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.

Why are you so triggered by a reminder? By your own admission you forgot to pay

And they just reminded you as this does sometimes happens and so you have confirmed the need for the reminder.

I don’t think forgetting for 36h is a big deal, but I think it’s a smart time for them to send the reminder. Just try not to stress next time. Once I forgot to lay my therapist and she sent a 24h reminder. I apologized and apologized and she said no worries it’s just when she sends the reminders to try and catch people before they forget again

They need to have clearly set out T&Cs. Then if they wanted you to pay within 24 hours of receiving your bill, they should tell you this.

Obviously the variable price makes it difficult as it stops you setting up a standing order for £x per week, which is the obvious solution here. It sounds like DD wouldn't work either as I think that's only really bigger companies that do that. Is there a reason why the price varies?

Its my year end today, I have sent loads of reminders as want to get settled before finalising accounts. I don't disagree with the reminder, but perhaps there is a bigger picture you are not considering.

Then pay it immediately on receipt of the invoice.
Businesses are having a tough enough time with out having to remind you to pay your debts !

I certainly wouldn't.

My terms are a minimum of 24 hours in advance. No payment - no service.

You're making a big deal out of it because you're assigning intent and emotion that doesn't exist.

From your (weird, sorry) POV, they were having a dig at a long-standing, reliable, and trustworthy customer.

From their POV, they noticed that a weekly payment hadn't come in and sent a reminder. No malice, no hidden meaning. Just a weekly payment that wasn't made on time. It's not that deep.

You're allowing feelings and nostalgia for the good old days of cash transactions to cloud your judgement on what is essentially a non-issue.

Perhaps it's just a particular reminder this time because of the Easter bank holidays on Friday and Monday this/next week. I've had to reschedule a couple of things that I would normally do on Friday this week because it's Good Friday and I can't let the matter tip over to the following Friday because that would be too long a response time.

I'd write it off this time, try not to forget again, and speak to the provider about it if it happens again.

She wont own it... she clearly feels aggrieved to be reminded to pay for a job when she admits she forgot to pay.

Make it make sense....

You think you are a loyal customer and they should know that you’re ok for the money. They think, we need payment and this person hasn’t paid in 36 hours, we’ll remind them, just in case they’ve forgotten. Simple, no malice intended. If your employer didn’t pay you when you expected to be paid you would chase them, these people are doing the same that you would do.

OP I admire your tenacity that even though 97% have said YABU, you’re still sticking to your guns 🤣

I once had a floor fitted by someone who told me (in advance) that he requires a bank transfer before he leaves the property and he won’t leave until it’s received because he’s had so many people not pay him.

(not implying you weren’t going to pay OP - just illustrating that it is an issue).

If your salary was paid 36 hours late, would you be okay with that?

Good job they reminded you then !!

I'm astonished that anyone would not expect that payment to be due on the same day as a service for them is completed. They booked the work and now the work has been done as requested, so the payment is now owed immediately so the service provider can pay for the costs incurred providing the service and pay their own bills!

Why would they let people hang on to THEIR much needed and well earned money? It doesn't make sense!

Anybody who does a job at my house, I make sure they are paid by the end of that day.
eg. If the window cleaner came today, he would find that the money is in his account by the time he gets home.
If I was the person or company doing the job at your house and you consistently pay let, I would sack you off.
What even makes you think that it is alright not to pay for a service straight away.?

So the reminder did it's job then.

My window cleaner comes once a month, its his business and his family income. He tells me the night before he is coming so I can leave the gate unlocked. Payment is expected upon completion. There is no written contract, he told me this when he came the first time. If he comes and I am in, I pay him cash. If he comes and I am out, he shoves the bill through the letterbox and payment is expected that night by bank transfer.

He has no staff but he has overheads, insurance, equipment, vehicle etc which he needs to pay out before he attends your home. And this is his families sole income.

Sorry kids, I know we were supposed to be doing the food shop today but I work Mon-Wed to pay my overheads and my Thursday clients haven't paid me yet? Does that sound fair? He is not a big company with massive reserves. So he needs to keep on top of the unpaid invoices to keep his cash flow going. It will in all likelihood be an automated reminder, which in your situation will help you as much as him.

And if I was him, and you still hadn't paid the next time I came, I may turn up to see if you paid me prior to starting in cash or I might just walk away on the ground that we are not giving freebies today. I'm not saying this is you, but it his income.

If it's a large job for a few hundred or thousand then yes a few days to pay.

A small, what I assume is a cheaper, weekly service pay on the day or the next day if you forget.

They've felt the need to remind you today for something that happened on Monday and you acknowledge you had forgotten so no harm done. They may need the money before the bank holiday so may not want to risk leaving until Thursday or Friday due to maybe not getting it due to bank processes over the long weekend.

The company in my post do not have Terms and Conditions.

My DH is self-employed and does have T&C of payment within 7 days. He has just told me that about 75% of people pay within 7 days; 20 % pay within 21 days; 5 per cent never pay.

I'm interested to see the results of the poll but doubt it's validity. So many people are comparing a small local service with Sainsbury's and there's no comparison, nor with a large solicitors, who have huge overheads. For a small local service, there are no overheads and goodwill is everything.
I still think their greed is making them act foolishly.

Well if you forgot, why on earth are you moaning about them reminding you? It was obviously necessary!

I am intrigued as to what ‘service’ this couple provides weekly that’s too mysterious to name ;-)

When I get an email or text to pay somebody, I do it within a couple of hours. I can’t stand tasks left undone. But I am the opposite of a procrastinator!

Ha, ha, nothing 'interesting', I promise. 😂