# Assero Payment Problems



## A1LM (Mar 26, 2017)

So I have done work for Assero for about 3 years in Pennsylvania. Every once in a while, I come into conflict with debris amounts. In these cases, they usually get more out of me than I want to give, but bite the bullet to keep the work flowing. It usually irritates more than it inflicts damage. I did have someone from Assero admit off the record that they purposely reject and deny payment hoping that the vendor won't bother to monitor or will lose patience in the process. All extra profit for them. 



So last month I completed a 92 cyd trash out. They pre-approved 85 cyds, but they Rep processed for 40 cyds. He said he couldn't make sense of the photos. Visneta is infamous for mixing up photos. I purposely process my trailer photos separately and all under the after photos so they stay in order. Whatever. He sent me another order and said that it was much clearer now. Despite weeks of follow up emails, there was not change to the invoice. Now that the monthly invoice is due I have been disputing daily and was able to speak with the Representative. He said he would look into it. They just increased it to 46 cyds. Wow!


So bottom line: What are the options? I have never done a mechanics lien. Is there a step by step guide somewhere? How successful are liens in collecting the money? I am moving out of the business, but I cannot afford take a hit like this on my way out.


Thanks


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## D.R.S. (Oct 5, 2018)

if I was going to go the lien rout which will guarantee the end of that contract i would send an "intent to lien" form on your company letterhead and give them the oppertunity to make it right...... i say if in the beginning because i have been in this situation and have gone both routs, i have just ate it in order to keep contract and have stood my ground with national field network and got all 30ishK$ that was owed..... eather way it sucks.... and i was just the other day considering reaching out to assero.


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## JohnnyCubes (Mar 22, 2019)

They have been doing this for years. Plus their 25 forms of QC to interference with your payment. There is a fly on the windowsill. Email a photo of the weights from the dumps and scrap yard. 46 weighs a lot less than 92.


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## Eagle (Jan 28, 2019)

I use to do work for them. I have seen 4 companies go out of business because of them! If you do a initial yard they wont pay you what they owe you. Then they started no paying what they owe on trash outs, then routine grass cuts they started saying they still see grass on the yard and you have a bagger. I don't know who the problem is with this industry, them or Fannie Mae. If its them please take the contract from these crooks by the book!! I personally would have went down because of them but I sign with a new company who was paying weekly so i bounced back. Now, they are starting not to pay right. It seems as though All new companies money is 2 years long, then you need to move on to a new contract.


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## House ready (Nov 29, 2015)

What is the process to going this route with getting paid from assero? Magistrate ,then Lein? anyone go through and win your $$?


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## A1LM (Mar 26, 2017)

Th problem with Assero is that philosophically they are trying to maximize profits by skimming from the contractors. They will find reasons to fail reoccuring work orders and deny payment. The contractor does not find out about this until it is time to pay the invoice and too late to correct. However if the fail comes from the broker, they have to generate a work order. Afterwards you have to make sure to contest the non-payment when the invoice is produced.

The other area where they skim is on larger trash outs. I rarely even had a problem with the smaller trash outs, but on the larger ones they typically down grade the amount. So this is how it goes: Contractor bids 60 cyds. They approve 50 cyds, but there is a verbal understanding if it goes over they will adjust accordingly. 

Side note: Assero, after discount, pays only $16 a cyd. Cleanouts under 30 cyds are approved for a flat fee of like $350. Now on the larger orders if you do not accept their estimate, they have two options that they have no problem doing - get a bid from another vendor or simply assign it to the Assero Depot (They tend to get the crummy mold jobs and the money makers). 

So when you accept the job at their estimate, you find out that the amount was 62 cyds. You took all kinds of pictures and organized them when you uploaded so it makes absolute sense. You provide your dump receipts and trailer measurements for each load. If you walk it through and email, call, and email, they will eventually adjust it up to say 55 cyds. So you are out 7 cyds or about $100. In the end, you take your lumps and move on ... but they have done this with over 100 vendors to line their pockets. Starting to look like real money.

They are even more aggressive to downgrade orders over 100 cyds and especially 200 cyds. You can literally lose your shirt ... and almost did on my last big order. After 3 months of haggling, I finally got them to come up to a place where I could take the hit. I sold my business and am no longer in the industry.

Bottom line: You signed paper work that limits what you can and can't do to collect. However, I am told the agreement is not absolute. So here are the options I was considering: 1) Negotiate to something you can absorb (you need to be relentless and they appreciative of your value) and then keep them on a short leash and shifting your work to other clients. 2) File a lien and not really know the legal side (Cuts off relationship). 3) Get a lawyer to guide you through legal process (letter, lein, court, etc). Obviously, the last option has significant cost and may not be worth it.


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