Originally Posted by nannyde:
I don't have parents sign contracts until they have been with me for a long time. Usually around the third to the sixth month I offer a contract. I am willing to have them leave without notice and would repay any in advance fees on the spot.
If you have three other families on contract and you didn't do it with them, I think the judge may wonder why THEM? Why would you allow THEM to not have a contract when you made sure everyone else did?
I think you need to be humble and return their funds completely and not waste another minute on this. You have to make mistakes in business to learn and you have made a big one. It's going to cost you a few hundred dollars and it will insure you don't make the mistake again.
If you don't have the money to give back to them then offer to make payments until you pay off the debt.
1. What they are asking to be paid is $800 that is 3/4 of my mortgage payment...no I do not have the money upfront to pay them.
2. I did not refuse services to them for the month of February and they had already previously told me they were staying for the full month.
3. As a sucessful business owner I do intend to stand my grounds when it comes to my business. They were well aware of my policies and procedures when starting with me.
4. It's fine if you choose to let families walk at any point when only being with you for x number of months, but I do not. My income is what provides for my family and it is important I make sure that income is secure.
5. I realize that there was not a signed contract and I should have gotten them one as soon as I could have but I didn't, my mistake yes...means it's going to take more time and effort on my part to present my case before the judge but it does not mean that I do not have a case. If a LAWYER has already advised me on what to do and has told me that I have grounds to stand on and the chances of them winning in court are very small, I'm going to trust that LAWYER and go ahead and fight my case. I deserve respect if I let one family walk all over me it won't be long before another one does the same (contract or not it's irrelevant). If you look information on whether or not a verbal contract is legally binding or not I think you will be quite surprised with what you find.