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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:
Grrrrdarling · 20/06/2022 20:38

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?

Many trades buy goods for jobs so are out of pocket until the work is done & they are paid for the job.
You got the invoice on Friday so should have paid on Friday or one day over the weekend at the latest.
I assume you are paying via bank transfer here, which takes minutes, so just pay the man for the work you are happy with.
He is chasing you because he is probably self employed & small business so doesn’t have money in the bank like a big company would.

Mamai90 · 20/06/2022 20:40

Nobody should have to message 5 times about payment. You should have paid after the first message!

sunglassesonthetable · 20/06/2022 20:42

But a builder does work and you are this reluctant to just pay him? It’s such a shitty attitude.

Oh dear god just read the FT. No one is reluctant to pay the guy.

ToadiesCouzin · 20/06/2022 20:43

Why didn't you pay him on the same day that he completed the job? That would be usual practice. If you've left it this long, I'm not surprised he's going a bit apoplectic!

sunglassesonthetable · 20/06/2022 20:50

Why didn't you pay him on the same day that he completed the job? That would be usual practice. If you've left it this long, I'm not surprised he's going a bit apoplectic!

Obvs going to have a stream of posters who haven't RTFT on here.
Or maybe haven't even read the OP.

OP paid him within 48 hours

sunglassesonthetable · 20/06/2022 20:53

Alert!!!

OP paid the tradesmen within 48 hours!!!!

CustardySergeant · 20/06/2022 20:53

I can't believe the number of people who didn't even read the OP's second post! If they had, they'd know that she paid the man before she posted the thread!

Runnerduck34 · 20/06/2022 20:58

Fifteentoes
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?

I agree partly with the above, issuing an invoice confuses the matter because traditionally you dont pay an invoice immediately, a time frame is specified on an invoice for payment, 28 days etc.
Around 10 years ago you would always have paid cash or cheque upon completion as tradesman left but now they email an invoice.

However I do make an effort to pay asap and always within 48 hours. I think chasing 5 times within 36 hours of issuing the invoice is OTT, however they are either desperate for the money or perhaps a bit anxious they wont be paid eitherway I would have paid when they chased(or when I got home), particularly if they did a good job.

WhenISnappedAndFarted · 20/06/2022 21:04

I'm self employed and some people can be a nightmare to get money out of. He's done the work, pay him.

CustardySergeant · 20/06/2022 21:06

WhenISnappedAndFarted · 20/06/2022 21:04

I'm self employed and some people can be a nightmare to get money out of. He's done the work, pay him.

She paid him before she posted the thread! She said that in her second post.

Genevieva · 20/06/2022 21:14

It doesn't take much stretch of the imagination to work out that your tradesman was either:


  1. Desperate for the money for financial reasons, or

  2. anxious about not being paid for work done after a previous bad experience.

Given that there is so much talk about the rising cost of living at the moment it is reasonable to assume that he was desperately in need of the money. It is really very sad, but a lot of people are struggling right now.

Boxerbinky · 20/06/2022 21:19

My husband is a floor fitter. He pays out for materials, petrol and wages weekly. Your tradesman will likely have foot the bill for materials etc so needs the payment upon job completion. It is likely he expected you to pay upon invoice, unless you agreed other terms you are being unreasonable.

onlythreenow · 20/06/2022 21:27

I'm not in the UK, but if someone does a job here and sends an invoice they don't normally expect immediate payment!!! The invoice might say payment due in 7 days, or the 20th of the following month - if they wanted immediate payment it should have been stated at the time. I would not be impressed with all the texts chasing up payment, and would be inclined to make him wait. I don't think I have ever paid a tradesperson on the day, they always send an invoice, and rarely immediately.

Moonchair1 · 20/06/2022 21:30

what If he was replying on the cash for the weekend to feed his family. He could have been skint you never know but it’s highly likely these days that’s the case
just pay right away next time

MRex · 20/06/2022 21:34

Boxerbinky · 20/06/2022 21:19

My husband is a floor fitter. He pays out for materials, petrol and wages weekly. Your tradesman will likely have foot the bill for materials etc so needs the payment upon job completion. It is likely he expected you to pay upon invoice, unless you agreed other terms you are being unreasonable.

That isn't actually a reason for early payment. All businesses have up-to-date front expenses. Tools of the trade, business premises, travel costs (flights, hotels, vans...), raw materials etc. Payment terms are part of the contract and based on what you can get away with. Statutory terms are still 30 days post invoice, the only reason a floor fitter or anyone else gets paid sooner is because they request it as part of their payment terms. I have no issue with it personally, but this thread does make me wonder if some tradespeople are forgetting to inform clients of their payment terms clearly at the time they agree to do the work (i.e. the time the contract is formed) rather than when they invoice.

MRex · 20/06/2022 21:36

*up-to-date front = up-front
Stupid auto-incorrect.

janmag1 · 20/06/2022 21:37

If you knew your banking app was going to be offline over weekend you should have sorted out to pay him immediately if the job was finished and you were happy with it

safclass · 20/06/2022 22:00

I don't think in week days/weekends anymore. Most things are open all week, (my mam had a routine scan appointment at our local hospital on Easter Sunday!) trades work 7 days a week and I wouldnt think of not handing payment over as soon as job was complete.
The cost of living with the added expenses of materials is massive for a tradesman to put up front, and he should be paid asap.

Aussiegirl88 · 20/06/2022 22:03

I remember all the promises customers gave to pay my husband for works completed he was self employed for over 15 years. Some fantastic and beautiful work only have customers do this sort of stuff. was probably looking forward to taking his family out. My husband quit after so many people and businesses like you fucked him around, he work extremely hard for his trade, all his licences and his family

Kmj2018 · 20/06/2022 22:07

I always pay my tradesmen as soon as I get the invoice as long as I’m satisfied with everything of course. A tradesmen told me he recently did a job and customer refused to pay him and made up loads of excuses and he’s still chasing so I can understand why he would want to chase. I think they do get messed about by some people. I don’t think he’s unreasonable at all. I’m a freelancer and fortunately my clients always pay on the day the job is completed but I certainly would chase if they didn’t pay.

sunglassesonthetable · 20/06/2022 22:10

*I remember all the promises customers gave to pay my husband for works completed he was self employed for over 15 years. Some fantastic and beautiful work only have customers do this sort of stuff. was probably looking forward to taking his family out. My husband quit after so many people and businesses like you fucked him around, he work extremely hard for his trade, all his licences and his family

@Aussiegirl88*

Is being paid within 48hrs being fucked around?

Kgiggl3s · 20/06/2022 22:14

Poor guy. I think whatever the contract says, the work has been done and he clearly needs the money/is worried he won't get paid due to past customers. Why are you making him suffer? What point are you trying to prove? - "I'll tell you when you get paid not the other way round"....
He's worked hard so pay him when he asks - don't make the poor guy text you 5 times. Yes you are BU but also quite mean actually 😟

expat101 · 20/06/2022 22:15

issuing invoices does not imply an account/extended terms of trade have been granted unless stated. It’s a legal requirement if you are given an invoice, you pay as per the terms set out.

and you also have a right to ask for an invoice prior to payment…

Snugglemonkey · 20/06/2022 22:16

I think it unlikely that he will want to do work for you again. How does he know you will pay up? You were not showing any signs of it. There is no readin not to pay on Friday. If you had done so, it would have improved the weekend for you both.

Mascia · 20/06/2022 22:19

onlythreenow · 20/06/2022 21:27

I'm not in the UK, but if someone does a job here and sends an invoice they don't normally expect immediate payment!!! The invoice might say payment due in 7 days, or the 20th of the following month - if they wanted immediate payment it should have been stated at the time. I would not be impressed with all the texts chasing up payment, and would be inclined to make him wait. I don't think I have ever paid a tradesperson on the day, they always send an invoice, and rarely immediately.

That's interesting, it has been my experience as well (EU country).
I used to work for a translation agency, as a freelancer first and later as a project manager, and all freelancers were paid up to a month after submitting their invoice.
That period did seem a bit long to me (although it was nothing unusual in that particular country), but it would have never occured to me to start chasing the payment after a day or so.