Howe Bonding out of MN

Anyone know these guys? Howe Bonding, Austin Minnesota. Owner Ken Howe.

We recovered a skip they had 4 days left on for a 25K bond and now they say "we aren't going to pay until we get him back to MN". Seriously? Who here knows Ken Howe and can talk some sense into him. We did our job and know he doesn't want to pay or is now adding stipulations to our agreement after we completed the work. Oh it just torques me to no end.

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Charlie Deckert
Texas Bounty Hunters - BFA/Owner
Sentry Security & Investigations L.P. - Vice President
Curently Licensed in Texas as;
Private Investigator TXLC A16879
Level III Commissioned Security Officer TXLC C11454
Level IV Personal Protection Officer TXLC C11454
Texas Issued Concealed Handgun License

Gotta love this business!

Scott

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R.E. "Scott" MacLean III

"Leaders are like Eagles, you never see them in a flock, but one at a time"

Chesapeake Group Investigations, Inc.
Chesapeake Bail Bonds
877-574-0500
301-392-1100 (fax)
301-392-1900 (Office)

Bail Enforcement complete. Now comes the contract enforcement so that your client will pay you.

Like Scott said you gotta love this business.

This bullshit is often The rule rather than the exception.

_________________
Tom Duprey
Founding member, NABBI (Nat'l Assoc. of Bail Bond Inv.)
Ca. Bail Agent Lic#1845795
Owner/Operator, Thomas Duprey Bail Bonds
Owner/Operator, Orange County Bounty
(714) 727-4689

Charlie seems like a thorough guy, so I'm assuming the contract is in order spelling out the conditions of payment. Now it's just a matter of enforcing the contract to collect the debt. This is not a strong area for me, I've been burned for thousands over the years so I became good at screening my clients so I wouldn't have to chase them for payment.

Dave Martz who is a member here "DMARTZ" specializes in debt collection, perhaps he can help out with this.

Some Bondsmen perceive us as a cost to them instead of a savings. They tend to forget that we saved them $22,500.00 and only look at the $2500.00 they are paying us. My best clients have always been the ones that have also done recovery work. They tend to have a logical perspective and understand that the bail bond business can be a gamble and sometimes you lose when you gamble. They are happy to pay my nominal fee instead of paying off the whole bond.

I am very thorough, though I'd like to think when a man tells you he's going to pay you he will. I have a signed agreement but if someone doesn't pay on time it just costs me more money, don't get me wrong I got a great attorney but he aint cheap. I have one Bondsman right now that we are going to put a lean on his house as a judgment. He probably wont pay but he wont ever be able to sell his house without paying what he owes.

Its the fact that someone calls you, you go out of your way to provide a service and get the guy back in jail and they do a complete 180 on you like you did something wrong to them that just pisses me off. His own team apparently could not get this guy when they came down to Texas unlawfully. Had we known that little tidbit we probably would not have taken the case. The whole time we are working the case he is in a panic, once we close the case get the guy back in jail, nothing but crickets. This was a high risk case that this bondsman had 4 days left on. You would think he would overnight a check and a bottle of whiskey for us saving him 25K.

This guy is in MN so I will have to file a law suit, its just a giant waste of time. For someone claiming to be in business for 30 years I am a little more than disappointed at the result.

Uhg...no point beating a dead horse, on to the next one, or 30 by the looks of our case load. For the record we have saved our clients over 2 Million dollars in the last 18 months and I am only owed about 10K from three clients as of today.

Thanks Everyone, I appreciate your support....

_________________
Charlie Deckert
Texas Bounty Hunters - BFA/Owner
Sentry Security & Investigations L.P. - Vice President
Curently Licensed in Texas as;
Private Investigator TXLC A16879
Level III Commissioned Security Officer TXLC C11454
Level IV Personal Protection Officer TXLC C11454
Texas Issued Concealed Handgun License

It is a shame that many bondsmen see us as an additional cost and not as the better alternative to the liability of the entire bond. It is what it is, though.

_________________
Tom Duprey
Founding member, NABBI (Nat'l Assoc. of Bail Bond Inv.)
Ca. Bail Agent Lic#1845795
Owner/Operator, Thomas Duprey Bail Bonds
Owner/Operator, Orange County Bounty
(714) 727-4689

Going to start reference checking all service requests and requiring a Deposit to PayPal on all out of state clients that I don't know before we work the case. Minimum 50% up front the rest on delivery of the defendant to the jail. Its a shame these unsavory Bondsmen are making me resort to this type of business practice, after 10 years in the business I am finally giving in to the fact that you just cant give everyone the benefit of the doubt.... Heck some of the people I run down are more ethical...

_________________
Charlie Deckert
Texas Bounty Hunters - BFA/Owner
Sentry Security & Investigations L.P. - Vice President
Curently Licensed in Texas as;
Private Investigator TXLC A16879
Level III Commissioned Security Officer TXLC C11454
Level IV Personal Protection Officer TXLC C11454
Texas Issued Concealed Handgun License

Once you are accomplished with proper bonafides most of the payment is the intrinsic appreciation if what was the task at hand, completed liability free. When someone balks at paying for services rendered, it is not about the money, although that is a major part of it, it is about the perceived lack of appreciation fir what was accomplished. I tell new guys that are ecstatic about getting a stack of cases from a new bondsman to temper their enthusiasm, with that many skips he may not have the money to pay you.
Scott

_________________
R.E. "Scott" MacLean III

"Leaders are like Eagles, you never see them in a flock, but one at a time"

Chesapeake Group Investigations, Inc.
Chesapeake Bail Bonds
877-574-0500
301-392-1100 (fax)
301-392-1900 (Office)

I agree with you Charlie 100% ... I was recently referred by some member on this forum to some Bounty Hunter looking for a skip in Miami Beach .. Located the Landlord of the Property here on the beach gave the # to the Hunter who this Hunter got in touch with and got a new location for his defendant from the Landlord. Did I get a Thank You or Even Paid ???.. NOPE !!! .. Not even a follow up courtesy call to let me know they closed the case.. NO MORE FREEBIES from me unless I really know someone such as for a Verified Member here.. cause several members on this forum can confirm I have helped them without a hiccup or request of a penny.... but these other slippery characters in the Bail World will need to PAY UP FRONT .. or I will continue to take my ass to happy hour for a cold beer while they have to pay the Clerk's Office for the Forfeiture of their skip......

Hope you get paid Charlie.. but like you said its more work than its worth sometimes ! But dont let it go ... get what was promised / owed to you for your professional services.. Good Luck Buddy !

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JEFF P.
Limited Surety Agent (FL) - License # P_2O8124_
Private Investigator (FL) - License # C_27OOO33_
NABBI Member



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