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How To Spot the Warning Signs of Someone Who Isn’t Going to Pay

Last modified: January 29, 2024

How To Spot the Warning Signs of Someone Who Isn’t Going to Pay

When someone owes you money, it is a frustrating and anxiety-inducing experience.

This is a very common frustration, one which both businesses and private individuals suffer with across the UK.

For businesses of all sizes, late payments are a problem.

Credit-control teams must spend valuable time and money chasing the debtor to recover any money they owe.

If a bad payer affects a business’s cash flow, it could jeopardise the entire company and put it at risk.

Private individuals must do this by themselves, and often they are simply ignored.

This can be even more aggravating if you know the debtor personally, such as a friend or family member.

With any type of debt, the best solution is to prevent it from occurring in the first place.

Knowing the warning signs of someone who isn’t going to pay is a key part of this.

In this article, our debt collection experts explain the signs you should look out for in a person’s behaviour if they owe you money.

There are many similarities between business customers and private individuals.

Our guide on the warning signs of someone who isn’t going to pay covers this.

Spot the Warning Signs of Someone Who Isn’t Going to Pay

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Our friendly team of Debt Collection Experts is happy to help you today

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What to Look Out For – Warning Signs of Someone Who Isn’t Going to Pay

Since our opening in 2005, we have heard every excuse that is conceivable as reasons for not paying a bill or invoice.

Often, people will delay payments by using all manner of tactics.

Below we have listed some of the most common examples of excuses used by people who have no intention of paying.

1.      A Person Will Keep Breaking Promises

Has a person who owes you money repeatedly promised that they would pay you soon…

…only for that day to pass without them paying you?

People will prey on your kindness and patience, promising payment when they have no intentions of doing so.

Common things people say include “I can pay you as soon as I get paid from work next”, or “I’ll have the money next week, I’m waiting for a cheque to clear”.

If the person who owes you money has broken several promises to repay you, there is a high chance that they are leading you on.

2.      The Debtor Ignores All Communications

Most people attempt to contact someone who owes them money shortly after a payment deadline has passed.

Debtors who don’t intend to pay what they owe will sometimes try to ignore any attempts at communication.

Phone calls, text messages, letters and emails can all go unacknowledged and unanswered.

If you have sent a letter via recorded delivery and it has been returned or not signed for, this can also suggest that the debtor is ignoring you.

These examples could be a sign that the person is trying to avoid you, and could also be a warning sign of someone who isn’t going to pay you.

How To Spot the Warning Signs of Someone Who Isn't Going to Pay Frontline Collections

3.      Odd Excuses

There are many excuses that people will try to use to avoid paying what they owe and being able to recognise these is vital.

If you are getting one excuse after another it may mean that they are stringing you along.

Some common excuses we hear include:

  • “I have had an accident which means I can’t pay right now”
  • “The person you were dealing with has left the business and not left any notes”
  • “Sorry, they are on holiday for the next month. Try again then”
  • “The accounts team has left for the day”
  • “We have posted the cheque, it must have gotten lost”

There are many more, but if you have the feeling someone is giving you a poor excuse it could be another warning sign.

4.      The Debtors Behaviour Suddenly Changes

Has your arrangement with the person who owes you money been going well up until the point where you have asked for money?

Quite often debtors are very communicative right until you start asking for the money which is rightfully yours.

At that point, they can switch and become unresponsive and distant.

They may even become confrontational, or dispute a payment.

If this happens it could be another warning sign that someone isn’t going to pay you.

5.      Demanding to be Able to Pay by Cheque

At the beginning of any agreement, you should always discuss payment methods.

Some people will demand to pay by cheque and accept no other means of payment.

With a cheque, the customer can lengthen the time it takes to receive payments.

A cheque must be written and posted to you, and a bad payer will make sure that they select the slowest possible option to do this.

Once you have received the cheque, you must then clear it with your bank, a process that can take up to 14 days.

After this, the cheque may bounce, which means you have to start the process all over again.

If someone owes you money and will only pay you by cheque, it could be a sign that they will cause problems later on when payment is requested.

Escalating the Matter – Instructing a Debt Collection Agency

If you have reached the point where the person who owes you money is avoiding paying you…

…then it is best to contact a professional debt collection agency!

An agency will be able to help you understand the best way in which you should proceed, and what action you need to take.

One trend we notice amongst private individuals who are owed money is that they are unsure if they can use a debt collection agency.

The answer is yes, you can!

Frontline Collections has been helping both private individuals and businesses recover owed money since 2005.

We are the UK’s leading private debt collection agency, recovering thousands of pounds worth of unpaid debt every day.

We provide a completely free pre-action assessment of all debts, where one of our agents will help you to understand the likelihood that we can recover your money.

If you are noticing the warning signs of someone who isn’t going to pay, speak to one of our friendly debt collection experts today.

Spot the Warning Signs of Someone Who Isn’t Going to Pay

Get Expert Help From A Private Debt Collection Agency Now

Our friendly team of Debt Collection Experts is happy to help you today

SPEAK TO A DEBT COLLECTION EXPERT