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?

Please come back and say you've paid him? You could've done it in the time you wrote your OP!

YABU. Why wouldn’t you just pay immediately on receipt of invoice? It takes approximately one minute to do a bank transfer.

I'm surprised he left before payment, cheque or card, to be honest.

Yes you're being unreasonable. I would have paid immediately or that same day. Just pay it...

I’m self-employed. It is a nightmare getting people to pay up. A few years ago someone pissed off owing me more than £3k. It took them almost 5 years to pay. And didn’t pay interest.

But just to get this right, you’re now at home, you STILL haven’t paid him but you’re on here moaning about getting chasers……….?

Lets pretend you work for a small company, were due to get paid your salary but your employer “didn’t get round to it”. No explanation. You’d be totally cool with them just paying you when they get round to it, right?

No wonder you haven’t returned to this thread OP.

Aren't most invoices payment terms 7 days? (Some are 14 days)?

I think him chasing you that often after just sending the invoice is too much.

I'm waiting for the inevitable dripfeed as to why the OP couldn't pay him. I'm sure OP was the busiest busy person and didn't have a spare moment to pee, let alone pay the poor guy. 🤔

No, why would you think that? Most invoices are payment on completion of work.

Were the terms on the invoice? My invoices state 30 days.

Not necessarily. My invoices are due within 24 hours.

If someone has done a job for you, they shouldn't have to wait two weeks to receive payment. I mean, would you be happy if your boss made you wait two weeks for your paycheque?

You could've done a bank transfer in the same time it took you to write this post.

As a freelancer who sometimes frustratingly has to wait months for companies to process my invoices, I always pay tradesmen on the same day they invoice. Why wouldn't I? They've done the work, I'm happy with it, why would I withhold payment? Fine if you were out late Friday and couldn't do it, but it's Sunday lunchtime now and it's not fair not to pay him.

Christ, I should get into a trade!
I freelance in a very different area, and my invoice terms are 30 days. I still seem to spend half my working life chasing late payments. On occasion it's been two or three months between invoice and payment.

So from that point of view, he's being pushy.
But if he stated his terms then you should abide by them.

Unless his invoice says that, he should be paid immediately.

I had my haircut yesterday and I didn't walk out of the salon saying "yep, it's great, just what we agreed on but I'll pay you when I feel like it".

He provided a service, you were happy with the service so you pay him immediately. I think this is some kind of weird power play for you, you know make the tradesman before you benevolently decide to give him his money just to show whose in charge or are you just thoughtless and selfish?

The jobs completed just pay it.

He’s probably got a busy week ahead and weekends are the only time he gets to chase people who can’t be bothered to pay the invoice at the time …he’s probably been burnt before. The ones that don’t pay immediately usually are the ones who take a while to pay.

Next time your in Tescos do your shopping and ask them to send you an invoice which you will pay at your own convenience.

I usually pay by bank transfer and not immediately, usually following day but I always text them to say money has been transferred so they know payment has been made.

Smaller jobs sometimes pay cash if it's not a large amount and pay as they leave.

Worked well so far but having new kitchen being done and payment will be a considerable amount. I will pay once completed but builder has done lots of work for me over the years so knows full well I will pay him promptly. I'd never get him back otherwise!

That's your choice. My terms are 7 days.

Tradesmen usually want paid same day unless they say otherwise. Weird that you wouldn't have just done it Friday evening.

I think a bit of both.

Ive been self employed for years, I've had a large 'trades' business and smaller ones.

if I invoiced on a Friday night, I wouldn't expect to be paid until the following week. I certainly wouldn't chase it before 7 days was up.

However if I was happy with the work I would have paid him immediately because I know a LOT of people are really struggling & especially trades who have to pay for materials & fuel in advance. (I would have offered to pay for the materials as he bought them if they were solely for my property).

IF he has done a good job, you'd be UTTERLY ridiculous not to use him again just because he chased payment.

I can't blame him for being desperate for payment with things how they are for many.

if you're happy with his work, go & pay him now, stop dragging your feet. If you're not happy, phone him & discuss it.

You've had him in all week. Presumably already aware of the cost. I would have arranged to pay him by cash or cheque as he finished the job on Friday evening or as soon as invoice was sent.

I suspect he's been stung by someone before...

In saying that the constant chasing would unreasonably annoy me a bit

I think you are completely and utterly unreasonable and tone deaf.

MNs is littered with posts from people struggling with keeping households afloat, electricity and oil costs etc. A lot of people have had their savings (if they were lucky enough to have them) wiped out due to the interruptions caused by Covid19.

He did a job and is owed the money. The fact he had to contact you is a clear indication that he needs the money. No only did you not pay him the first time he asked you didn't pay him the 2and, 3rd, 4th or 5th time. How unbelievably rude of you to have him continually ask you, just because you couldn't be arsed settling your Bill's on time.

But you haven't paid him so how are you getting the ink? You've had time to post about it on MN but not paid him?

Not really, I'm sure he could have a family to feed at home. He did the job because he needs to earn a living, not for the shits and giggles for goodness sake.

But surely as a freelancer, you can set your own payment terms?

I run my own business and payment is due within 24h of the job ending. I'm a dog walker, so for me, that's within 24h of the final walk of the week.

If I don't get paid, all walks/services are suspended until payment is made in full. As it happens, all my clients respect my terms and pay on time, so I've only ever had to threaten that course of action once. Miraculously, the client managed to pay her invoice within five minutes of me sending that text, lol.

I had a tradesman out on Friday. The invoice says pay within 7 days. I would be most pissed if at being harassed over the weekend if those were the terms! But it all depends on the terms really.