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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think you generally get 7 days to pay an invoice?

148 replies

MourningEveryone · 07/10/2022 15:35

Plumber sent an invoice on Tuesday for work he did on September 6th. He sent another message the following day chasing it. I said I hadn’t had a chance to look at it yet as had been busy. Today (Friday) he is asking if there is a or

OP posts:
Tessasanderson · 07/10/2022 16:25

In the current market where good tradesmen are hard to find, if he did a good job i would pay him straight away. It doesnt matter how long he took to raise the invoice, consider that a bonus for your cash flow.

My guess is once you have paid you will end up at the back of his queue for further work in future.

lickenchugget · 07/10/2022 16:26

No idea how long you have legally, but surely you’d just pay as soon as it came in? I just want things like this out of the way, and he already waited a month.

Tradespeople these days are hard to come by, if you piss them off, they won’t come back.

lickenchugget · 07/10/2022 16:27

My guess is once you have paid you will end up at the back of his queue for further work in future.

cross-post, I agree!

CBechstein · 07/10/2022 16:29

You sound as if you were hoping he'd forget.

The work was done a month ago and you have your invoice now: pay your bill.

poorbuthappy · 07/10/2022 16:30

He'll always have cash flow problems if he waits 1 month to raise an invoice.

worriedatthistime · 07/10/2022 16:31

No you get the terms of which the person sending it chooses and many trade would expect payment on completion

worriedatthistime · 07/10/2022 16:32

@Moonlaserbearwolf yes you fo have to , you pay as per the terms on the invoice

OopsUpsideYerEad · 07/10/2022 16:33

This does my head in, my husband is a sole trader / tradesperson and it just infuriating when he finishes a job and gives them his bank details and then they take two weeks to pay. If you don't have the money to pay for the job, don't book your tradesperson in. There's no reason whatsoever that someone should have to wait to be paid for work that you've had done. Just rude.

OopsUpsideYerEad · 07/10/2022 16:34

lunar1 · 07/10/2022 16:19

It would have been quicker to pay than write out a thread.

😂

Seraphinesupport · 07/10/2022 16:35

Sorry but it doesn't take u 7days to look and pay an invoice!! AND HE DID THE WORK A MONTH AGO! PAY FOR THE WORK YOU HAD YOU STINGY CF!!!!!

Cheerybigbottom · 07/10/2022 16:36

He can set his own terms and should not have to chase you for fees on completed work.

You have the funds, pay him. I'm not surprised your reluctance to avail yourself of 24/7 online banking has made him query if you are having a problem paying.

TedMullins · 07/10/2022 16:36

If only other freelance professions were thought of like this. I was a self employed sole trader (not a plumber) for three years and never got paid before 30 days. To me that is a standard amount of time to have to pay an invoice. Adding terms like ‘payment due on completion of the job’ wouldn’t have made any difference.

whereamu · 07/10/2022 16:36

He is a plumber, not an admin person and not a bank. He is obviously behind on his invoicing which is understandable given he may be here there and everywhere working and quoting people.
Just pay the poor guy.
What will happen next op is he will either not work for you again or hike up the price just for you if he is busy elsewhere.

Daftasabroom · 07/10/2022 16:36

Testina · 07/10/2022 15:43

How can you say, “you don’t have to”?
You don’t know if the invoice said, “due immediately”.

Show quote history

It doesn't matter what the invoice says, it's not a contract.

35965a · 07/10/2022 16:38

As soon as you get the invoice you pay. That day, unless the invoice explicitly says another timeframe.

Daftasabroom · 07/10/2022 16:38

@Cheerybigbottom He can set his own terms and should not have to chase you for fees on completed work.

Not after the work is completed.

SoggyChipswithVinegar · 07/10/2022 16:38

poorbuthappy · 07/10/2022 16:30

He'll always have cash flow problems if he waits 1 month to raise an invoice.

No he wont- what a silly statement
I invoice at least a month in arrears and have an excellent cash flow

Johnnysgirl · 07/10/2022 16:39

Daftasabroom · 07/10/2022 16:36

It doesn't matter what the invoice says, it's not a contract.

Show quote history

What does "it's not a contract" mean?! The work has been completed, payment is due. Op does not get to avail herself of credit terms of her choice 😂

SoggyChipswithVinegar · 07/10/2022 16:39

Possibly linked to Vat periods.

Daftasabroom · 07/10/2022 16:40

worriedatthistime · 07/10/2022 16:32

@Moonlaserbearwolf yes you fo have to , you pay as per the terms on the invoice

Er no. The invoice is not a contract. Terms should be agreed before not after the work is undertaken.

RoomOfRequirement · 07/10/2022 16:41

It took you longer to complain about him on this thread than it would to click pay invoice.

Not surprised at all you have a rental.

Daftasabroom · 07/10/2022 16:43

Johnnysgirl · 07/10/2022 16:39

What does "it's not a contract" mean?! The work has been completed, payment is due. Op does not get to avail herself of credit terms of her choice 😂

Show quote history

No she would be expected to pay within a reasonable period, I'd expect that to be something like 20 working days from the date of acceptance.

Piffle11 · 07/10/2022 16:43

You needed a job doing. He did the work. If it's done properly, then pay him as soon as possible. Where I live, it's nigh on impossible to get decent trades people to come and do work. If you are happy with what he has done, I would pay him sooner rather than later, because if you are in need of a plumber again in the future, chances that you may not be high on his priority list.

Magenta82 · 07/10/2022 16:44

Pay the plumber, he is a small business and shouldn't have to fund your delays.

Jedsnewstar · 07/10/2022 16:44

Stop being a dick and pay. Surely you would have the money ready to go. I get an invoice for an order of milk each week. Open it, log on to internet banking and send the money takes 30seconds. You can’t be that busy.

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