One year ago, we had some emergency electrical service done by a cousin in DH's huge family. We see him once/ twice per year.
At the time, we asked how much the service would cost, so we could plan accordingly. Although he didn't give a direct answer, he said approx. $200-$250, which was no problem.
Meanwhile, we never received a bill for the emergency service. We requested one, and he kept telling us he hasn't forgotten. This happened multiple times over months. Meanwhile, I was a SAHM, and then we needed repairs to the refrigerator, stove, and twice to the furnace mid-winter. Our savings was depleted. I secretly wondered if he was doing us a "quiet favor". I returned to work.
This month, a year later, he sent us a bill for $425 demanding payment in full immediately. He billed us as a regular customer, and even billed us for a permit- which he never even attained! He went back on his word of $250, but we had nothing in writing, and being a prick isn't illegal. I explained our financial situation, and that we will make payments to him every single month until the $425 bill is paid. Some months we can pay $50, some months more, but we will absolutely pay him.
Now, he's bad mouthing us to all of my ILs, and since I'm the one who dealt with him, I'm the one who is getting the bad name. It's my word against his, and because of the large size of DH's family, they really hardly know me. My ILs offered to loan us the money to give him just to "keep the peace" but I just don't feel comfortable with that.
Sorry this is so long, but WWYD?
Re: Doing biz w/family
FFS. What an a$$
Borrow the money from your inlaws, pay them back and shut this idiot up.
NEVER do business with family. You learned a lesson and now know exactly who he is. A POS.
It will honestly be easier and better to pay your i
He also sounds like a jerk.
When you pay him off, kiss him off also. WHo needs him? wha
~Benjamin Franklin
DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10
Well you've learned your lesson now.
Now email all of your inlaws with him included explaining that while this is not the bill you agreed upon you will pay at your leisure. Your choice to do so is based on his choice to take so
I don't think I would borrow the money from your IL's to pay the guy in full. Basically, the lesson he'll learn from that is if he bad mouths you to the family, he'll get you to do what he wants. And anyway, given that he waited a year to bill you, I d