Tradesman chasing for payment

[CharlesIsQueensHorcrux]

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?

Trades people usually require payment upon completion. Five messages seems a bit over the top, but I am not at all surprised that it has been followed up already. We had a job finish on Thursday night but I didn’t get around to paying on Friday and he followed up on Saturday morning, we settled immediately at that point a bit embarrassed for not getting to it on Friday.

I think he is BU. If you're out when you receive the invoice and message to confirm receipt then he should have waited until Monday.

My banking app needs to be used with a calculator thing when setting up new payees and I don't carry it round with me so I can't pay new people until I get home.

I wouldn't use him again. I suspect he's also being chased but he should have waited until Monday morning before sending a polite reminder.

And DH used to be self employed and yes it's frustrating when people pay late, but hassling them 19 mins after the invoice has been sent is counter productive.

Well you havent paid- so you are a bit ick

YABVU - why would you not just pay on the day? It takes two minutes and for all you know the money is needed to buy food or pay an urgent bill - sounds like it is very much needed if several messages have been sent. Trades work is usually pay on day of completion, usually we would bank transfer while they are still with us once work is complete.

I hope you paid before posting on MN!

People like you honestly piss me off.

And as soon as you are that person who doesn't pay strai

Yes, YABVU.

It takes minutes to pay.

Another who can't understand why you already haven't paid.

Tbf only a massive git wouldn't. He should have been paid Friday night.

^^I don't know if it's my phone or MN that is fucked but that has been happening to me all morning

straight away then it's all the more likely that you turn into that customer who develops a sob story about why they can't pay this month, or could only pay a little bit this week, blah-blah.

I feel a bit ick like there’s a suggestion I wouldn’t pay or something

Well it's hardly a suggestion. You have not paid him for work he has completed. You don't get to be a twat and make him wait for money just because you're busy. He finished the work on Friday and he should have been paid on Friday.

Additionally anyone who thinks you're not being unreasonable is also an entitled twat.

If you are happy with the work pay him ASAP
You don't know his circumstances or how often he has had to chase for payment

Where did you get 19 minutes from? He emailed and invoiced her on Friday. Since then he's contacted her chasing it yesterday and today.

Surely if she's away for the weekend and can't pay him until she gets back, she could have told him

But she isn't. She's at home, just not paying him for the work he's done and the materials he's paid for.

People who don't pay small businesses are the ones who complain that they can't get anyone to do their work. Not really surprising when you expect them to live on thin air

The cheek of You

Pay the Bloke

I feel a bit ick like there’s a suggestion I wouldn’t pay or something.
Well so far you haven't paid have you? He doesn't know you, what he has to go on will be his past experiences of other customers and right now his experience with you, which is that you won't pay. If I hadn't paid immediately the reminder would have gotten me jumping online to transfer it and texting to say sorry for the delay and that I'd paid it now. He did the work for you, you pay him promptly, no one then has to worry about getting paid (him) or his impression of them (you). 5 reminders is OTT, but then he shouldn't have needed to send so many reminders, you should have just paid him.

He's probably desperate for the money and you're holding on to it just for the reason you can to stop what you're doing for the 2 mins it takes to complete a transaction.

I do think that keep chasing is a bit much but he may well really need the money and as the work is done you should just pay him.

DH is self employed and the amount of customers who seem to think they can pay whenever they feel like it, sometimes weeks later, is unbelievable.

Just had a customer who had a boiler fitted in April and owed over £2,000 who he had to chase a couple of times and eventually paid yesterday.

As another poster said, you don't go and buy your groceries in a supermarket and say you'll be back to pay when you feel like it

I always pay on the day, usually while they're still there

Except for my car but I have an agreement with him where I pay on pay day which is never more than 48hrs later

OMG write the cheque OP

WRITE the CHEQUE!!!!!!

I pay the day the job is done (after checking it over). You need to pay.

Actually, I think it’s quite rude to keep them waiting for payment. Unless you’d agreed beforehand, you should pay on the last day of their work as long as your happy with it.

I had this on a bigger job - where we had explicitly agreed 7 days payment terms. But when he phoned to ask for immediate payment, I just assumed cash flow was tight and I went down to the bank that day to pay him. He needs the money - you owe him the money. Just pay him!

Of course if you have done a job for a private customer (rather than another business) you're going to chase over the weekend, before you get caught up in another week of school and work.

Why would you have paid him on Friday?

I feel a bit ick like there’s a suggestion I wouldn’t pay or something

Oh the fucking irony. You haven't paid!! All trades round here are pay on the day or they won't come back and tell all their mates so you're blacklisted

Ugh, this is why I ask for payment upfront nowadays.

He's done the job and invoiced you. Bloody well pay him - he shouldn't have to chase you!