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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:
skyeisthelimit · 07/10/2022 17:32

He should have his payment terms on his invoice. If he doesn't then he can't demand payment the next day. If he wants immediate payment he should have "payment on completion" or terms of 1 Day.

HMRC state that if there are no payment terms the customer has 30 days to pay.

I put 14 days on my own invoices

wherearebeefandonioncrisps · 07/10/2022 17:33

@TheSheerCheekOfSomePeople

The irony of your username...

Far too busy?
You pay a week or two later???

Oh my days.

reigatecastle · 07/10/2022 17:33

Our plumber often forgets to do his invoices for months Same here, I have to nag him to send me an invoice. He probably would benefit from taking a card reader around with him and taking payment there and then.

reigatecastle · 07/10/2022 17:34

I also put 14 days on my invoices.

Daftasabroom · 07/10/2022 17:36

So many of these posts are dangerously exposing both trades people and customers to conflict.

Always ask for a written quote, even if it's a ROM cost and on a time and materials basis. This should be accompanied by written Ts and C's, but nevertheless at least discuss terms and conditions. Depending on the size of the job invoice either end of month/week/job/spend threshold, payment within x days of invoice acceptance. If time and materials ask to see invoices.

It's up to both parties to manage a job, it's not up to the customer to suck it up if a trades person is slack at admin.

The OP needs to be able to manage her finances and cash flow just as much as the plumber.

JessesMum777888 · 07/10/2022 17:36

Time to post on mumsnet
not time to pay a plumber
sigh 🙄

Loics · 07/10/2022 17:40

JessesMum777888 · 07/10/2022 17:36

Time to post on mumsnet
not time to pay a plumber
sigh 🙄

I'm thinking all of these terribly busy people ought to get a PA. 😂
I thought I was busy, but I can't imagine how permanently tired all these MNers must be after being on the go so much that creating a new payee on online banking is out of the question.

m00rfarm · 07/10/2022 17:41

You have already had 30 days credit as for whatever reason, you were not invoiced at the time. Let's hope you don't need a plumber in a hurry. You had time to reply to him but not time to pay the invoice! Wow - my idea of a perfect client. Not.

unitywardrobe · 07/10/2022 17:42

I'd honestly find it embarrassing if a tradesperson had to chase me twice. If the job has been done and there's no issues with the work, just pay. In the time it took to create this thread, you could have probably paid the chap. 😉

TenoringBehind · 07/10/2022 17:53

YUBVU

TenoringBehind · 07/10/2022 17:53

Or even YABVU

lickenchugget · 07/10/2022 17:54

JessesMum777888 · 07/10/2022 17:36

Time to post on mumsnet
not time to pay a plumber
sigh 🙄

This.

Goingforarun · 07/10/2022 17:55

just pay the man. He did the work over a month ago.

C152 · 07/10/2022 17:58

No, there isn't a 'standard' amount of time. Corporations usually give each other payment terms of 30 days or more. Sometimes those working with the public (like plumbers, electricians etc) will give you credit - which is effectively what a payment term of 7, 15, 30 days etc is - but those who are smart issues invoices for payment on date of issue. You're unreasonable not to pay it immediately and to say you're "too busy" to pay it, even though the work has been completed.

Aconitum · 07/10/2022 18:16

There are two types of people aren't there?
'Normal' people who would pay an invoice for work done upon receipt or as soon as possible afterwards, then there are wankers, who would not.
Wankers (also known as twats) do this because they think they are more important than normal people.
Wankers (or twats) used to be a minority and normal people kept the world turning.
Unfortunately more and more people are turning out to be wankers (or twats) and we are all going to hell in a handcart.

Plantstrees · 07/10/2022 18:20

Back in the days before internet banking I would pay all my bills once a month, usually around the 1st so I knew my salary was in the bank. I did all the cheques over the weekend and posted them out on a Monday. It would include rates, utilities and repairs etc. This was standard practice. All those saying they pay immediately are probably a lot younger and so don't remember the way things were done pre-online banking. I am sure that back then all tradesmen sent invoices and didn't expect them to be paid until the end of the month.

I do however now pay within about 24hrs of receiving an invoice unless I want to dispute the amount as I hate having it hanging over me and accumulating on a to-do list!

GloriousGlory · 07/10/2022 18:32

MourningEveryone · 07/10/2022 15:36

If there is a problem.

Does one not usually get 7 days to pay? It’s fine for him to take 4 weeks to send it but then he expects it paid the same day?

Lucky you having four weeks grace, now pay the invoice it takes seconds!

Johnnysgirl · 07/10/2022 18:39

mountainsunsets · 07/10/2022 17:28

So you have time to post about your excuses on here, but no time to pay the bills?

Show quote history

Well, exactly. No time to read those terribly important emails, but time to fanny about on the Internet 😂
Priorities...

balalake · 07/10/2022 18:45

Zero sympathy for the OP.

Kite22 · 07/10/2022 18:48

Did you not see the bit about the plumber not sending the invoice for a month.?

Yes, but every trade who does work in my house, gets paid on completion of the job.
As others have said - if you have had time to start a thread about it, then you have had time to pay him.
You've already not paid him for a month after the work is complete.

I hope you don't need him to do anymore work for you in a hurry......

BitOutOfPractice · 07/10/2022 18:49

Plantstrees · 07/10/2022 18:20

Back in the days before internet banking I would pay all my bills once a month, usually around the 1st so I knew my salary was in the bank. I did all the cheques over the weekend and posted them out on a Monday. It would include rates, utilities and repairs etc. This was standard practice. All those saying they pay immediately are probably a lot younger and so don't remember the way things were done pre-online banking. I am sure that back then all tradesmen sent invoices and didn't expect them to be paid until the end of the month.

I do however now pay within about 24hrs of receiving an invoice unless I want to dispute the amount as I hate having it hanging over me and accumulating on a to-do list!

I remember the days before internet banking. I think the op should pay immediately. In the days you describe which I remember well, it was standard practice to pay a tradesman in cash before he left. So that “back in the day” argument holds no water for me.

ScottishLavender · 07/10/2022 18:54

He did the work A MONTH AGO!

Pay him. Payment for small one man band type tradespeople is usually once work is done or immediately the invoice is raised.

Personally I prefer to keep good tradespeople on hand by paying immediately. But you might like having to slog around looking for someone to do your next project... plumbers can and do share details of customers who are unwilling to pay for work done.

Hadalifeonce · 07/10/2022 19:31

If he is a sole trader, he might do his invoices once per month. You knew the invoice would be coming, why are you questioning whether you should pay it immediately or wait?

EarringsandLipstick · 07/10/2022 20:02

MourningEveryone · 07/10/2022 15:45

It’s for a rental property so I wasn’t present when the plumber visited. I need an invoice to send my accountant for tax purposes. .

Because you weren't there, he's issuing an invoice. I imagine he normally expects to be paid on completion.

You absolutely should have paid him as soon as you received the invoice.

melj1213 · 07/10/2022 20:03

Why does the plumber get to have a months grace to do their admin but the OP wasn't even given 24hrs to do theirs? Why are so many people quick to make excuses for why the tradesman might have taken 4 weeks to process the invoice but if anyone dares suggest that the OP might have had a valid reason to not have paid immediately then they're apparently unreasonable.

Yes you should pay ASAP once an invoice is received but ASAP is not the same as immediately. YANBU to be annoyed at being "chased up" 24 hrs after receipt of the invoice, I would expect them to give you at least 48hrs to respond before sending a reminder.