customer not willing to pay

[martom]

Hi everybody, I need some advice. I've done some rewiring work to a cafeteria, where I finished 10 days ago. After completion I send them an invoice - no reply. So after a week I send them few messages and an email asking about a date when they will pay. No replay. I send them another email asking for immediate payment. Received an answer that it's not professional to chase for a payment so quick, they need some reasonable time and that I'm a bully and they will report this to the police and trading standard agency so what should be my next step? A signed for letter asking to immediate payment?? Any advice welcome. Thanks. Tom

 

[mankman2012]

Did you explain in writing or verbally to him/her what the payment term was? If so put in writing of when that was to remind them. Or you can record your converation with them so that you can have record of it for yourself. Also explain that asking for money is not classed as bullying/harrassment because you did not hear back from them. Trading standard wont do anything and nor would the police. You have the right to get paid , it not like you are sending them emails every minute of the day.

 

[ipf]

There is no requirement - legal or otherwise - to allow any credit terms to anybody - there never has been and never will be.

To allow somebody time to pay is just a courtesy that you may feel like granting them or not at your discretion. So, if you made it clear at the very outset that you wanted paying on completion of the job that's the deal your customer agreed to.

Always remember: a Verbal Contract - like a telephone conversation - isn't worth the paper it's written on. Get it all in writing BEFORE the job starts !!!

Samuel Goldwyn's famous comment.
Wrong there G. I won a small claims case on a 'verbal contract', about 1.5 k. It's still regarded as a legal contract.
'Legally, verbal contracts are just as valid as written ones. The problem is overcoming the burdon of proof...'
If there is no dispute that the work has actually been carried out, it is proof. The trick is in contesting how much the work is worth.

 

[vxwestie]

IN my part of the world (south west) its the unwritten expectation that everyone wants and expects a 30day credit. As others say bigger companies will want more...
All a part of this crappy business we're in Im afraid.

 

[ipf]

IN my part of the world (south west) its the unwritten expectation that everyone wants and expects a 30day credit. As others say bigger companies will want more...
All a part of this crappy business we're in Im afraid.

Thats why the bill goes up for the bigger company. Yeah ?

 

[vxwestie]

You got it in one, Ibf...

 

[tino1888]

Getting money from housing factors is a very excruciating exercise..

Quoted Feb 12

Invoiced 9th Sept '12 £2200,

Payed £1000 Dec '12

Payed £1200 Feb '13

I started panicking I wasn't getting my money..

 

[Guest111]

many years ago I used to do work for a well known firm of local solicitors,never a problem paying then as the jobs got bigger they started to keep me waiting,anyway I had a right do with them and was told they only paid out on the 28th of the month.So next time they wanted a job done it was about the 29th,I told them I was extremely busy and would attend in due course,I turned up on the 27th of the following month and sorted the job they said they were very pleased and would await my invoice,they didnt have to wait long as it was in my pocket.I handed it over with a smile and the words "I'll expect a cheque by weekend".

 

[UNG]

Had one years ago when a customer rang up wanting a machine repaired ASAP as he needed to complete a customer order that afternoon pointed out to him that we had an amount outstanding on his account going back about 4 or 5 months and if he had a cheque for us when we got there then we would repair the machine. I went to the customers premises and asked for the cheque that had been promised and was told when they checked their accounts it had gone in the post the previous evening I about turned and said we would call to do the job when the cheque landed at our office after some protests and annoying comments like "your boss won't mind if you fix it cos the cheque is in the post" my response to that was I am the boss and the guy you spoke to on the phone if you want your machine fixed now I suggest you cancel the cheque that's in post and issue a fresh one and write another one for £150 as a pre payment for this job. Got all the money and customer got his machine fixed so got a good result

 

[Knobhead]

Nice one UNG

Going back to what I posted earlier, several times I got caught out when we needed spares in a hurry. “Yes we’ve got them in stock. No you can’t have them until you’re account is cleared!” Quick phone call to the accounts department followed by a lot of shouting would get a bank transfer rolling. It was embracing at times when I had to talk to small specialist suppliers we owed money to. Most of the time we would have a supply contract which almost guaranteed £---,----XX of business for them a year. They accepted they had to wait until the 28[SUP]th[/SUP] of the preceding month but the turnover made it worthwhile for them.

 

[Jamie Parry]

What i find guys is i only work for people who will pay on completion its in my business plan (i only do private work) iv been self employed for 14 years and have tried lots of different ways of running a business. When i use to work for lots of account customers i found i was increasing overdrafts etc to support other companies cash flow and thats ok for some businesses but i didnt like the exposure it was to risky especially in this present climate. I now only work for customers that want to pay on completion and if there serious about having the work done thay dont have a problem with that my best slogan is ( ill do it when tescos do they have more money than me) i outline straight away soon as they agree to my price and i am willing to walk away from any job if they dont want those terms. That means i have enough customers on those terms to make a good living and charge fair prices instead of building in intrest etc as i have to wait i tell my customers i keep the prices down which i do as i dont operate any credit facilities.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Well I hope he's been paid by now!

I actually remember this thread when it first came out!!

 

[Risteard]

Indeed. But 30/60/90 day payment terms are perfectly normal between businesses.

And I can't see how printing different terms on an invoice could change this as this would suggest that it hasn't been agreed beforehand.