To think I'm not going to get this money

[TummyAchesBrainAches]

I did £500 of work for someone who has their own business but which I cannot find in the companies house records. She must be a sole trader, however the way she talks about the bookings she has it seems like quite a big concern.

He gets other people to do the work for her, for example if it were a tree surgery business (it isnt) she would book 10 or 20 customers over a weekend and get other people to do the ones she can't do, taking a cut off the top and ultimately driving prices down.

Not employees, but we have to send an invoice and then it's paid two weeks later.

Thing is, it never takes two weeks. It's more like a month.

I can't manage like this having to chase so we've decided to finish the arrangement. However she still owes me about £500.

I'm asking for it about once a week.

I don't have her postal address, only phone number.

I'm not going to get that money, am I?

Legal action? Even threatening to do so might make her budge
does she have a social media page?

Small claims court.

I think i need her postal address for that?

"I look forward to seeing this money owed in my account by the end of Wednesday. I will be in touch on Thursday to confirm payment. Please note that if it hasn't been received, the next communication from me will be via my solicitor".

@Sortyourlifeout do you think it would really work?

You have nothing to lose!

Statutory payment period is 30 days, so you actually are being rather unreasonable if you didn't agree other terms in a written contract. You don't need to cancel the arrangement, just be "busy" until the last invoice is paid. you can threaten statutory fees and interest if it isn't paid on time, that can encourage payment: https://www.smallbusinesscommissioner.gov.uk/deal-with-an-unpaid-invoice/how-to-chase-an-unpaid-invoice/interest-calculator/.

I'm unclear though how it is that you don't have contact details for this person. If you were working legally then your invoice should have an address on it, or she should be issuing work orders that you refer to. Her customers must also book her somehow, search using those details.

Absolutely.

However, I'm confused. You say you have no address, only a phone number.

How do you send the invoices over?

Bookings are arranged over WhatsApp and I send an invoice via email. She hasn't given me any physical address so I just put her "company" name on it.

If the money isn't forthcoming the next time she asks you to do a job for her say yes BUT ONLY IF SHE PAYS THE MONEY FOR LAST TIME FIRST

If she pays then don't do the job and tell her to fuck off

So you started working for someone you have no physical address for? Personal or business? A lesson learned there!

But more practically - how do the end clients get in touch? Does reputation matter? Review sites etc?
How is the invoice paid? Do you have any bank details?

She's told me I won't be asked to do any more because I asked her to catch up on some of the outstanding invoices. The debt was larger then. It has come down a bit, but now she's saying, I'll sort it tonight .. I'll sort it at the weekend, etc

I know it sounds obvious, but have you googled her phone number and email address?

What does it say in your contract / Ts and Cs about payment?

How does she normally pay you? Because you can usually glean information if you have bank details.

It just brings up the Facebook page

Paid by bank transfer.
It just gives the name.

Okay well if you can't Google anything useful with her full name then perhaps see if you have legal recourse. She's traceable if you have bank details. Obviously they won't give you her address but they would probably be obliged in legal matters?

Yes, you should have got her postal address, but it sounds very unprofessional from both sides. Sub contracting starts with a formal contract.

There may be ways to track her down though. Is her email address a proper business address or is it hotmail or gmail or similar? If it's a proper business address you can search for who owns the domain name, you might be able to get her address that way. Have upu ever met her? If so where? How does she get work leads? Can you get a friend to pose as a potential customer and get her address that way?

Would legal costs outweigh the £500?

@CalistoNoSolo the email is a personal one, I was surprised by that too.

But your point about posing as a customer is a good idea.

OK well make sure you put proper processes in place so that next time you don't get stung. I'm afraid she really saw you coming, and by the sounds of it you're lucky it's only £500 you're going to lose. Small claims court is definitely worthwhile if you can get her address, but trying to get it from her bank via solicitor will probably cost most of that £500 so not worth it, though I would deffo talk to FSB legal or CAB to get proper advice.

I don't think you should panic just yet. Aren't payment terms often 30 days? I would put the pressure on and if all else fails, book her for a job and ambush her so she mets you. Say this is the only way to get hold of her.

I charge £1-£1.5k for claim form and accompanying Particulars of Claim.

Around £800 for a Letter Before Claim.

No one is suggesting you actually go down a legal route yet. You can suggest to her that if the payment isn't received by X date then you will pursue legal action. That might hopefully be enough to make her sort it out.