Getting paid!!!!

[Welshsparky]

Is it just me or does nobody want to pay for work they have had done!!

Not long been self employed myself but for the last month or 2 i have literally had the customer list from hell!

With being fairly new to self employment , Im not 100 % on what avenues to take or how to properly go about getting my money.

Any helpers?

 

[baldelectrician]

Make sure you are clear on what the costs will be.
You get clients that say "Just send an invoice", I do them on my laptop there and then.
I know a plumber that has a duplicate book in the van, writes his invoice out and holds his hand out whilst still in the house.

 

[Octopus]

Welcome to the delights of self employment. Being serious though there are always awkward clients out there and its something you have to accept.

I always used to send an invoice but these days if I know how much the bill will be I do take a cheque on the spot if offered (or cash) and then send the invoice later.

Do you encourage BAC's payments? I do and this is working - just add your BAC's details to the foot of your invoice.

Good luck.

 

[sythai]

Is it just me or does nobody want to pay for work they have had done!!

Not long been self employed myself but for the last month or 2 i have literally had the customer list from hell!

With being fairly new to self employment , Im not 100 % on what avenues to take or how to properly go about getting my money.

Any helpers?

Maybe adjust your payment terms..... When I started out a few years I used to have on the bottom of my invoice 'pay with 28 days' !! Now this has been to cut down to 7 days which does help - it's all about cash flow.

All the best,

Sy

 

[AP Electrical]

Sick of customers just lately, it's the worst I've ever known tbh, whether it be £50- £2000 nobody's interested in paying they all seem to think I'm there personal bank working on flexible terms. Now I just stand there with every payment method known to man bacs visa cheque PayPal and cash and the invoice troll I get paid. I'll even take them to the cash machine if I have to. Funny thing is the majority of these people have a couple of £20000 cars on the drive.

 

[grantr37]

The more money they have (ie outsized house, big fancy new car x 3) the less likely they are to pay you, the little guy who works (hard) for his money knows exactly what boat you are in because he/she has been there as well but the ones who are "really quite well off" and "don't need to work just a passtime" will just ignore you and get someone else in next time....as people say, some loaded people have got there by doing what they do for years and years and getting away with it.....they might well have shafted a few business partners or suppliers over the years as well....

 

[AP Electrical]

Double posted ........

 

[grantr37]

Sick of customers just lately, it's the worst I've ever known tbh, whether it be £50- £2000 nobody's interested in paying they all seem to think I'm there personal bank working on flexible terms. Now I just stand there with every payment method known to man bacs visa cheque PayPal and cash and the invoice troll I get paid. I'll even take them to the cash machine if I have to. Funny thing is the majority of these people have a couple of £20000 cars on the drive.

The thing is, work is so hard to find just now that all the good customers have been snaffled up by everybody else, or they have their regular tradesmen who are quite happy to stay with them.....whereas some of us get the leftover customers that others have been warned to stay clear of.....and we walk right into it......

 

[grantr37]

anybody ever do work for a business with this happen......you work for the minimum break even amount just to get the job.......once finished the work they turn round and say " I will pay you the £2,500 in 8 weeks time.......however if you can knock a little bit off, lets say do it for £1,000 I can write you a cheque next week" (with a grin)

 

[Hiddo]

I email a quote before I start work assuming I know what the cost of the job is going to be. Then I ask them to respond by email accepting it. I then get them to sign my standard terms and conditions where it details how I expect to be paid. I then tell them that once they have paid I will issue their certificate and where applicable notify the job.

This works for me and I've never waited ages. I find that the situation has to be managed right from the start so that the customer knows that you expect to be paid on time and in full.

 

[amlu]

for rewires and some bigger jobs - half of the money on completion of first fix.
other half when 2nd fix done, testing done. never hand out the certs before they pay you.

small jobs cash in hand after job done. print yourself couple of invoice forms, give them to clients if they insist on having one.

 

[ezzzekiel]

client "why the baseball bat"
contractor " oh just to stamp the invoice

 

[sythai]

I email a quote before I start work assuming I know what the cost of the job is going to be. Then I ask them to respond by email accepting it. I then get them to sign my standard terms and conditions where it details how I expect to be paid. I then tell them that once they have paid I will issue their certificate and where applicable notify the job.

This works for me and I've never waited ages. I find that the situation has to be managed right from the start so that the customer knows that you expect to be paid on time and in full.

Same here.... only way to do it properly.

 

[dynamite2000]

just one piece of advice pal keep away from

BROMAK RECRUITMENT AND ACOOLE ELECTRICAL BAD PAYERS

 

[baldelectrician]

I detail costs on the phone with the client, with the advantage of the mobile recording the calls - useful as evidence if it goes further

In have a message that tells callers calls may be recorded before the call is connected.