I know this topic is really old but I wanted to add another suggestion. I have had clients in the past that have “sweet talked” me just long enough for our lien rights to pass, then tell me good luck on getting paid. After getting screwed enough times I stumbled across a collection agency that took on these deadbeats for me, and they have a 90% success rate, and charge 30% of the dept they collect.
What they do is not pretty, they have a private investigator and identify the key people who own the business or property and hound them relentlessly, as well as filing on their credit reports, and endless phone calls. It does not matter what kind of handshake deal you may have had they are a pack of hyenas that only get paid if you do and they don’t give up.
70% of you money is better than nothing, and losing clients like this is not really a loss.
