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Customer work not picked up

Posted: Tue 24 Jul, 2018 10:45 pm
by whitbyframer
Hi all. I've got some work that I've completed for a customer and, despite a couple of phone calls to let him know that it's ready, he still hasn't been to pay for it and take it away. Any idea how long I have to hang on to his work before advertising it on Ebay or the likes?

Re: Customer work not picked up

Posted: Wed 25 Jul, 2018 5:58 am
by Abacus
Do you have an address for the customer? You need to give written notice to them.

This is helpful
https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/upload/ ... _goods.pdf

I’ve still got stuff from 10 years ago!

Re: Customer work not picked up

Posted: Wed 25 Jul, 2018 6:48 am
by pramsay13
How long have you waited?

Have you spoken to him during the phone calls or tried and failed to get him or left messages?

Although you are entitled to sell the item eventually I'm not sure I would risk doing so as the customer is sure to turn up the day after you sell it.

Re: Customer work not picked up

Posted: Wed 25 Jul, 2018 7:24 am
by Steve N
You are not allowed to sell the customers picture, it's their property

best thing to do, if more than say 3 months, take the picture out of the frame and use the frame for something else, then deliver the picture back to the customer, tell them never to cross your threshold again :giggle:

Re: Customer work not picked up

Posted: Wed 25 Jul, 2018 10:42 am
by prospero
This is one of the hazards of the trade. :P

hanging all the way up my stairway is the "rouge's gallery". All pictures that have been abandoned. The oldest is a school
photo I framed in 1987. The kids must be in their late 40s by now. :lol:

It's annoying but it happens. As for disposal, you can't legally sell the work. Although if you did there would likely be no comeback.
I've never tried this but one way is to notify the customer that you have sold their stuff (you haven't really). If they come storming
round full of self-righteous indignation (with lawyer in tow possibly) then you got them. Let them have a good rant and then wheel
the pictures out. :evil:

Re: Customer work not picked up

Posted: Wed 25 Jul, 2018 11:21 am
by kartoffelngeist
Contact your local police station and tell them it's been abandoned as no one has come to collect it.

Once you've waited long enough, title will pass to you and you can sell it...

(This was only meant jokingly...convincing a judge that it had been abandoned would be a bit difficult when you have the paperwork for it...)

Re: Customer work not picked up

Posted: Wed 25 Jul, 2018 1:25 pm
by kartoffelngeist
I should add, it may be worth giving them the benefit of the doubt.

I reframed a print we were selling for a customer who needed it by the weekend. Grumped for a while that she hadn't been in for it then found out she'd be killed in a car accident.

:shock:

Re: Customer work not picked up

Posted: Wed 25 Jul, 2018 2:24 pm
by Steve N
I had one once who was detained at Her Majesty Pleasure for 18 months :Slap:

Re: Customer work not picked up

Posted: Wed 25 Jul, 2018 2:38 pm
by JFeig
All the more reason for at least a 50% deposit.

Re: Customer work not picked up

Posted: Wed 25 Jul, 2018 4:18 pm
by whitbyframer
I know that one particular customer has other things on his plate at the moment so was going to give him the benefit of the doubt for the moment. I've only had the work for about 3 months and have left messages for him. I was just interested in finding out where we stand with issues like this.

Thanks everyone, especially for the whimsical tales :)

Re: Customer work not picked up

Posted: Thu 26 Jul, 2018 3:36 am
by prospero
I had a situation where a customer picked up his frames on a Friday and was killed in a car crash the next day. His bank returned
his cheque. I didn't chase the family for payment. I figured at least I was still breathing. :roll:

I have two frames at the moment. I know the customer has passed away, heard it on the grapevine. The family have not been in touch
and I have lost his contact details. These things are going to happen and it's a cost of doing business.

Re: Customer work not picked up

Posted: Thu 26 Jul, 2018 8:15 pm
by Not your average framer
I've only had two customers do this to me. It does not bother me much, after six months I am thinking about reusing the frame for something else. If another customer is looking for a similar frame, I'll offer them a deal to more the frame on. I'm not likely to be hanging on the the frame much more than a year to 18 months. Unfortunately, I still have to store the artwork, if I can not get the customer to take it away.

Re: Customer work not picked up

Posted: Sat 28 Jul, 2018 7:27 am
by baughen
Prospero, Does the family know that you have the artwork? If it is not worth a lot it may be valuable in other ways to heirs. If valuable the executors of the estate would need to know.

Re: Customer work not picked up

Posted: Sat 28 Jul, 2018 9:34 am
by prospero
....... It's only two little maps. Interesting, but not worth a lot. I don't know the family and they haven't been in touch. :|

Re: Customer work not picked up

Posted: Mon 01 Oct, 2018 10:43 am
by ahmed11
Thanks for advise