Hi all, this guide is a response to an email I got today from yet another person who has been conned out of money by the printer I used for the failed minority monster books. She got my details even down to my personal phone number from the company (sharing them without my permission) as a ‘good review’ for the Shades of A books.
She linked me to this article (https://www.printweek.com/print-week/briefing/1160236/serial-phoenixers-give-us-all-a-bad-rep) which talks about printers who go bankrupt, liquidate and then just start again, leaving a slew of people like myself in the lurch and luring new people in with their new shiny name. The printer they name in the article is in fact the one I used and has traded under:
UK Print Limited
Houseprint
The Printing House
Litho Printing Limited
Paper Press Limited
Ink Paper Limited
The Director at the time of my order was Stuart Ralph Poppleton who at the posting of this has 39 other companies under his control according to companies house. The other person I dealt with was Malcolm John, AKA Neill Malcolm Stuart John.
This is a warning post for anyone considering printing with these companies or people. I am currently taking them to small claims court as I was fortunate enough to have the money to do so and friends who have helped me work up the courage to file the paperwork. Not everyone is that lucky.
Obviously it’s best to avoid situations like this in the first place, so here’s a list of the red flags I now know how to spot now after having this happen to me. This advice is aimed at people in the UK but please feel free to add any other notes for international stuff in the comments.
Red Flags to look out for in printers
They have several past company names
Check on the companies house website for the and see if they have changed names several times. You can use this opportunity to check if they are still solvent, how much money they have in their assets AND check the history of the directors. Company names change all the time but directors are much easier to track. Click on their name to see what they’ve been up to. Lots of companies under one person is a sign that they’re burning through them.
They want all the money up front
I was encouraged to pay the full amount up front to get a discount, which I did as they’d printed for me before and that worked out okay. From asking around at other places the industry standard is 50% upfront and the rest after satisfied delivery. Some companies even charge less. I am kicking myself that I did this, don’t fall for it.
They are weird about creating a physical proof
My printing issue (page layout) is one that wouldn’t have been seen on a digital proof. I asked for a quote that included a hard bound proof, only to be told after I’d paid that ‘they were a litho printing company so can’t do that’. Trust your gut when people go back on what they say. The printing company I’m now using for my books created a physical proof before I’d even paid them ANYTHING and took the time to deliver to my house as their office was nearby. Proofing saves so much time and waste, any company that won’t do it should be avoided.
They look too good to be true
Cheap, fast, good: pick one. Many printers in the UK don’t print in house, they outsource to factories in Europe which takes between 4-6 weeks as standard. Ask them where your books will be printed and avoid them if they don’t give you a straight answer. Get quotes from at least 3 companies to see if they’re in a similar price and time range.
And if the worst happens and you get screwed over…
Call up citizens advice or look on the website (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/)and see if they can help. They have been invaluable in my case and let me know exactly how to complain when the order went wrong, what letter I needed to send when the company refused to fix it, and where to fill out my court form when they didn’t respond. Small claims court isn’t actually that expensive (I paid £185 and if my case is successful I’ll get it back) so if you have the means to do it don’t be put off by the idea that going to court will cost you £££. If the company stops trading you might not see that money again but it will make it harder for them to make another company next time.
I hope this guide helps other people from falling victim to people like this. As the self publishing industry grows there’s more vulnerable people venturing into printing for the first time and it’s wrong for companies to do this. Many companies rely on the fact that people are small time and scared of causing a fuss and won’t chase them up. If anyone would like to contact me further on the issue or have anything else on the company I have named above my email address is Tab@khaoskomix.com
If you know anyone or have any followers who might appreciate this please share, the more awareness we can raise the better.
