Thread: Does anyone do this for a living?

I am just wondering if any one does family History as job or recieves payment for it, as i have currantly been doing family reserch for a friend of my in-laws, i dont do this as a job but it is a great hobby of mine.



My problem is: a payment was discuessed at the begining for his fathers side of the family, at an hourly rate. He got back to me with a figure he wanted to spend and this amount was agreed on.



Next he asked for his mothers side to be done aswell but nothing was mentioned about the total cost for the whole lot.



I wrote to him regarding my total payment and what it would have cost if he had stuck to my original hourly rate. This is where the problems have started he is not going to pay me what i have asked for, which is a lot less than what i would have recieved if payed hourly rate. and he sent me an email headed 'stop all further work immediatly'. (i was very embaressed to read this)



He is now stating that because we agreed on a payment for his fathers side as he put it 'he presumed the same amount for his mothers side'.



I am not asking for a huge amount here and trust he is in position to pay as he runs a family bussiness and his products are in all the supermarkets, not that makes any difference. I have a great deal of information and on one side i have gone back to 1760, i have also spent agreat deal of time and i only started in september.



All iam asking for is if any can help on how i can handle this situation.

I dont want to know the ins and outs of what people charge.



I would just like some help on how to handle the situation.

[quote name='T.Lambert']I dont want to know the ins and outs of what people charge.



I would just like some help on how to handle the situation.[/quote]



Hi,

Sorry to hear about your problems. You actually need a solicitor to advise. If you did not have a written contract with this person, then you are probably in a sticky situation.

Regards

Victoria

Thanks, I dont have a written contract with this gentleman.

As he was a family friend i think he thought he was going to get a bargin and also doesnt relise what work it intells.



Its very frustrating as i love doing this as a hobby.

[quote name='T.Lambert']Thanks, I dont have a written contract with this gentleman.

As he was a family friend i think he thought he was going to get a bargin and also doesnt relise what work it intells.



Its very frustrating as i love doing this as a hobby.[/quote]



Hello,

A lot of those sort of people around. I should imagine he is no longer a friend. It sounds as if you are going to have to put this down to experience.



In future, if you do this again, you need a written, signed, contract, stating exactly what records you are going to search - for what end - the hourly rate and maximum hours that the client is prepared to pay for, a disclaimer in case nothing is found in those records, travelling expenses, and a bit about cost of copies of records obtained.

You need to keep detailed records of your own and of course, any profit is taxable.



What you charge is up to you. The client either takes it or leaves it. I have paid as little as £20 and as much as £90 an hour for specific searches that I have personally been unable to undertake. These figures are also reflected in what Local Authorites charge for distance searches in their own archives. There are no specifics.

Regards

Victoria

Great thankyou, that makes me fell a bit better knowing i am not wrong in what i am asking for.



He is still my in-laws friend, as they have said they are not getting involved in it.



I am meeting him today (at my in-laws), iam a bit nervous but hopefully i will handle this well. Right from the begining i should have stuck to what i had asked for hourly rate, but if he is being a pain now i also dont think i would have got my full amount when it would have been completed.

So far i have only recieved money from him for his documents and thats it.



I shall put this down to expericence and i have really enjoyed it. Ill let you know how it goes.