Just found out 60% of my overdue invoices were from clients who never even signed my contract

I was going through old files after cleaning my desk and realized 12 out of 20 unpaid jobs had no signed agreement. How many of you actually check for signatures before starting work?

3 comments

3 Comments

morganl7117d ago

I heard once that a handshake deal is just a promise to argue later.

wyattramirez15d ago

My cousin sealed a boat sale with a handshake out on Lake Lanier in 2019, and it turned into a whole thing. The guy promised to pay the rest in two weeks, got a storm warning and took off with the boat. We spent six months tracking him down through fishing forums and a marina manager who remembered his truck. My cousin ended up filing a small claims case, but the judge said the handshake was binding because we had witnesses and text messages about the deal. He got his money but it cost him twice what the boat was worth in time and gas. So yeah, a handshake deal can work, but you better have a backup plan.

charlie19817d ago

@morganl71 that quote's not wrong but a handshake can be worth more than a signed contract with the wrong person.