it for her, because she had already cost me $700, and I could not afford to have clients like her that did not appreciate my time.

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And I would have promptly sent her the bill.

did an inspection on monday. for one of our finest, just back from iraq army sgt. he was going to school in greeley colorado to move on in life. he and his wife and the dreaded father drove on friday from minnesota,for a sunday inspection and they were turning around and driving back 14 freaking hours after inspection.

so i called listing agent ON FRIDAY FOR SUNDAY INSPECTION she turns out to be re/max alliance team leader in this office. and as usual this time of the year out here I ASK--IS THE F*&%&%$ WATER AND UTILITIES AND GAS TURNED ON, answer as usual YES. SHE TELLS ME TO CALL HER OFFICE TO GET LOCK BOX--YADDAYADDA YADDA. call office and again ask the same utility question--answer again YES.

off i go sunday morning--a tired threesome i meet---i thank my client for serving our country and tell him he is getting my 10% discount for being a vet and off we go,walking around exterior. plug my outlet tester in exterior outlet--no juice--walk over to gas metr--valve off and locked--WHAT THE F#$%.

GRUMPY FATHER SAYS he wants me back when all is turned on and finish job.

WHAT???

inform him i am 40 miles away and time is money--hope you understand.

he didn't but his son did.

well called listing agent and said from site--NO JUICE OR GAS WHAT GIVES.

she calls back and says without her knowing seller had all turned off everything--EXCEPT WATER, we have had freezing temp here for a week now--knuckle heads all

informed her i would be back when all is turned on and would charge $150 for trip charge--initial inspection was $250--IT WAS A SMALL DOUBLE WIDE, with GI DISCOUNT

she said what--$150--i said time is money and i could be doing another full paid inspection.

a long story short

LISTING AGENTS--GET THEIR MONEY--DO AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE AND GIVE A RATS ASS

to all-- remember our young men and women serving our country in the crap holes of the world and give them a buyers break--they diserve it

what do you all do with utilities turned off and you did your duty to be sure they were on

GOD BLESS AMERICA

CHARLIE

Originally Posted by CHARLIE VAN FLEET

what do you all do with utilities turned off and you did your duty to be sure they were on

I do the same as you did Charlie. We're not in this for charity.

Jack, I had a client couple weeks ago where if she made one more annoying statement, I was going to pack up and leave, paid or not. She was a PITA from the minute she got to the house. I was 15 minutes early so I got started on the outside and got the roof done. She rolls up with her friend at the start time and I tell her what I've looked at since I was early. She expresses surprise that I would start without her present. "Get over it" I think to myself. Well this was just a small sampling of her demeanor. She had a problem with the sellers and their 10 month daughter being in the house during the inspection, she couldn't understand why I couldn't tell her how old the roof was when another HI told her at another house how old the roof was, and she kept trying to knock me off my inspection routine even after I told her multiple times that I have a system I use for inspecting and that I would address her concerns when I was ready to inspect the system in question. I had the door open at the back of the basement to let some light in and she was asking/telling me to close and lock the door. I said "I'll be back over there later. I'll get it later". She said "well are you going back outside?". Again, I said "I'll be back over there later. I'll get it later". She was constantly challenging my explanations and opinions on what I saw in the house.

A few days ago, I get an e-mail from her stating that her bank does not yet show I have deposited the check she gave me a week prior for the inspection and she asks/tells me to deposit the check. My response in different words is I'll get to the bank when I get to the bank.

If I heard from her again for another inspection, I'd have to tell her no and why.

Seems to happen all the time these days - show up at an inspection and the power or water is off, and this is after confirming that it was on. I always tell my client that there is a charge to come out and finish the inspection and that the listing agent should pay the bill. After all, it is their responsibility to see that the utilities are on. I especially like doing that when the agent is present. There is usually less argument and they agree to pay.

I have NO problem with the utilities being OFF. I tell my clients that it is the listing agents responsibilty....NOT MINE. I will gladly inspect any house in any condition. No Power, No Water, No Gas...No problem. I just DOCUMENT and exclude these items from my report. If the client wants me to return when everything is on....I charge for ANOTHER inspection....and yes I do it all over again. Different day, different conditions. JMO

SO CLINT
you are going to charge the client for another full inspection- is this your no holds barred condition on this situation--that is kind of cold.. and in my case a poor iraq vet who drove 14 hours in and then fourteen hours back.-.why charge them. why wouldn't you call the listing agents broker manager and tell them the situation. thats what i did. they should be taken to the coals, don't you think

second thought, will that buyer agent ever refer you again??

it's not there fault--right.

charlie

I send a "preparations for inspection" letter via email along with the inspection contract that details things like utilities, attic access, etc. I ask "are all the utilities on?" when making the appointment with the listing agent, etc.
When I show up, I inspect what ever there is to inspect. If the client wants me to come back to inspect anything, it is one-half the original inspection fee since I only inspect the things missed or agreed on, not another full inspection.
If you don't value your time, neither will the client or agent. Of course, it is my company and I can always throw in a free-bee as the mode and circumstances dictate.
I don't think I have ever "not" inspected once I have arrive on site just because the water or power was not on. I have only had one realtor complain about the amount of the re-inspection fee. People get it if you just set the expectation.

I send a "preparations for inspection" letter via email

Hi Jim,

I am working on something similar right now. Do you mind if I "borrow" some of your wording by chance?

Originally Posted by Jim Luttrall

People get it if you just set the expectation.

This is the most important thing one can do. Life is like a checker board. If you should agents and clients where to stand thats where they will stand. If you don't they will get up and wander all over the checker board.

Best

Ron

I've had four of these in the past two weeks. Arrive and utilities are off OR I get a call the day before the inspection with client telling me they need to re-schedule because of utilities being off. I'm not sure how to get around this because I always mention the utilities should be on.

It's resulting in loss of income but I just consider it the cost of doing business. I do have verbiage in my contract stating cancellations are subject to a charge if canceled within 48 hours. I've got two instances right now I am seriously considering attempting to collect on.

Sometimes it can't be helped and isn't the buyers fault but other times they just don't seem to care about wasting my time.