To be so fucked off with chasing outstanding invoices?

[NickNacks]

I can and do charge late fees but that's not the point. I just want to be bloody paid on time every month without chasing 3/5 of my clients EVERY MONTH!!

What business are you in?

How long do you give them to pay?

Childminding.

And I give them out on 25th to be paid on the 1st. The same every month!

Introduce a late payment fee?

Nightmare. I pay my CM the day I receive the invoice. Every month. I know I'm in the minority though.

I do Tiggy. It's obviously not a bih enough deterrent is it?

It is quite easy to set up standing order arrangements.

I would set that method of payment up in motion and write to all parents saying that payment will be by s/o from now on, otherwise they are in breech of contract.

Add a sliding scale of penalties? First time=whatever you charge now, 2nd time double penalties, 3rd time triple?

Yes to a late payment fee. And consider telling clients who pay late if they don't pay on time you will be terminating your contract with them. The chasing takes up time and time is money.

Do you ever ask for it early? My childminder is paid first Monday of the month but ALWAYS asks to be paid 'as a one off favour' before MY pay day which is the 23rd of the month. It's annoyed me to the point when she doesn't ask to be paid early I deliberately pay a couple of days late petty I know but I always pay on time and loathe being chased for money I don't owe.

Doesn't help you I know but just wanted to say it works both ways

The worst bit is the childcare vouchers which parents activate on about the 3rd (!!) and I don't think they care that it still takes another 3 working days to hit my account (plus weekends).

Then new parents wonder why CMs are reluctant to accept these vouchers.

Argh!!

I'd definitely suggest that you give them all a DD form and say that from now on, all fees must be paid by DD on whatever the arranged date is.

I get really annoyed when I have to chase clients for payment. Most of them are very good but some people really take the proverbial.

I don't ask for it early. I ask them to honor a contract they have agreed to.

So no it doesn't 'work both ways' here

I don't know how I get them to pay by standing order as the amounts are different each month.

That's a bit unfair. My vouchers are taken from my pay on the 20th. The vouchers for whatever reason (but it's not my fault!) do not reach my childminder until the 1st of the month. Nothing I can do about it (but I do pay a month in advance).

Hell fire I think you are very resonable to wait so long in the first place. I had to pay my childminder every week up front no matter what and no she didn't accept childcare vouchers either.

You know the saying "give them an inch and they'll take a mile".

I would begin a new policy quick fast they'll soon regret their behavior.

YANBU.

get them to set up standing orders as a condition - landlords do it.

YANBU. Late payments and non payment are the main reason for SME's failing, and are a nightmare for self employed. Some people really do take the piss. I bet if their salaries were paid erratically, they'd be up in arms. Sympathy.

S/Os can be for a different amount each month; mine to 02 ranges between £10 and £50 a month depending on how much I've used my phone.

Can you review contracts I average out a years worth of fees over month or weeks depends how they pay and set fees that way I just keep record of hours so if they leave we work money out then. I get paid by standing order by most parents now that way. With parents who pay by vouchers I don't charge a late fee if they are in voucher account by agreed date as parents loose control once money hits voucher account.

mumblechum I think that's a direct debit which individuals can't set up (I don't think?)

I had this once, when I wasnt paid on the first I told the parents in writing that I woud charge £5.00 per day that it wasnt paid up to and including 3 days, The fourth day I would not be accepting the child into care.

Only had to do it once.

Yanbu, childcare vouchers are a painin the arse particularly if their not electronic ones.

How much do you charge as a late fee?

If the vouchers were sent on the 1st along with the 'top up' bank transfer then we'd have no problem. But they don't. I receive an email when they've done it do I know exactly how long it's takes for them to get around to it.

I should also point out that when they start I ask what day of the month suits them to be invoiced on, all have said the 1st is fine.

As we speak it's the 11th and two have still not paid. No vouchers have been sent (no emails) and no top up transfers sent.

I charge a £10 late fee. I guess once its late there isn't any incentive to pay any quicker.