AIBU to feel annoyed by a payment reminder after 36 hours?

[SixtySomething]

We have a weekly service at our house. The company sends us a bill a few hours after finishing the work and we pay by bank transfer. The cost can vary so we don't pay by direct debit.
Recently, we received the regular bill but didn't pay immediately. The bill was followed up with a reminder 36 hours later. We are longstanding customers.This left me feeling really narked. AIBU?
YABU: They did the work, so you should pay them straight away.
YANBU: They should give you a week to pay. This is pushy behaviour.

Yes of course We owe the money. No one says we don't!

Perhaps they've had a run of slow/no payers recently so have just decided to start chasing sooner rather than later OP.

I recently forgot to transfer payment to the chap who mows my grass (was going to say gardener, but that makes the situation sound far grander than it is).

I'm normally on the ball with his payment, doing it before he's arrived home, but got distracted with something else and it went out of my head.
I realised 3 days later and did the transfer.

Next time he came, I apologised for the delay and said to him, please text me in future if you haven't received your money by the following day - it will be because I've got distracted.

In your case, personally, I wouldn't have been miffed - I'd be glad they'd reminded me.

Prompt payment is absolutely not within a week, I’d consider that late!

But you’ve said in quite a few posts that you always make them wait a few days!

I’m guessing that the one who has taken over the admin has done so because the other one is fed up with the role and dealing with late payments, so the more assertive one has taken over that role now and is trying to get the business straight.

Whatever, if you just pay straight away after service each week then there won’t be any need for these reminders, if you then forget on occasion, then there IS need for a prompt reminder, it’s as simple as that, no need for hand wringing and labelling them with personal attacks on their characters like ‘greedy’ or ‘pushy’, just apologise and settle up, its as plain and simple as that! If it’s a rare occasion then nobody would even think about it again

But you are annoyed that they have you reminded you. I don’t understand why you are so prickly about it.

But you’ve said in quite a few posts that you always make them wait a few days!
I don't make them wait. That's always been the arrangement. I guess they said that's what they expected at the beginning. I don't 'make people wait.'
The payments have never been considered late.
It seems like they now expect to be paid on the day, though they never said there was a change. That's what we'll do now, although it isn't usual for where we live.
Happy?
hand wringing and labelling them with personal attacks on their characters
No need for you to ring your hands. I'm certainly not. It's a very small situation, despite what some people think! I think I'm the one who's character has been attacked.😆

I'm not. They didn't have to remind us. They sent a reminder earlier than usually expected.
I'm definitely not prickly, despite the multiple character assassinations.

Not for our arrangement , as it has been. Perhaps it's because we're country dwellers.

Perhaps they've had a run of slow/no payers recently so have just decided to start chasing sooner rather than later OP.
This is perfectly possible. It wasn't the reminder that miffed me; it was the change of expectation which went unmentioned. Politer to mention, as we're such good customers?

We do occasionally forget to pay first text and get a follow-up after 3-4 days, I think, which I'm perfectly happy with. We've clearly forgotten, and they're politely reminding us

Changing your story now…
Seems they have to remind you, EVERY WEEK.

You didn’t call them greedy or pushy for sending a reminder then … ok then 🙄

It’s like banging your head against a brick wall isn’t it, she just can’t take it on board that people don’t want to spend time reminding her to pay or ‘informing her’ that reminders are going to be sent out sooner now, who the heck has time for any of that whilst running a service?

But hey, we’re all in the wrong apparently along with the service providers and she’s right and we’re all just mean …

I think you're subconsciously feeling a bit sheepish for not paying. Instead of apologising for late payment, because you presume it's OK to not pay on the day; you are instead becoming defensive. You've had this service for a while, so maybe you should have the money ready, on the day, by now. This isn't something new, presumably? It's a bit like going to Tesco and telling them you will pay for your shopping next week.

Just pay. Move on. No harm done.

You had, you said yourself, forgotten to pay.

If they hadn't reminded you, how longer would you have forgotten to pay?

Just get over it.

That is what you're asking
It's right there in the OP

you're subconsciously feeling a bit sheepish for not paying - I did pay. I'm certainly not feeling sheepish.
you presume it's OK to not pay on the day; I don't presume. That's what we have always done ie paid within 3-4 days and everyone's always been perfectly happy with this.
This isn't something new, presumably? No, it isn't new. The amicable arrangement for years has been that we pay by the end of the week. I was mildly put out because the understanding seems to have been changed without anything being said. Yes, this left me feeling that I'd failed to pay on time, although I had paid on time according to the expectations up to now.
It's a bit like going to Tesco and telling them you will pay for your shopping next week. Sorry, but it's nothing whatsoever like going to Tesco's and wanting to pay next week.
@MustWeDoThis , I know you mean well, but you're telling me things about myself that don't match with the facts. Like most of the posters here, you seem to believe the only decent thing is to pay on the day. I don't think this is the experience of most small businesses, although cleaners would be a exception. I don't think it is the case IRL, although experiences no doubt differ. If everyone was like MNetters, no business would suffer cash flow problems.
As it happens, we're reliable and honest payers, who normally pay a couple of days after receiving a bill. Everyone has always seemed perfectly happy with the arrangement. Of course if I go to the hairdressersaor similar, I pay on the day!

And the following week when the firm's customers get their bills, they will all think 'Oh, I need to pay that in the next 3 or 4 days before they send a reminder, they obviously don't mind if I don't pay it immediately'.

Individuals running a small business (cleaning, dog walking etc) are literally working to earn their own wages week by week.

A lot of our trade customers at my workplace get 30 days from the end of the month to pay. I know from long experience that some of them pay on the 15th of the month following that - so a fortnight late, but they are regular payers. Do I chase them on the 16th if it doesn't arrive? You bet I do. If you give your customers any hint that you aren't that bothered, then they don't bother to pay you.

I get you. But it's not unreasonable.

Okay, that’s your opinion. Thanks. 🙂

I can't believe you're back here for more! 😆

You're talking about your situation, which is fine. My situation is different.
The couple who come to our house are retired and certainly not short of a bob or two. Of course they still deserve to be paid, but they're not 'working to earn their own wages week by week.'. If they don't want to come any week, they don't come and I don't mind. It's a fairly casual arrangement, which has always worked happily with us paying 3-4 days in arrears. Now they seem to want to be paid on the day. That's fine, we will do that.
I was just a little put out that they sent a reminder after 36 hours, without mentioning it, when they had never done that before. It left me feeling in the wrong.

Jeez

Well, the unpleasantness calmed down and there were a few thoughtful poster.s So I thought I would reply to a few people to show them where they're going wrong. It's starting to get a bit tedious, endlessly repeating the same thing. I don't mind if people have something sensible to say.

@SixtySomething
Can I ask why you actually started this post? I would have thought it was because you wanted the opinions of others. However, no matter how you've changed small details each time you have posted, to try and get people to agree with your opinion, you have been told by 96% of 3399 people that you are being unreasonable.

It is not unreasonable for the people who have done the work to send you a reminder after 36 hours. Irrespective of the fact they have always allowed / accepted you would pay up to a week later / they don't need the money / they like coming to you house / they like working for you / any other "but, but, but" you come up with.

Can I ask why you actually started this post?
For the obvious reason. Unfortunately almost nobody answered the the question I asked, as I understood it, so I've tried to clarify.
I've been subjected to endless abuse, charater assassinations and misunderstandings (like why don't you post the money through the door?). I thought I would continue with replying now as some sensible answers have emerged.
Thanks for your opinion.