[throwawaycert]

Ah, but there is no indication they didn't. What happened is that the check was sent, but did not arrive. In other words, the customer and his agent (the postal service, probably) in the exchange did not fulfill their job of getting the money to the business. That is not something the business can control, and if you try to make it their responsibility, they will simply start refusing payment by mail, since it would be a constant and high level source of fraud.

[mikeash]

But making it the customer’s responsibility is cool?

In any case, I read this as the notice that payment was required is what got lost, not the payment itself.

[throwawaycert]

Ah, you may be right, but even that still makes the report valid.

Let me tell you what I hear as a business person if you tell me my letter to you was misdelivered: "My mail delivery is unreliable so it's your problem."

Well, no, you didn't tell me it was unreliable, so I couldn't adjust my risk perception or take special precautions. And if you ever want to do business with me again, you're going to come in and execute the transaction on site and not leave with the goods until the bank confirms it's cleared.

On top of which, most billing contracts specify that payment is due whether or not you were notified. You are supposed to keep track, too.

And yes, this is okay, because until we have a proper socialist system, it is, in fact, our responsibility to pay our debts. Don't like it? Don't incur debts.

[mikeash]

As a business person, you’d put a customer through the wringer for one missed payment due to communication problems? I hope you have a monopoly in whatever market you serve, because otherwise that’s a great way to lose all of your customers.

Anyway, we’re back to making it the responsibility of the customer with a thousand more important things to think about, rather than of the business that’s dedicated to the stuff.

And if you think it should be that way, great. But it’s obvious to me that it is that way because of the power imbalance, not because it’s right.

[throwawaycert]

If the customer is using it as an excuse, yes I would. They’re trying to weasel out of their responsibilities, responsibilities they almost certainly incurred voluntarily.

If you don’t make payments as agreed, your credit score goes down. If you do, it goes up, and will soon recover from the perfectly reasonable dip it took from your mistake. It’s pretty simple.

[jstanley]

So if the customer's cheque doesn't get to you, that's the customer's fault, but if your letter doesn't get to the customer, that's also the customer's fault?