Harry - 12:48 pm on Feb 25, 2004 (gmt 0)

I hate bad payers. Worked for a company who, like usual, was in deep trouble when they called in to fix their problems for Friday - it was Monday.

The first thing he did, was bargain for a better rate. He's in trouble, and he bargains...

When I came on Wednesday as agreed, and brought my invoice, his staff told me that he was in Europe and they had nothing in the petty cash.

I was very pissed off and no longer interested in doing the job. So I told his guy. I emailed the guy in Europe, as the guy suggested and told him that .

The next day, the staff guy and starts threatening me saying he will tell every body I'm unprofessional. I did the work, but didn't give him the source codes.

The week after, they called, asking for revisions. I told him there wouldn't be any, as I had not gotten paid. They asked for the source code instead. I told him to "find a solution."

Surprise, surprise, two days later, they pay half of the job. I sent the source code, hoping I had not made a mistake.

At the end of the month, I got my entire payment when the owner called me in. He started saying that I didn't trust him and that I was unprofessional and that I should have been more understanding because he was in Europe.

I told him, there were terms that weren't respected and how was I suppose to know he would be in Europe. I should have refused this entire job from day one, as I didn't feel good working for those losers.

At least I got paid.

But it's surprising the amount of people who will not pay. It makes you tougher on other customers and sound paranoid, but one has to protect one's self.

Now, I just screen potential trouble makers, as I lose more money that way, even if I get paid two months later.