To think that if you get an invoice you dont NEED to pay it immediately?

[Hundredthmillionthdiet]

Context : used a new mechanic to repair car who issues invoices. Its taken 4 weeks to get the invoice and I've said to OH we can pay it when we get paid on Wednesday. OH wants to pay it now out savings , I'd rather not as more often than not the money doesn't get replaced (that's our issue not mechanics')

I'm not disputing paying it - of course not. Just opinions. Usually invoices will say pay withing x number of days which I've asked him to double check. Just wondering what's reasonable, as I'm sure there will be times cars need fixed etc and people to have the money immediately to hand.

He took 4 weeks to issue it.
Thats not 'grace'.
Thats poor bookkeeping and accounting.
I would pay him when it suited me, which is wednesday for the OP.
His cashflow and crappy accounts are not my problem.
I run a business and i know if im late issueing an invoice for any reason, then my waiting period starts from date of issue.

I'm a sole trader, and I always issue my invoices once a month. I don't write a due date on most invoices (except occasionally if I know someone is a slow payer). Generally about 40-50% of people pay within 3 days and most others pay within the first 10-15 days. But I give them 30 days before following up.

A few very loyal clients pay all their invoices once per month, so I only get their payment 20-25 days after I send the invoice. It doesn't bother me, as long as I know they're honest and will pay.

But if you're not sure, maybe acknowledge that you got the invoice and let them know the day you intend to pay. Some people have done this if they had a cashflow issue like this, and it always makes a good impression on me.

You've had four weeks grace and want more??

You pay immediately. Yabu if you don't.

Its not grace.

I'd pay a mechanic immediately.

@Doteycat what is it then?

Poor accounting.
You cannot get grace on an invoice you havent received.
And op didnt get it for 4 weeks. Thats not up to her to compensate for.

This is what I would do.

@Doteycat but she knew the bill was coming for 4 weeks and hadn't made provision?

I wonder why not?

Because she didn't have the money and was please that the invoice did t arrive for four weld and can now say "next Wednesday"?

Odd!

Could you pay it on a credit card? It will then take a couple of weeks for that bill to come through and you can clear it straight away.

I set mine up to collect the full balance by direct debit but it can be handy in situations like this where you don't want to take out of savings but need another pay day.

It depends on the terms on the invoice... as long as they were communicated when the contract was formed.

Vendors can't just stick a 1 working day payment due date on an invoice and expect customers to stick to it if they weren't informed of the T&C's.
I found that I often receive ridiculous invoices with very short payments due date (yet as for OP it took ages to get the invoice) coming out of nowhere. I ignore it and pay within 2 weeks, usually when my wages come in.

The mechanic has shown good faith in letting you take the car before he had worked out what you owed him. He may be behind with his paperwork because he’s busy getting people like you back on the road.

I’m amazed that you’re even thinking about delaying paying him. You have savings, use them and set a reminder to repay yourself on payday.

The invoice didnt arrive for 4 weeks.
What she knew or thought is irrelevant.
If i dont have an invoice, i dont pay.
And if they take weeks and weeks to send it, then i pay when it suits me.

This. I've never ,ever had anything done to a car and not paid before I get the keys back.

I always pay within the terms on the invoice. But I prefer to delay a few days rather than pay immediately, just in case there is some issue with the work done which is not apparent straight away.

If you're in the UK and there are no terms specified in the contract, you have 30 days to pay.

I always pay immediately. Local businesses (usually sole traders) remember this and will put themselves out to fit you in more quickly next time.

@Doteycat then don't expect to use the mechanic again...

And morally....

I run a business and morally I'm happy to be paid. The amount of people out there who later claim random payments as fraud with their bank when they know full well it's not fraud (because they've been happy with you for years) is ridiculous. And some actually still want to remain customers after it!

I think some people think their bank is paying for it and not the business (who is paying for it in several different ways once you factor in the dispute evidence time, the ding on payment provider reputation, cost of processing fees etc as well as the actual money).

30 days is standard unless it says otherwise on the invoice.
Having said that I wouldn't wait 30 days but waiting a week is fine.

I'm.also a sole trader and i find it rather sweet when someone pays straight away. It makes me like them more. On the other hand as long as they pay within 30 days I don't mind. It is really annoying when people don't and this seems to have happened more often lately. I'm working for businesses rather than members of the public though. It's always big corporations who don't pay and there's always an excuse such as "you didn't put such and such random thing on the invoice". I mean why don't they tell me rather than just not paying. (Or even better tell me in advance so I can do it how they want it first time). It's so annoying.

As soon as possible but next Wednesday would be fine, just drop him a message to say thanks for the invoice, will make payment within the week.

Standard invoice terms were always 30 days in the past.

If he’s taken a few weeks to provide it, waiting a week is fine. Paying within a week is paying quickly.