To think that if you get an invoice you dont NEED to pay it immediately?

Most invoices state the due date for payment - typically a month.
If it doesn't, and given that it's not a business to business transaction, it there's no due date stated I wouldn't assume a month - but in this instance I'd probably email back a "thanks for the invoice, bank transfer is going through on Wednesday"
Mechanic knows it's coming, won't need to chase.
If he needed faster payment he should've sent the invoice when he did the repairs, not four weeks later.

We use our local garage. Local enough that the owner’s mum is a neighbour.
He’s a lovely guy but never has the invoice ready. In the past before he sent them out I used to pop in and remind him regularly. I usually pay within a week of it arriving. He seems fine with that as he treats us well. I also never know how much it’s going to be for regular jobs but trust he’ll do his best for us. I’ve just had an invoice for front tyres and brake pads and waited a couple of days until pay day. I’m sure we’ll carry on getting the same good treatment we’ve had in the past.

@Doteycat I'm fine thanks, yourself?

Are you ok?
You seem v bothered by me.
Maybe think about why.

https://www.gov.uk/invoicing-and-taking-payment-from-customers/payment-obligations#:~:text=Unless%20you%20agree%20a%20payment,of%20what%20you're%20owed.

I'd feel really mean doing that ! He's an excellent mechanic and a lovely guy, just as you say an absolutely hopeless businessman !

Stop asking him. If he doesn't pursue for 6 years from when you acknowledge a debt then there is no legal recourse to pursue it! Hopefully he is a better mechanic than businessman.

I use an independent mechanic, he collects the car from my house and drops it back again, and when I first started using him he would send the invoice a few weeks later. However I haven't paid him for anything he's done to my car for over two years, as he hasn't invoiced me ! Every time I see him I ask / remind him and he just laughs and says he'll get to it. I have been putting money aside for when he eventually does, but as OP says it's a bit tricky when I have no clue how much it will be !

You are mistaken about legally having 30 days. The person providing the service can ask for payment on issue or any length of time they want.

Are you in the UK OP? I have never come across a garage that doesn't have the invoice made up ready for payment before you take the car.

But you have known for a month that it needs paying so why did you not set the money aside in anticipation of the certain knowledge that you would be receiving an invoice and needed to pay your debt for the work?

me too

I like the sound of your husband.

Same as if too costly would say no /need to save etx

This is odd I’ve always had to pay my mechanics when picking up the car. But I do get invoiced by my cat sitter.

I ask her the invoice before the trip. (That’s my hang up she’s perfectly fine with invoicing after we get back) then I generally pay within the week of getting the invoice.

Doesn’t the invoice include the payment terms? They usually do. Net 15/net 30 or whatever.

I must be living in a different world - when I get a car service within a couple of hours I get an estimate of cost and the agreement to proceed. Before getting the car back they ring back to pay the cost and then they deliver.

My general rule is that I pay trades immediately because that's someone's livelihood and I don't want to be responsible for someone worrying about how they're going to put food on the table. However, since he's taken 4 weeks to even invoice, he may not be in such a rush for the money. I think you could reasonably message to check if it's okay to leave it till Wednesday. Don't just wait and not tell him though.

@Doteycat of course your not in the habit of lying, you've told me your not, so fair enough.

Well ya, i am. Im not in the habit of lying.
Nor does it matter if you believe me.

So @Hundredthmillionthdiet have you paid the invoice

If he took four weeks to send out the invoice then he can't be desperate - you're fine to wait until Wednesday.

I pay immediately but that's for my own peace of mind rather than anything else.

I always pay within a day or two unless it's arguable that a trades has come to fix something like a leak and you just need to check out if the leak is definitely fixed by using that tap or shower or whatever it is for a few days with no further problems. For bog standard cleaning or gardening or piano lesson / exercise class / babysitting / anything similar - pay on the day.

I usually pay same day of receipt or day after. Both my father and DH’s were self employed and we know from experience how important cash flow is. I’ve had discount on a second job from someone I paid promptly.

@Doteycat well you're hardly likely to say otherwise are you?

But if you like, I believe you, you know best.

But they just can't do that! Because it won't go back in apparently! I mean any functioning person would just set up a payment to go back in automatically on Wednesday! 🤷‍♀️

27 years in business running a fleet of vans.
Its lasting.