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AIBU?

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Original poster

Not been paid - help!

37 replies

skintselfemployed · 27/12/2023 08:16

Posting here for traffic....
am self employed, have a regular client I've worked for for 4 years no issues. Recently my bank made me change to a new version of their account. Sent new details to client - they made a mistake by switching numbers in sort code so first payment was rejected. When I noticed I hadn't been paid I contacted them, they rejected my questions at first, then said they had made payment now correctly. My bank has not received it. Finance department saying 'not our problem, we paid'. They've sent me a screenshot of their system saying paid on 18/12 but I have received nothing. Going to speak to bank today but what can I do? It seems like the money has disappeared and no one wants to help me (I've been going back & forth on this since beginning of the month). Any ideas ?

OP posts:
Sisterpita · 27/12/2023 08:43

Send a letter/invoice confirming no payment received and requesting payment by X date.

If no money received by X date send a letter before action (google it).

Original poster
skintselfemployed · 27/12/2023 09:45

They seem to think that the screenshot of the system saying it's paid is enough 🤷🏼‍♀️

OP posts:
1down · 27/12/2023 09:46

Are all the details on what they have show you correct?

sleepyscientist · 27/12/2023 09:48

Does the screenshot show the correct details? If so you need to contact your bank to chase down the funds.

Original poster
skintselfemployed · 27/12/2023 09:50

Yes the details now look correct. Going to contact bank again shortly but v hard with bloody online banks - can't speak to someone

OP posts:
sleepyscientist · 27/12/2023 09:51

skintselfemployed · 27/12/2023 09:50

Yes the details now look correct. Going to contact bank again shortly but v hard with bloody online banks - can't speak to someone

Do you not have a messaging system?

trulyunruly01 · 27/12/2023 09:54

If you don't have the facility online to share images etc with the bank then I'd be going into branch today showing them the details of the account now holding the money.

Original poster
skintselfemployed · 27/12/2023 10:00

Have sent message via online chat to bank with all details - is a Mettle account so no branches (no branches of any bank near me anyway...). Surely money can't just fall through a gap?

OP posts:
Aprilx · 27/12/2023 10:07

deleted as misread

Aprilx · 27/12/2023 10:15

Got distracted by the incorrect sort code which on second reading I realise is not part of the story!

Can you tell from the screenshot what type of payment they made? Organisations don’t usually make immediate payments as they are too expensive (for business bank accounts) so there is a possibility this is simply a timing difference due to Christmas.

Livinghappy · 27/12/2023 10:20

Is this a UK organisation paying you?

Beautiful3 · 27/12/2023 10:27

If the bank details are correct then it's an issue for you to sort with your bank. Sometimes if somethings off, it goes into a holding account. It happened to me because the name was spelt incorrectly.

IamSmarticus · 27/12/2023 10:45

Your employer (as the originator of the funds) needs to contact their bank to trace the payment, sending a screenshot is not good enough. Your bank (as the receiving bank) won't do anything until the originators have looked into it.

Sisterpita · 27/12/2023 11:06

@Aprilx is right if they paid via BACS then it is 3 working days.

Original poster
skintselfemployed · 27/12/2023 11:16

IamSmarticus · 27/12/2023 10:45

Your employer (as the originator of the funds) needs to contact their bank to trace the payment, sending a screenshot is not good enough. Your bank (as the receiving bank) won't do anything until the originators have looked into it.

That's interesting, thank you. I'm being fobbed off here - I should have been paid on 28/11 and this is still ongoing. Apparently my banks payment team are looking into it, but even with 3 working days the money should be there by now

OP posts:
Original poster
skintselfemployed · 27/12/2023 11:42

Livinghappy · 27/12/2023 10:20

Is this a UK organisation paying you?

It's a global organisation but I work for the UK arm of it

OP posts:
Sisterpita · 27/12/2023 11:55

@skintselfemployed if they are fibbing you off then as I suggested a letter/email with a date for payment. Followed by a letter before action should yield results.

SoWhat21 · 27/12/2023 12:10

Money will not have vanished. It’ll be somewhere most likely bounced back to payer as the receiving bank was unable to allocate it properly. They can’t retain it if they haven’t settled it.
Payer screenshot just show amount leaving their account does not prove it settled properly which it clearly hasn’t. More than likely the bounce back hadn’t arrived when you last spoke to them. I’d ask them to double check their account that the money hasn’t returned. If it hasn’t ask them for the Swift of the payment. They can get it from their bank. It is like a tracker of where the payment goes from leaving their account to final settlement. Once you have that you’ll be able to see where the money has gone.

Aprilx · 27/12/2023 12:17

Sisterpita · 27/12/2023 11:55

@skintselfemployed if they are fibbing you off then as I suggested a letter/email with a date for payment. Followed by a letter before action should yield results.

I cannot see any evidence that OP is being fobbed off. The payment is barely a day later than expected anyway considering the holidays and the bank have said they are looking into it. It is premature to be even thinking about letter before action, the initial payment didn't go through because of an error, these things happen. Threatening a client with legal action because a payment may have gone astray is excessive. If a payment has bounced for whatever reason, it could still take a couple of days to reappear.

titchy · 27/12/2023 12:20

The payment is barely a day later than expected anyway considering the holidays

It's a month late. OP said due 28 November, not December.

Pumpkinpie1 · 27/12/2023 12:23

Waiting since the 28 November to be paid is ridiculous

Moltenpink · 27/12/2023 12:28

What have they actually sent you a screenshot of? Is it their online banking, or their purchase ledger system?

Aprilx · 27/12/2023 12:32

titchy · 27/12/2023 12:20

The payment is barely a day later than expected anyway considering the holidays

It's a month late. OP said due 28 November, not December.

I am well aware of the original payment date, but I have read the OP in full and there was an error with the sort code. Of course errors are not good, but mistakes can happen sometimes and it is not worth blowing up a four year business relationship for. It is an explainable delay, the company have not refused to pay. So the priority should be on tracking the payment that was initiated on the 18th December and letters before action are not going to help with that. It would be useful if OP could confirm what the screenshot was of.

Dixiechickonhols · 27/12/2023 12:39

I don’t think you are in letter before action territory here.
They have been a customer for 4 years and presumably paid on time or you wouldn’t have continued to work for them. You switched accounts. They pay but due to an error (easily done) switch a digit and you don’t receive money. You tell them they pay again and send you proof.
You need to look into it with your bank.
If there’s an issue at customer’s end I’d speak to customer when they reopen after Xmas.

Dixiechickonhols · 27/12/2023 12:42

If Op goes in all guns blazing when the company have already paid her twice easy solution is to find another supplier.
One glitch caused by Op changing her bank in 4 years doesn’t make them a bad client. Presumably Op isn’t overrun with clients if payment from them not arriving on time is causing major stress.

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