How long to wait for payment?

[HappyHippyDad]

Evening all...

I sent an invoice for an EICR exactly 3 weeks ago and have not heard back from the customer. This hasn't happened before and I was wondering what the suggested waiting time is?

He was a decent chap and friendly (also very busy) so I dont think at all that he is not willing to pay, but I would like to give him a little nudge.

How long do you guys wait? 1 week, 1 month?

Cheers..

 

[Octopus]

How did you send the original invoice - email or post?

 

[HappyHippyDad]

How did you send the original invoice - email or post?

Good point,

I posted it around the middle of august, I know he has received it though as he mentioned it when I returned to stop the RCD tripping, shortly after the 11 august.

 

[Guest77]

What did the terms on your invoice say?

 

[trev]

In your position I'd give him a call to ask if there's been any more problems with the tripping RCD (nudge nudge wink wink) Keep it light and fluffy but at the end mention your bill and ask him to send payment. If you can take card payments you have a massive advantage at this point. "Oh I can take card payments now so if you want we can sort it now"
Play the rest as it comes.
Trust your gut on this kind of thing mate, I had a bad feeling about a guy a few weeks ago which I ignored. I told myself I was imagining things. It ended up costing me the thick end of two grand and giving me a big problem.

 

[Octopus]

Hum,

I have a polite "covering" letter which I send with a 2nd copy of the invoice if posted.

If the original has been emailed (which most of mine are) the reminder gets emailed by forwarding the original email with the attachment.

There are a "group" of people who believe all trades people should wait 30 days so patience may work!

 

[HappyHippyDad]

What did the terms on your invoice say?

You know what I'm going to say to this don't you Mike!

 

[Guest77]

You know what I'm going to say to this don't you Mike!

As you never mentioned it in the OP yes I have a feeling about the answer Steve.

 

[trev]

You know what I'm going to say to this don't you Mike!

Please tell us you have terms and conditions.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Too busy trying to be nice.. The only extra wording on mine talks about a 1 year warranty!

I think I'll add 'payment to be made within '**' days!

 

[dazza1981]

Too busy trying to be nice.. The only extra wording on mine talks about a 1 year warranty!

I think I'll add 'payment to be made within '**' days!

Good idea

 

[trev]

It's all well and good trying to be nice, nice is what gets you the work. If you're chatty and personable you very quickly build up a rapport with the customer. Nice doesn't pay for your fuel, insurances, wholesalers bills etc etc. Nice doesn't feed the bairns
Get a proper set of T&Cs knocked up and stick to them. It adds a degree of professionalism.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

It's all well and good trying to be nice, nice is what gets you the work. If you're chatty and personable you very quickly build up a rapport with the customer. Nice doesn't pay for your fuel, insurances, wholesalers bills etc etc. Nice doesn't feed the bairns
Get a proper set of T&Cs knocked up and stick to them. It adds a degree of professionalism.

I will :redface:


Ps... I did a Business Studies degree at 18... got a fairly good result.... cant remember a thing!

 

[trev]

For every large job there should be a written agreement between you and the customer which sets out exactly what is going to happen, when, how much it's costing them and when they will pay. It should contain details of what interest you will charge on late payments
Etc
Etc
Etc

 

[GMES]

I have Terms and conditions
17 stone winston is terms and 19 stone delroy is conditions
I always seem to get paid on time!!

 

[trev]

Mike, I just noticed that Steve is round your neck of the woods. Any chance of showing him yours?
(Ts&Cs that is) I offered to post him a copy of mine but if he's round the corner to you.........

 

[Guest77]

Mike, I just noticed that Steve is round your neck of the woods. Any chance of showing him yours?
(Ts&Cs that is) I offered to post him a copy of mine but if he's round the corner to you.........

Yeah sure, I can pm him a copy.

 

[polo1]

Steve, have you issued the EICR? I don't issue Certs/reports until cleared payment has be received. Never had anyone question this. Of course if they still don't pay, you/I ain't paid for our time!

 

[dansk]

To add to this if you don't have a small works contract it's harder to win if the worst happens. I used to be shy about asking for payment, but not anymore, will Asda wait a week for you to pay for the shopping? naa and nor should you

 

[ipf]

Evening all...

I sent an invoice for an EICR exactly 3 weeks ago and have not heard back from the customer. This hasn't happened before and I was wondering what the suggested waiting time is?

He was a decent chap and friendly (also very busy) so I dont think at all that he is not willing to pay, but I would like to give him a little nudge.

How long do you guys wait? 1 week, 1 month?

Cheers..

Not being disrespectful but think I better move on to odd jobs and housebashing.......at least I could only expect to be waiting a month or so for payment, at worst. Working for many small industrial and commercial firms it's a case of them getting some payment prior to paying us. They are usually contracting for larger companies who are the worst possible payers.

 

[1stfix2ndfix]

Yeah sure, I can pm him a copy.

Can I have one please MDJ

 

[dingledong]

And me Mike .my mate

 

[Geordie Spark]

Too busy trying to be nice.. The only extra wording on mine talks about a 1 year warranty!

I think I'll add 'payment to be made within '**' days!

Being "nice" does not put the food on you table but does get you a reputation for being a "soft touch" to be exploited by all and sundry!

And I can't believe that your terms were not made clear to your customer before the job started and you don't have them written large on your invoice!! :mad2:

 

[ibby]

This is one thing I hated when being self employed with my own computer business.. some people wanted to drag the term out to 3 months.

I am a strong believer if it works for a week pay the guy, he has bills and he has stomachs to feed!

 

[Geordie Spark]

I will :redface:


Ps... I did a Business Studies degree at 18... got a fairly good result.... cant remember a thing!

Too much of this ------> :sifone: perhaps??:biggrinjester:

 

[Octopus]

Being "nice" does not put the food on you table but does get you a reputation for being a "soft touch" to be exploited by all and sundry!

And I can't believe that your terms were not made clear to your customer before the job started and you don't have them written large on your invoice!! :mad2:

You can write what you want on your T's and C's but some customers will always pay when they want to.

This is why you need cash in the bank to cover such eventualities - about a months net profit should be enough

 

[Richard Burns]

This is why you need cash in the bank to cover such eventualities - about a months net profit should be enough

What, a fiver, I can manage that!:smilewinkgrin:

 

[Octopus]

What, a fiver, I can manage that!:smilewinkgrin:

ha ha, so you only pay yourself a fiver - wow!

 

[Richard Burns]

Only on good months

 

[Octopus]

Only on good months

Obviously......:6:

 

[Geordie Spark]

To add to this if you don't have a small works contract it's harder to win if the worst happens. I used to be shy about asking for payment, but not anymore, will Asda wait a week for you to pay for the shopping? naa and nor should you

To add a bit more to this; my bank manager never did house rewires and I never lent money!!

 

[Geordie Spark]

You can write what you want on your T's and C's but some customers will always pay when they want to.

This is why you need cash in the bank to cover such eventualities - about a months net profit should be enough

I am aware of that and is why I always had "plan B"

 

[Octopus]

I am aware of that and is why I always had "plan B"

I wrote this as there seem to be a lot of "dumb" SE people, who are very niave about this sort of thing!

 

[Geordie Spark]

I wrote this as there seem to be a lot of "dumb" SE people, who are very niave about this sort of thing!

Aye ..... there really is no hope for them is there?

 

[trev]

Being "nice" does not put the food on you table but does get you a reputation for being a "soft touch" to be exploited by all and sundry!

And I can't believe that your terms were not made clear to your customer before the job started and you don't have them written large on your invoice!! :mad2:

Invoices are post contractual Fatha.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Invoices are post contractual Fatha.

Diven't ye gan usin'yer big fancy words on me ye little upsatart just cos ye went te gramma skyule an aah didn't or aall skelp yer arse!!:53:

 

[Andy78]

Business lessons that we could all learn from ......

6 Management Lessons That Everyone Should Know. #2 Is Priceless.

 

[telectrix]

well worth a thanks .

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Still hadn't heard from the chap, so I sent a politely worded reminder... something along the lines of 'you may have sent a chq already but was worried it got lost in the post etc etc'...

he replies with an apology (very busy) and immediately pays by BACS, I look at my account and see he has paid £180 instead of £150 for the EICR, an extra £30.

I must admit I had gone back and forth a few extra times to his house to sort out the RCD tripping that occured soon after my visit (no charge), so it was nice of him to pay a bit extra.

Thought I better let him know he has paid too much, just as a courtesy, I know he's deliberately done it as I have gone out of my way to help.

He replies 'ooops didn't have the invoice to hand'!!

The £30 will be getting paid back! :sad3:

 

[driverman]

Still hadn't heard from the chap, so I sent a politely worded reminder... something along the lines of 'you may have sent a chq already but was worried it got lost in the post etc etc'...

he replies with an apology (very busy) and immediately pays by BACS, I look at my account and see he has paid £180 instead of £150 for the EICR, an extra £30.

I must admit I had gone back and forth a few extra times to his house to sort out the RCD tripping that occured soon after my visit (no charge), so it was nice of him to pay a bit extra.

Thought I better let him know he has paid too much, just as a courtesy, I know he's deliberately done it as I have gone out of my way to help.

He replies 'ooops didn't have the invoice to hand'!!

The £30 will be getting paid back! :sad3:

I'm sure he will remember you as being honest...........On the strength of that, more work will follow I'm sure.