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.

Good thing they reminded you then

Who performs the service then?

Just a couple.

No email invoice. Just a text. 36 hours. Not 3 days.

“Hi X, just to let you know I have now sent payment for the service you provided on Tuesday morning (or whenever it was) I usually pay on the day but forgot in this instance. You do you mind sending me your payment terms, I was unaware you required immediate payment”

done :)

I used to clean years ago. One client regularly paid the day before I was due to clean the following week.

I only stayed because I loved their dog. When it died they got the chop.

Surely this happens to most of us occasionally? DS sees a counsellor every fortnight, I usually pay after he comes out and we're on our way home. One time I wasn't feeling well so decided to wait until we were home and then forgot.

No reminder was sent in that case - DH asked me a couple of days later if I'd paid. I'm sure she'd have mentioned it at the next appointment, which would have been mortifying!

So it’s their wages then.
You need to pay them for the work they’ve done. They have bills to pay, food to buy, just like everyone else.

Well, now you know that they'll send a reminder if you don't pay promptly. Someone running a business isn't wasting time and thought sending reminders for fun. If they waited a week you could mix up which week's service belonged to each payment.

Then it's useful to get a reminder, isn't it? Not sure what the problem is!

Yes exactly. And I bet you'd have felt she was being a bit hard nosed if she sent you a reminder the next day?

I have had the same window cleaner for the past six years, so longstanding customer. I normally pay within 24 hours, one time it slipped my mind as my mum was ill. If they hadn't reminded me a few days later I would have totally missed it. Of course they are right to remind you, even longstanding customers forget sometimes.

A week is far too long to wait to pay for a weekly service. It would be easy for someone to take the piss and always be one week in arrears.

If you normally pay within 24 hours then it’s not unreasonable to issue a friendly reminder to pay. If you had some sort or emergency and couldn’t pay for say 48 hours then it’s your responsibility to let them know that you are planning to pay so they know when to expect the money.

Do they have terms and conditions? My window cleaner expects payment within 24 hours.

NO, they do not have T&C.

They just reminded you.

You're lucky you don't have to pay in advance really. I pay for driving lessons, for example, in advance - ten sessions at a time.

So you forgot to pay and you are annoyed that they reminded you to pay. Do you not see how illogical that is?

YABU

So you needed to be reminded...

How old are you?

I'm 51 and so I remember the days of paying eg the window cleaner or gardener in cash a few days after they did the work but that hasn't been the case for years now!

I get a text saying its been done and then transfer the money. I can't imagine feeling irritated by it. Or expecting to leave it for a week.

Lol.
Then why did they send the message?
YOU may feel you're not flaky.
THEY clearly have a different opinion.

And then the supplier can give them a week to find a new supplier at the same time 😂

You forgot. They reminded you. What's the problem?

No they don't . They know I didn't think about it. I'm thinking they should have waited a few days before sending a reminder.

It's probably automated - no need to take it personally and get in a huff.

These sort of ad hoc service providers often get forgotten, ignored etc and if small companies the cash flow probably needs to be efficient.

Just pay.

You dropped the ball when you "forgot" to pay. Be mad at yourself, not them. They did the work and you didn't bother to pay within a reasonable timeframe. Asshole move by you.