Hey Kiddos,
I need a little venting. For a Christmas order I bake 3 lovely cakes for the City Attorney's office. I didn't charge as much as I could have thinking it would generate business. I placed my three cakes on my only 3 acrylic cake stands that I have had for years and clients love. The person (notice I didn't say lady? ), that ordered the cakes was very nice (I thought ). I didn't collect a deposit because she DID work for the city attorney! MISTAKE! Her personal check bounced and when I called her on it she tried to say I cashed it too late. Anyway, since then I have not been able to get my stands back from her. I have sent her a demand letter with an invoice ($200) and called her endlessly. She doesn't take my calls. I even tried to tell her that we could put it all behind us if she would just give me my stands back. I do this from my home and I don't really want trouble from the City Attorney. I thought it would help to vent but as it stands I guess I will never see my stands or the $15 service fee that I had to pay to my bank. I have attached an image of the cakes.

A lesson learned!

unbelievable! cashed the check too late?! i thought if someone wrote you a check it should be good anytime. i usually don't race to th ebank with every check i get!

I don't know how she thinks you cashed it to late. A normal person would deduct it from her ledger right off. I would tell her that if she doesn't pay up and also return your plates that you will notify her boss (with a photocopy of the bounced check) of what happened. Most civil service employees can get in trouble with their bosses for doing things like this. Besides she can also be charged for a bounced check, end up having to pay you the check, your bank fee and court costs. Not to mention a criminal record. She could lose her job. Let her know that.

do not give up keep at her. take her to small claims court. she works for the city att. but it does not make her right. take her for the cost of the cake, the check fee from your bank, and your stands. show her just because she has a high position dosnt mean she can take advantage of the little guy!!!

She finally made the check good but I will never see the $15 service fee.

That really stinks! I can't believe the NERVE of some people....That person (not a lady!) sounds like a piece of work! I hope you gets your stands back and get paid for it eventually. It really makes you think you can't trust anybody (even the reputable sounding people are crooks!) Ugh! She's a cake theif!

I'm so sorry for you, being in this mess! I don't know what to tell you, I'm usually a pushover on things like this. I waive deposits all the time for people "I know are good for it!"

I'd be willing to bet that the other people in the City Attorney's Office don't even know what this person has done, and chances are she has done this to others as well. I don't understand why she paid with a personal check for something that was for work.

I understand being a home baker and not wanting to ruffle any feathers. You may end up having to take a loss on this one. But, this person would be blacklisted for life because of her actions. I would be perpetually busy any time she called in the future.

We as decorators will all eventually deal with a client like this...I hope for your sake at the very minimum you get your stands back!

By the way your cakes are beautiful.

i would send a certified letter addressed to the lawer that way he has to sign for it and you explain what happened in a letter with a copy of the check..and the amount in which you are owed..

thanks to all for your kind words. I always tell everyone else what goes around comes around. I hate it when I have to tell myself the same things. I just think everyone is honest. As I said I did get the check to finally clear.

I don't want the health inspector at my door and I wouldn't put it past her to do something like that. The stands are only material things that can be replaced but the doubt and disappointment that she has instilled in me won't go away.

Thanks Again. It is good to have friends like all of you.

This is just my 2 cents but be careful about telling her employer, even though it's the City Attorney.
You mentioned she paid the checks minus the service fee but did you get your stands back? I would follow up on that, don't be a push over for this. Don't give up, just be careful going to her employer on a personal matter Good luck!

I'd send the city attorney a registered letter which includes the invoice with interest added! His office....his responsibility.

Thanks Mamafrogcakes. No I never got my stands back. I doubt that I ever will.

I'm sorry to hear that but your cakes are beautiful

I am one of the worst for not charging the service fees and rentals of my stuff. I am like you a little to trusting. I am not sure how it works where you are but I would send her another letter or call her again for the stand. At least one more shot and if then maybe just drop the subject. You are right it is material but it is also the principal of the matter.

I guess because this has happened to you, we have all learnt a lesson. I was and still am what goes around comes around. Her time will come.

By the way, your cakes are very beautiful.

I would not think that the city is going to sick the health department on your just because you made a few holiday cakes. Since you were allowed to deliver the cakes to the office and set up, I'm guessing you're in a small town. I would go back to the office and ask about your cake stands and say how sorry your are to hear about the lady's financial troubles. "Oh, Susy must be going through hard times since she couldn't even pay me for making her holiday cakes."

You can't be too worried about being prosecuted or you would have never tried to solicit business from the attorney's office right? Don't let this woman get away with robbing you blind.

Really now! She should have money in her account regardless.

Gosh, and not returning your calls and not returning the stands....


Well, like you say, we live and learn from all this experiences!

I still think you should be very careful about versing this woman's personal financial troubles at work. Forget cake legality, that's a whole different set of problems! No one here would want a bill collector or someone telling our coworkers and supervisors about money troubles. You know?
Out of curiosity, if these cakes were for the city attorney's office, why did she pay as an individual? Usually with an office like that, the office would fund it or maybe they would get together as a group or something? I was just wondering. Like was this for the actual office or did you supply the cakes for her to bring to the function.
Like the others said, what's wrong with sending her a formal certified letter demanding the stands back OR ELSE!!!
I don't own any stands yet but have thought about whether or not to charge a deposit on them. I think you made my mind up for me!

mamafrogcakes is right, you dont have to tell her boss or coworkers but you should do something to get your stands back. send her a certified letter stating if you dont get them back you will take her to small claims court. if she has already paid you what is the big deal with giving back the stands for her? the nerve of some people.

...I thought this was a purchase by the office, via her, not a personal purchase. My bad.

Yeah Alracntna, those of us with spines would think "OH NO! I better give these back!" I can't imagine just keeping something like a cake stand. It's not like she's using it, so it's just hateful.

More than likely, you'll never see your stands again. I always say what goes around comes around and someday she'll get hers. Like you, I'd be afraid to stir up too much if I wasn't licensed to do cakes out of my home. I doubt that she would ever have enough nerve to ask you to do another cake. My guess is that she either threw away the stands or let someone have them. Would be nice if you could know when she was going to be out of the office and just drop by and ask someone if the stands happen to be there. That would let her coworkers know that you hadn't gotten them back. Maybe that would help.

We all learn from each others mistakes on here. It sucks that this happened to you.

This person paid for the office's Christmas party's cakes to serve over 100 people including the City Manager. She was going to expense it. I even asked if I needed to hold onto it until January knowing that Christmas was coming up. She assured me there was no problem.

I did speak to the receptionist and asked her if she knew if any cake stands from their Christmas party happen to be sitting around because this person was suppose to return them to me and I wanted them back. She said she would look around and call me right back. Never called. I intend to keep calling and leaving messages and talking to other people just asking if they happen to know if they are there since she doesn't return my calls.

Those stands have seen me through some hard times. It is the point of it all that she is being so mean to keep them. I think I might send a certified return receipt invoice for them just to see what happens.

Thanks again for all of your support. It has helped a lot. Remember, no matter who it is, get a deposit! If I had I would not have had this problem to begin with. It would have been so simple.

I hope the ol' biddy get a big ol' wart on her nose! Oh, sorry, did I say that? Sometimes I forget to be nice.

A VERY big wart. OOPS! Did I say that?

Well, I'm glad she finally made good on her check! (I just found out today that one of my customer's checks was returned for insufficient funds...and it's a friend, I feel horrible FOR HER-we've almost all bounced at least one check!)

The more thought I give this, I like the idea of sending her a letter. I would make sure it said something like: "Please return my stands by (date). If they are not returned by this time, I expect payment in the amount of (price) to replace the stands. You have (#) days to respond or I will have to take this matter to court for settlement. Thank you, ..."

...that should be enough to scare her into returning or cough up the cash!

Let us know what you decide to do and if you get your stands back. Unfortunatley I have learned the hard way about trusting people.

Good Luck

Okay People,
I decided not to just sit here and take it. I sent a letter and invoice to my dishonest customer. I sent them certified, return receipt, restricted delivery so she is the one that has to sign for it. I gave her 5 days to return my property after receipt of my invoice or a 15% late fee will be tacked on too the total of my invoice. I told her thereafter every 30 days another 15% will be added until my property is returne in original condition.

We will see what happens. I will let all of your know. Thanks again for all of your support.

woooooohooooooo!!!! Now you're talking! I was going to suggest finding similar stands online and printing out the price to show her what she owes....but you handled it perfectly!!!!!


Congrats and keep us posted...

gorgeous cakes, BTW!