Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Tradesman chasing for payment

699 replies

CharlesIsQueensHorcrux · 19/06/2022 11:24

Hi - I had a tradesman in last week, finished Friday & invoiced Friday night with email and message. Since then has messaged another five times chasing me! By the way I wasn’t ignoring him I messaged back saying I was out but would deal. Is it me or is he unreasonable to chase me all weekend for an invoice issued on Friday night? I was happy with the work but not sure now I would use him again as I feel a bit ick like there’s a suggestion I wouldn’t pay or something. Aibu?

OP posts:
Vikinga · 20/06/2022 10:34

He's probably had people not pay him. I always pay on completion. You should have checked beforehand to ensure you had the cash available. You knew the amount and you know your daily limit. Yabu.

caringcarer · 20/06/2022 10:47

A bank transfer takes about 1 minute. You should pay on completion not when you feel like it.

sunglassesonthetable · 20/06/2022 11:02

YABU for not paying immediacy you cheeky fucker!! Would you leave a shop without paying for the goods and go back when you felt like it.

Do shops invoice you?

SuchandSuchandSuch · 20/06/2022 12:11

fUNNYfACE36 · 19/06/2022 22:34

It's normal for tradesman working directly for a homeowner to be paid immediately upon satisfactory completion.

Yes - I think this is a very good explanation of the reason why the Op's situation has occurred. In the past, I did used to pay tradespeople by cash or cheque once they had completed the work. However now, when I receive an invoice, I assume that the expectation is not that it is paid immediately. It is just a shift in expectations but it is clearly a thing. I had work done on Saturday. Received an invoice with '0 days' in the 'due date' section from the tradesperson. Then another reminder today. The work hasn't been completed yet, so I've suggested that I pay the invoice once it has. We've set a date for this. I think it's reasonable for me to pay once the work has been completed but am aware that it might not be perceived as such by the tradesperson. I will have a rethink if so. I'm generally happy with the work but I do find this kind of approach a bit off-putting.

SuchandSuchandSuch · 20/06/2022 12:24

Fifteentoes · 19/06/2022 23:07

Actually I think I've just worked out what the problem is here.

Traditionally, there are broadly two different ways of paying for goods and services, with different customs and expectations. One is payment at the point of sale, the other is issue of an invoice and payment later.

Traditionally a lot of tradesmen, particularly smaller scale local sole traders, would work the first way: Spend three days doing something at your house and at the end of the third day you inspect it and if you're happy, give them cash or a cheque. Larger companies charging larger amounts and subcontracting the work would probably be more likely to invoice (or get payment in installments).

I think what's happened is that because of the convenience of online payment systems (and because nobody uses cheques any more), tradesmen who would ordinarily have done things the first way and been paid before they went home, instead give the customer their bank details and ask to be paid online - assuming that will be immediate because it's just replacing the cash or cheque payment on the day. Because of the way that looks though (issuing an invoice), some of us mistake that for a traditional invoicing system and think it's understood that there's no hurry to pay as long as we don't take the piss.

It's all just a big misunderstanding, isn't it?

... it was this message that I was responding to, not the one I quoted in my previous post ...

PigletJohn · 20/06/2022 13:42

I don't know quite how the initial conversation went.

was it

"have you paid me yet?

"I'll deal with it when I get round to it"

which is quite different from

"the money will be in your account Monday morning"

Hrpuffnstuff1 · 20/06/2022 13:49

Is this thread still going, I completed a job this morning arrived at 8:33 finished at 8:57. I invoiced at 10:10, the customer paid at 10:53.
The next set of work is agreed to for mid-July.
So simple.

None of this, I'm busy, a magnifying glass to check.
No service provider will last with poor quality workmanship, it's the life blood of the business.
It's interesting to note that R Mcalpine is now paying contractors within 7 days.

sunglassesonthetable · 20/06/2022 13:49

Yes, this 👇🏻

sunglassesonthetable · 20/06/2022 13:52

It's interesting to note that R Mcalpine is now paying contractors within 7 days.

Excellent. Just like OP was going to get it paid by Monday.

Lucky Trades I say.

meant @PigletJohn 👇🏻

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 20/06/2022 14:04

Hrpuffnstuff1 · 20/06/2022 13:49

Is this thread still going, I completed a job this morning arrived at 8:33 finished at 8:57. I invoiced at 10:10, the customer paid at 10:53.
The next set of work is agreed to for mid-July.
So simple.

None of this, I'm busy, a magnifying glass to check.
No service provider will last with poor quality workmanship, it's the life blood of the business.
It's interesting to note that R Mcalpine is now paying contractors within 7 days.

My plumber completed a job last Wednesday and still no invoice so no payment. I checked an old invoice and it specifically states to use the invoice number as the reference. I suppose he may have been quicker if he'd to pay out for anything but DH bought the materials.

Hrpuffnstuff1 · 20/06/2022 15:33

sunglassesonthetable · 20/06/2022 13:52

It's interesting to note that R Mcalpine is now paying contractors within 7 days.

Excellent. Just like OP was going to get it paid by Monday.

Lucky Trades I say.

meant @PigletJohn 👇🏻

Using the example of R Mcalpine was to highlight that even large operators are speeding up the time it takes to process transactions.
I was on 30 day terms for a large manufacturer, they missed 2 invoices out if 12, after highlighting this fact they paid immediately. So it can be done.
Jane Doe has no need to inspect a tap washer for 30 days.

Emberino · 20/06/2022 18:04

Pay him. DH used to expect payment on the day work was completed, all clients except one complied. You’d be really annoyed if you weren’t paid for work you had done. He will have bills to pay and food to buy just like you. Surprised you dared to post. And as to whether you would use him again….he probably won’t want to work for you again anyway. Stop acting like you are doing him a favour for letting him work in your house and that he should be grateful. You are behaving like an entitled princess!

Scoobydoobydo · 20/06/2022 18:05

He did the work
you were happy with the work
you pay for the work as soon as it’s complete

Tessabelle74 · 20/06/2022 18:08

I clean for a living, one client pays me by bank transfer that I have to chase for EVERY SINGLE WEEK. It's incredibly frustrating and I have bills to pay which doesn't seem to be an issue for her if she can afford me! Just pay up, especially as you told him you'd sort it once home and you clearly didn't

Chuck2015 · 20/06/2022 18:09

I always pay straight away or make other arrangements if I can’t before the work takes place. He will have paid out of his own pocket. With your reply you should be very specific about when you’re paying him to be fair.

Wgw1 · 20/06/2022 18:10

our plumber sends invoice the minute he has completed work - so if he finishes at 12 I have his invoice by 12.10 with payment due that day. he should have said payment myst be within 24hrs.

payens · 20/06/2022 18:12

YABVU you owe him the money but are delaying payment.

sunglassesonthetable · 20/06/2022 18:14

Jane Doe has no need to inspect a tap washer for 30 days.

Of course not @Hrpuffnstuff1 But this OP is all about someone who was badgered many times , in the first few hours , to pay a Friday invoice she was intending to pay by the end of the weekend.

It's NOT about someone actively delaying payment at all. She just didn't jump to it instantly.

sunglassesonthetable · 20/06/2022 18:14

YABVU you owe him the money but are delaying payment.

RTFT

bouncydog · 20/06/2022 18:15

Good luck next time you want work done - you’ll get a name for being a bad payer. The guy has done the work, probably struggling to pay bills and you’ve made him wait for his money. Should have paid as soon as you got home on Friday.

Lozois99 · 20/06/2022 18:16

Jeez pay him already. Many people are struggling and the work is done, just pay straight away. It’s not like it’s an effort given you can pay online. Why would you think it’s ok to wait until it suits you?

hornchurchmum · 20/06/2022 18:17

My husband is a tradesman and I work for his company. We generally issue invoices the same day and have a 7 day payment term, and we will only chase once this has past. I would say in future to check when any tradesman expects to be paid. My husband can do jobs from £60 up to £1000s and we work for companies and individuals, so I feel it’s reasonable to give people 7 days to pay, but it depends on the persons set up. A one man band can literally be relying on his pay to get diesel and materials to be able to do the next job. He probably should have made it clear that he expected immediate pay, but to be honest, unless you had specifically asked him, I would have expected to pay immediately. My brother is a plasterer and he is always paid on completion before he leaves the job, so he’s not being unreasonable l. You’d be surprised how many customers turn out to be absolute A holes and he’s probably just fed up with having his fare share so he’s being overly cautious…

THEDEACON · 20/06/2022 18:18

YABVU and word will get around the local trades so good luck with getting work done in the future

Havinganervousebreakdown · 20/06/2022 18:24

You are VERY unreasonable. You had the work done so pay for it right away. How would you have felt if the day before job was finished that the builder said he was too busy to finish it today and would come back after the weekend! My son has a small business and getting people to pay up when they should is a nightmare. You spent more time griping about your tradesman on here than it would have taken you to pay immediately. Shame on people like you!

PeachyPeachTrees · 20/06/2022 18:26

Yanbu. I had a tradesman in this morning and he invoiced this afternoon. He has given 7 days to pay. I like to pay quickly. He should not have hounded you like that, it would put me off using them again.

Swipe left for the next trending thread