I agree with the others. Only put what’s relevant in the letter. Then, if she doesn’t pony up on the 21st, sue her in small claims court.
Thanks again for the continued advice and anecdotes!! They make me feel much better 
She does have a job (she’s the store manager at a gas station) and a car. I imagine she’d be selling the car long before the house.
I’d leave this in.
This would get me off my butt to pay you. Your goal is to get your money back as quickly and easily as possible. You want to avoid Small Claims Court if you can. Small Claims Court can pass a judgment, but it is STILL up to you to collect it, and you may not be able to get her to pay up.
It’s up to you to collect a judgment regardless of what court enters it.
Slight update: Certified letter was sent last Thursday, still haven’t heard hide nor hair. No check, no letter, no email, no nothing. If it’s still nothing in 9 days by the 20th, it’s going to small claims. Can’t afford to take a day off work but I won’t have a choice… is there any way to choose the day or time of a small claims court date?
It’s only 4:15, call the small claims office and ask them, I assume it’s different in every county/state.
See if you can petition the court to award you your day’s lost earnings as damages. No idea if it’s possible, but as long as there’s a death penalty moratorium in Illinois, it can’t kill you to ask.
I got the check in the mail! Today! For the full amount! /squeeee
Technically it’s a day past when I was “supposed” to receive it but idgaf. Going to cash this bad boy in the morning, forget this whole shitstorm ever happened, and dream sweetly of the pissy look on her face when she caved and wrote it.
I AM FIGURATIVELY SQUEEING ALL OVER THE PLACE! Thanks again for all the advice, you guys rock. I am so happy I’m farting kittens.
Nicely in line with everyone’s predictions that she always knew that she owed you the money but was hoping she could BS/bully you out of it.
Congratulations!
Hmm. I just noticed the check doesn’t have the dollar amount spelled out on the middle line (but it does have the amount written in the box on the right). Will that prevent me from cashing it?
Could you fill it in yourself? I wouldn’t think that was illegal, but IANAL.
It’s perfectly legal to fill it in. People will often give a signed check to a place and have them fill out the amount. As long as she has signed it, you’re good. You probably don’t even need to fill it out; call your bank and ask before you bring it in to be safe.
I love it when a plan comes together…
Congrats!
Ha! In her FACE!!
I’m glad it worked out for you.
Good news! Thanks for sharing.
Pics or it didn’t happen.
Seriously, though, congratulations!
Too funny, I actually was looking for pictures of farting kittens after I posted that. All I got was a bunch of people on yahoo answers asking why their kitten’s farts smelled bad…
I think you can just cash it - it’s when the two amounts don’t match that we had to reject cheques.
And, YAY! She blinked first!