Being hounded for payment

[JJPP1234]

I've had a guy in decorating my lounge. The job took a couple of days and he finished today at 4.30. When he was leaving he asked how I wanted to pay so I asked if bank transfer would be ok. He said fine and emailed his details immediately.
An hour later I've looked at my phone and I've had 5 text messages and a missed call plus voicemail asking where his money is.
AIBU to have not paid him (I've done it now - was going to wait for DH to get home and i was making dinner) within an hour of him leaving my house?

[ILostItInTheEarlyNineties]

If he's good at decorating, it would be foolish to drop him over this, especially if you need more doing. Just be clear when and how you will pay him next time. If you feel irritated that he text you several times then mention that to him. No need to post a bad review on Check a Trade or whatever.

Anyone can call themselves a decorator, you don't need any training. Some are bloody awful so hold onto a decent one if your only complaint is that he demands prompt payment.

[AnElderlyLadyOfMediumHeight]

I work for myself (not in a manual job, but I don't think that makes all that much difference tbh) and it's normal to wait up to a few weeks for payment, certainly if the work was for an institution. Private individuals tend to pay more quickly, tbf, but all my invoices (and I invoice for everything - didn't he invoice you?) allow 14 days. HWBVU and unprofessional.

[DarthNigel]

2 days is reasonable for paying someone this way I think unless you've specified you will pay it quicker. I'd find it bizarre to be messaged 5 times in an hour.
It would put me off giving them any future work as well tbh...

[JJPP1234]

No invoice, just an email with his details and the total amount.

I'm amazed at posters paying up to £5k in cash! Ive never seen that much cash before, everything we do is via bank transfer.

[AnElderlyLadyOfMediumHeight]

Oh dear, no invoice is another sign of lack of professionalism. Using him again may mean you are colluding in tax-dodging.

[Iprefercoffeetotea]

Not RTFT but I don't usually do an instant transfer either, although some people still take a cheque as they leave and the last plumber who came had a card machine and also took payment before he left.

But I had some work finished on a Thursday, the invoice was sent late Thurs night (with no payment terms - eg pay within 48 hours/7 days/30 days/whatever). I was busy on the Friday. Saturday morning he was at the door asking DH to pay up as he needed to pay his staff! We'd never had anyone expecting such quick payment before. Usually I pay within 2-3 days at the latest so would have paid over the weekend.

I have used him again since and paid the same evening even before he'd sent me the invoice as I knew how much it was going to be.

[Pearlsaringer]

I’m a bit at all the cash payers too. It’s blatantly tax dodging if there is no paperwork, meanwhile the NHS is on its knees.

I bet if the OP asked for a business receipt she wouldn’t get one.

[nitroxTrained]

@Pearlsaringer

There's nothing "blatant" about anything. You have your opinions but as you tried to use the term "business receipt" to bolster it with clearly a lack of understanding, your opinion lost credence.

A business receipt is gross operating receipts minus any cost of returned goods and allowances to offset bad debts and depreciation.

HTH

"I bet if the OP asked for a business receipt she wouldn’t get one."

I bet she would. Hmm. What to do now?

[JJPP1234]

I'm not suggesting he's tax dodging, it's just a lot if cash to have to hand over. It would've taken me more days than there were between me accepting the quote and him finishing the job to withdraw that amount with my daily limit. I guess people visit their branch but with limited opening hours and locations that's not practical here.

[NoqontroI]

I'd expect an invoice and to pay into his bank account. I wouldn't pay cash in hand as where's the come back if it goes wrong, and potentially he's tax dodging. And 5 messages in an hour is way over the top. Hand to mouth or not, he should have explained the situation before doing the job.

[Pearlsaringer]

nitroxTrained I didn’t realise business receipt had a specific meaning, thank you for correcting me.

I just feel that people don’t necessarily join the dots between cash in hand transactions and the problems of underfunding in public services that we all use.

Of course I’m not suggesting all cash payments are tax dodging, but I’m suspect a lot are.

[Smudge100]

Unreasonablr to chase so frequently imho. You and your dh might want to inspect it first. Personally i always pay promptly but i don‘t think waiting up to 48 hours is unreasonable.

[Shona52]

Should have said if you prefer I can write a Cheque and you can wait 7 days to get it 😂

For services (which this is so nothing like buying from a shop) you get an invoice to pay. While it’s polite to pay ASAP his actions were a bit much. Maybe he was in need of the payment and worried he wouldn’t get it but rather unprofessional. Never had this

[FucksakeCuntingFuckingTwats]

My husband's got a decorating company and has started off as a sole trader. That's excessive how often he contacted you within an hour. Infacy most of the males in my family are one trade or another and none would pester you that much within an hour.

[JJPP1234]

Your user name has amused me!

[riledandharrassed]

I would find that seriously rude.

For contrast I had a plumber round yesterday, we agreed I'd bank transfer and I asked him to send me his details.

I have just chased him again as he still hasn't sent them and I know he read my initial email as I use hub spot email tracker haha.

[Beezley]

Bank transfer seems to be quick. Hubby did one y'day and it was there in the hour.

[May09Bump]

I had the same from a gardener- we agreed that I'd transfer by end of day. And I'd recieved 6 texts before end of day. We had used him before and paid promptly for days work, so he knew I wouldnt mess him about. He had cancelled on my three times and I had been flexible with him with moving times.

He didn't get any further work from me, it was the final straw.

[Amber0685]

I would think he had a drug habit being that impatient. Maybe he has had trouble in the past? Strange, I hope he did a good job.

[FreshStartToday]

I think it was a simple misunderstanding. He thought you meant immediate bank transfer, you thought he meant sometime soon bank transfer. He panicked, which made it all seem stressful, but if he's a good decorator, then next time, you will check in advance and be ready and waiting to do an immediate transfer, if that's what he needs.

[Maireadplastic]

I always ask how and when they'd like to be paid, then if that won't work for me, we compromise. This is to avoid the sudden need to rush to a cash point that has occurred in the past.

[JJPP1234]

Even transfers aren't always immediate though

[Snowman123]

He's being unreasonable. If you didn't pay within 24 hours you would of been unreasonable.
If he needed he cash urgently, he should have asked you to do the transfer then and there.
The hounding was completely un-necessary.

[NataliaOsipova]

That amount of chasing is unprofessional, and would absolutely put me off using his services again.

Agree. It also makes you wonder if he doesn't have much business/if he's in difficulties. Which doesn't augur well for future projects.

I had a bit of this with one tradesman (after day 2, when the project manager had agreed 7 day terms before the start of the project). It just leaves a nasty taste. If he'd said "is there any chance you could do it more quickly - I'd really appreciate that?", I'd have had no problem with it. It's the unfair implication that you're a bad payer that's irritating.