Blackmail??? Advice needed

laurajane

Bronze
May 23, 2005
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As many of you know i supply artistic entertainment to hotels and resorts in Punta Cana.

A very large hotel in Punta Cana has not paid my invoices for JUNE, JULY, AUGUST and now September.

Every week they loose an invoice that they have been given 5 times already of just seem to loose track of everything and I have to walk them through it in baby steps. Yes i believe we will get paid eventually, but what do i do in the meantime.

Anyway, I had a quiet word with the entertainment director today and explained that it costs me RD$75,000 just to provide them with the show each month, never mind making any actual money and allthough we have continued to provide the weekly service without complaint for the last four months i can no longer continue to find the money to keep doing so and if the accounting department dont pay i will have to suspend the service, not through wanting to but out of neccesity.

His reply "well we will just get another show to replace you, so you either stay and keep doing the show or loose out, not my problem!".

What i want to know is-

Is there a law that protects companies from not paying suppliers and hiring others when they press for payment?

If anyone can suggest a good tactic or a legal way of dealing with it i would be very grateful.

Thanks
 

belgiank

Silver
Jun 13, 2009
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if you made out invoices, why not go to the fiscal?

Or even better, with which tour-operators do they work mostly? Complain to them.

You are not being paid now, so what do you have to lose?

Hell, if in the end I had to do it, I would even announce it on stage. We are giving you this show, essentially for free, as the hotel does not pay its bills.

You cannot let them get away with it. Same thing happened to me. Got screwed over, never will see my money, but at least a hell of a lot of people now know about this shady business.

BelgianK
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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Go to a lawyer. They shouldn't charge much. Will be easier if you have a contract but they will issue an alguacil via the court - costs around 3-4k pesos and gives them so much time to pay. If they don't pay within the timeframe they are in deep doo doo as the court can shut them down.

Make sure is a decent lawyer though

Matilda
 

laurajane

Bronze
May 23, 2005
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Problem is every hotel entertainment manager knows the next and any diva moves on our part could effect all our business.

I dont want to let them get away with it but difficult to know what to do.

I am a little fish in a big pond!
 
Jan 3, 2003
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Stop working for free. Even if they do pay they'll do it DOMINICAN STYLE "a retaso." Bits and pieces might get you some money but you'll probably never see full payment again. I'm Dominican. If I were you, I'd cut my losses and not work for free. About that lawyer bit, read up on all the scam lawyers and how they keep milking foreigners while never getting anything done. Three months of non-payment should be enough for you to stop working for free. Let them find someone else.
 
Dec 26, 2011
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I'm in construction. I have a simply policy: I'll start the next job for a client once I'm paid for the one that's completed. I'll never become a multi-millionaire with such an approach . It's limiting, I'm aware. But I've seen way too many guys go under because they fell for "start these two, buddy, so I can get my draw to pay you for the last three you're not paid for yet".

Once mutual respect is lost, the relationship is over.

Good luck getting paid. Sounds like the man spit in your face.
 

belgiank

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Jun 13, 2009
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That would certainly be a good idea. I know of some tourist business being screwed by their local employees. They contacted the head-office, told them their story, and the head-office immediately put matters straight.

BelgianK
 

anng3

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Jan 12, 2007
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I hope you get your money but you've also learned an expensive lesson.
Get 1/2 up front and 1/2 at the conclusion of the show. Never give
a second show if the 1st show hasn't been paid for.
 

belgiank

Silver
Jun 13, 2009
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go straight to the top, and kindly say you are sure they will solve this matter.

Otherwise you will be forced to go to the international press.

BelgianK
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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anng3 said:
Get 1/2 up front and 1/2 at the conclusion of the show. Never give
a second show if the 1st show hasn't been paid for.

Easier said than done in this sector.
 

laurajane

Bronze
May 23, 2005
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The resorts pay on a monthly basis and we have a weekly show.

In most cases they pay on the 20th of the month for the previous calender month.

So they always owe something

The entertainment managers always say payment is nothing to do with them and dont want to get involved. I can see one side of that but at end of day if the suppliers they count on are not being paid it does make it their problem and as they are our main contact they should make it their business.

Very frustrating.
 

Dominicaus

New member
Oct 4, 2006
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Thank you, would i write to the chain that owns the hotel itself or the chain that has the owns the name?
The target should be the chain that OPERATES the hotel, as opposed to the owner of the hotel (which probably knows nothing about the management of the place, and just gets a certain amount of money from the operator on a monthly or yearly basis).

However from a tactical point of view, you may explore the possibility of trying to survive until the high season...hotels are struggling now, but they will likely make loads of money during the high season, especially during and immediately after the Christmas-New Year period...if you start any court action now, likely you won't get any money before then anyway, so you might as well give the benefit of the doubt to the management until you know for sure they are making money...say by mid/late January (about 3 months and change from now)...By then they should have some money (of course there may also be others who supply them with other services and are in a position similar to yours, but still they should be able to make substantial payments to everyone by then).