Owed Wages....ideas?

[DeltaT]

I am owed some £5500 in wages for some aerial photography work I did last year.
It now looks like that the company concerned may go under. The boss’s home number is now disconnected and the answer service is always on at the office and cell phone number.
There have been promises in the past when I have managed to talk to the boss of ‘instalments’, but these have not happened. I am now convinced I may well not see the money.

Has anyone any ideas of what I can do to get the money I am owed???

[Sensible]

DT,

I am a bit confused about where you are from, your profile suggests you are in London but your e-mail suggests NZ. more important is where the alleged debt arose.

Check your e-mail.

[Sensible]

DT,

I had a spot of bother sending the mail, if you didn't get it, e-mail me!!

Always, when somebody owes you money, act fast, get there before the others - you can bet your life that if somebody owes YOU money, they also owe OTHERS money as well.

[DeltaT]

the debt is in uk, I am living in London.
the nz email address is accessible globally.
the email address is correct, though remove the . at the end, this is so the email cannot be used by web page scanner programs looking for addresses to use for spam

[str12]

You could talk to the Citizens Advice Beaureau and the Small Claims Court, but, if the company in question has gone into receivership then your claim may be at the end of a long line of debtors.

Good Luck!

[inyoni]

The Aviation Industry is full of fringe operations exploiting the low hour and desperate amongst us to make themselves rich. The receivership scam is just another loophole for the professional bankrupt or should we call them fraudsters to escape with the swag. They usually pop up within a few weeks with a new company and another scam in a different area. It happens in the threshold/entry level airline or Air Taxi business just as prevalently. It always seems to be the same names. Usual 'modus operandi' is to start with a aerial photo company, then a string of flight schools, then an Air Taxis operation, followed by an Airline. Everyone gets ripped off, banks, employees, customers you name it. Those of us who have followed the progress of a certain gentleman who did exactly the same (his exploits I have followed from nearly 20 years ago in South Africa, right here to the UK) the same old route, aerial work, flight schools, air taxi, airline. Manner, usually charming and promising everything you could dream off, usually surrounds himself with comely lasses and is not adverse to the casting couch interview process. Result is you get shafted (well you got some hours didn't you?), will work outside all legal requirements in aircraft that are full of defects and maintained by the most unscrupulous people you can imagine! So you will risk life limb and license and never get paid for the few poxy hours you manage to survive! As it says in the song: 'It's the rich wot gets the pleasure, it's the poor that gets the blame, it's the same the whole world over, ain't it all a f***ing shame.
Cynical? Go to the Rumour and News Forum and do a search for 'Love Air' you'll get the drift after that.
As for getting any money - well as I said before, you got hours what else do you want?
Been there, done that, got the Tee-shirt and all that!


[This message has been edited by inyoni (edited 01 March 2001).]

[Sensible]

And here endeth the leason in "real life"

Sadly, it's a cynical view but so true!!

[BombBay]

Iyoni et al just about sum it up.
If you still have access to the aircraft, you could always get a lien put on it, ( remember that an aircraft will "carry" a debt regardless of whether the operator has done a bunk or not).
Email with the blokes name - I might be able to help you, after all it's a small world out there! ;)

[steven]

What I would advise you to do is act quickly. With a lawyer. Get what ever legal advice you can . These kind of "gentlemen crooks" are all over the place and I would advise you to act soon because if the company goes down and is proved to be insolvent then you may not get your money. So be quick about it.

[intents]

I know nothing of your situation nor aerial operations, but having been in business for 20 years I do know know a little about shysters. (if that's the spelling).

Do not bother with small claims court nor solicitors - you'll only waste even more money time and money. It's easy to get a ****y Court Judgement against your debtor, there are loads of people who will do it for you for a fee of. Total waste of money - but if you're determined to go down that route send me £50 and I'll do it for you.

Legally you are not allowed to pressurise debtors by person, phone etc and you could find yourself in trouble if you do. So be careful there especially if you've already involved the courts.

The only effective option I've found is to locate some of this chaps assets and secure them for yourself.

In previous similar circumstances I've notified the debtor that I am about to sieze known assets (cars, equipment etc) and money has arrived fairly quickly. If it doesn't arrive then there's probably no money there!

In reality most of these guys are living very well and do have money. They simply choose to use it firstly for their own use and then to keep going by paying off the most vociferous, nasty, ugly claimants first. The rest can go hang.

E-mail me if you want more advice and obviously anything said in this email is only my personal experience and opinion.

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[intents]

In my previous post I meant to say County Court Judgement not ****y Court Judgement.

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