Invoice terms

[gnselectricals]

Hi guys just started working for a maintenance co, did a callout on the 30th dec, invoiced on the 4/1/15. My invoice States payment within 28 days. Have no received an email regarding some follow up work with a job sheet which states that any invoice will be paid the following month on the 30th. So I could be waiting around 60 days to be paid.
Is this fair? Whose terms would win?
I did have a bit of a Google and found on a gov.uk site that invoices should be paid within 30 days

Cheers

 

[TJ Anderson]

Hi guys just started working for a maintenance co, did a callout on the 30th dec, invoiced on the 4/1/15. My invoice States payment within 28 days. Have no received an email regarding some follow up work with a job sheet which states that any invoice will be paid the following month on the 30th. So I could be waiting around 60 days to be paid.
Is this fair? Whose terms would win?
I did have a bit of a Google and found on a gov.uk site that invoices should be paid within 30 days

Cheers

Yeah, it is a pain sometimes but pretty standard. If all your work was like that it can make cashflow difficult. If I carry out for work for larger companies I don't start chasing until 60 days. I don't take any prisoners with my rates though and make a good mark up on materials too!! haha

 

[sammyshooter]

I had this issue, are you dealing with one person, or the admin office?

My invoices state "immediate payment required", but usually speak to them about when they do their payment run, and give grace up to or around that date.

 

[Octopus]

Hi guys just started working for a maintenance co, did a callout on the 30th dec, invoiced on the 4/1/15. My invoice States payment within 28 days. Have no received an email regarding some follow up work with a job sheet which states that any invoice will be paid the following month on the 30th. So I could be waiting around 60 days to be paid.
Is this fair? Whose terms would win?
I did have a bit of a Google and found on a gov.uk site that invoices should be paid within 30 days

Cheers

If its a commercial client you will not win. You can state what you want on their terms but you will have to accept their terms and move on to the next job AND make sure you have enough cash in your business account.

As for doing more work, schedule it for later in the month, submit your invoice by month end then your wait is 30 days!

As for what the Goverment say - well its cobblers. They can say what they want but unless they actually legislate for 30 days across the board they may as well be pxssing in the wind.

 

[newtothis]

Have no received an email regarding some follow up work with a job sheet which states that any invoice will be paid the following month on the 30th.

I hate slow payers with a passion. Is the follow up work anything to do with the initial job eg snagging ?

 

[Darkwood]

Commercial and Industrial can have up to 3 months and can be a cash flow issue for any small firm, it is not unreasonable for a small firm to request to to accounts or MD that payment terms of 28days applies to your contract and any longer terms would be a struggle for a small firm....appeal to their good nature and don't go in guns blazing, I have many on 56 days and equally 28 days but I have an understanding that I may request earlier payment from the 56days if the nature of the job was high in material costs.... been a breakdown Engineer gives me an advantage as I just express if they can't abide to my terms then I cannot be saving the day when they have a big breakdown. I've yet to have anyone refuse

 

[gnselectricals]

Just a bit of a pain when I could have gone earlier in January. Also the fact that the maintenance co MD called me to do the callout himself and somehow forgot to mention payment terms and I didn't think to ask. Works today were separate from the callout. I shall contact them with my invoice and enquire about earlier payment. Cheers

 

[richy3333]

If its a commercial client you will not win. You can state what you want on their terms but you will have to accept their terms and move on to the next job AND make sure you have enough cash in your business account.

As for doing more work, schedule it for later in the month, submit your invoice by month end then your wait is 30 days!

As for what the Goverment say - well its cobblers. They can say what they want but unless they actually legislate for 30 days across the board they may as well be pxssing in the wind.

I've recovered in the small claims section of the County Court citing the Late Payment Regs. judge agreed.

As to the OP. You are a business first and a sparky second. Never enter into an agreement unless you know the payment terms and any other contract terms. I mentioned it on another thread recently but a customer that took nearly 6 months to pay me was then told that I'd do an urgent job for him in 6 months time. He got the point about paying contractors on time. I'll never work for him again.

Lifes hard enough, don't work for people that try and screw you over payment!

 

[Leesparkykent]

Depending on how well you get on with your wholesaler sometimes they will let you have 60day payment terms. I have with my wholesaler but I tend to Chunk the majority off as the payments roll in.