Iqaluit (Mar 10/03) - Many people have forgotten to return a videotape on time and ended up paying for it.

But not everyone likes to pay and video store owners and employees have heard every excuse in the book. However, they are not easily fooled.

Michael Murphy, who owns Pangnirtung Video, says if he's heard one excuse, he's heard them all.

"People will tell you they lent movies to friends and they should have brought them back," said Murphy.

But that isn't his favourite.

"One guy was three days late and he said he was so disappointed by the movie that he didn't bring it back.

"Then he asked me for his money back -- and he was serious," he said.

Fortunately, Murphy said, said he has never had a customer who accumulated outrageous fees for late videos.

"I'm small enough to stay on top of it," he said.

Pangnirtung Video regularly calls renters to remind them to return movies.

Murphy said he has even driven to homes to pick up videos. He is also very flexible when he charges late fees.

"I'm really flexible. If someone calls me up and says I went out hunting and got delayed, I don't charge them.

"You have to be flexible to your environment," he said.

However, there are times when Murphy has no problem charging late fees.

He said when he is trying to be accommodating and people are rude, he has very little patience.

"That gets my goat," he said.

Some places aren't as lucky as Pangnirtung Video.

The Arctic Ventures video store in Iqaluit is thinking of creative way to get back movies that are several days late.

"We have $1,000 late fees on the system," said video store manager Lynn Watson.

"There have been movies that have been rented and never returned."

At a fee of $5 a day, that begins to add up.

She said people would generally rather keep the video and never rent again than bring it back.

"We're looking at doing an amnesty day.

"If you come in and return all the movies, you will not have to pay late fees," said Watson.

"I'd rather have the product.

"It takes so long to ship things."