Ok guys. You noticed I been gone for long periods of time, well I got myself into something I wish I hadn't. And I'm at a spot where I need some advice. I know this is a question for an attorney, but I cannot find one to even look at it. so here goes.

Couple years ago I decided I wanted to get out of well drilling and just do the service side of the business. I was tired of running my tail off and since all my tractors were paid for I thought the time was ripe to just coast the rest of the way and then fully retire at 62. Neither one of my parents gots to retire and I didn't want the same thing happening to me so it's time. I'm 58 an it's time to take it down a gear.

So I put an ad in a national drillers magazine look for someone who want to have their own business and rent the equipment from me. It would cost them $1,500 a month and all the expenses like insurance, material, and upkeep was theirs. The equipment was all depreciated out so this was a way for the equipment to still make me money and not pay capital gains taxes. Several people called. But only a pool of one person to choose from. And he didn't want to rent. He wanted to buy, and me carry the contract. But I didn't want to sell cause uncle SAM wants that capital gains tax all up front. So we decides on a lease. That way I could shift the tax burden over 4 years. Bam. Done deal. $1,500 a month for 4 years and at the end of the lease he buys a well drilling machine and a tanker truck  for one dollars.  I get my $65,000 asking price plus I make 5.375% to carry the lease. In 4 years I'll be 62 and it'll be time to get rid of it anyway I figger. There's no way he can fail. That equipment grossed me $333,000 each and every year with the help of one man.

Fast Forward 12 months. He fails. He's only made 6 payments. His dad dies and they own farm ground and it's for sale. He'll catch up the payments. Ok. So we wait. now were at 18 months. He's made 7 payments. He decides he's done. He parks the trucks on somebody else s property and says come get em. So we do. And what we repossess is a well drilling machine and tanker truck with everything missing off the truck that's required to drill a water well. I couldn't go make a living with it if I wanted to. I'm talking about 400 feet of drilling rod, the spare tire, the safety shields are all missing, bits, hoses, and tools needed for the upkeep of the well machine. I'm not talking socket sets, I'm talking about stuff none of you would have any use for. And he forbids me to enter his property to claim it, even though I can clearly see some of the stuff from the street. The property is surrounded by cameras.  He's never there. If you live near thief river falls Minnesota. You probably know him. What do I do? I've even had professional thieves offer to get the stuff for me. I know I need to ask an attorney, but since it wasn't all listed per item on the lease, do I even have any claim to the stuff?

I would call that a renigging on the contract and theft, by intentional deceit and swindle... Report it to the sheriffs office, have all your papers and pictures of what you sold the rotten crook. And make sure you only got back your trucks and you want it all and he has it... even if the sheriffs dept has to impound it, then the scum can't sell the drill or rods, etc. while your taking the slow expensive route.

   What a dam rotten deal this turned out to be.

 Les,,,don't wait no more,,,MAKE the call to the Sheriff's dept NOW,,!!!

Fixed it fer ya, JC...

.....and they settle for a lot less to "win" the case and then take their share.

Gotta nother one, which also happens, sometimes:  Customer ended up owing me $ 400, over the winter, for grass cutting, tried and tried to get him to pay. Let the grass get tall, in the spring, and he calls me, are you gonna come out and cut my lawn?  I say, OK, pay the tab from last year, and I will start a new tab, have the check ready, and I'll knock on the door, when I come out to mow.  Go there, start up mower, make 2 rounds around the edges, plus start a diagonal stripe, down the middle of the lawn, turn around, and return to the front door, ring the bell, p/u check. Then I High-tail it, with the mower, back to the trailer, hop in the truck, and deposit check.  Coupla days go by, and he is concerned, cals me up, and asks, did you have problems with your mower?  Not a problem in da world, saz I!  It was then, it dawned on him, that I don't like getting stiffed.  Point to this one is tricks or conning someone who owes you, or has abused you are fair game.  Cops get to lie to perps, why can't we?