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.

It's not greed.

And they reminded you.

Would you be ok with giving your employer a week to pay or do you expect to be paid on pay day?

If you don't like payment reminders, pay them on time. It's not difficult.

People like you are a nightmare for freelancers and small businesses...

You did not pay them on time so they sent you a reminder. You admit you had "forgotten" so the reminder was needed.

I would you feel if your employer "forgot" to pay you?

Then the reminder has done exactly what it's meant to do, which is to remind you to pay.

Wow, so because they don't have T&C's and rely on trust, you feel it's ok to break that trust?

And they are 'greedy' for needing their own money to pay their bills with! I've heard it all now! It's not your money to withhold! Wow!

I'd be replacing you with a more reasonable, prompt paying client if I was them rather than letting you hog that weekly spot that others would like and then you thinking them 'greedy' for needing paid on time for it!

Over egged the pudding there a bit with equating wanting to be paid for services with greed. You're a muppet really with this logic about no overheads. If they are a small service business then likely they are earning the equivalent of a salary that they need to live off and don't have the huge buffers of money a large corporation such as sainsbury's have.

Goodwill and respect works both ways. You wouldn't be my customer for long with this attitude.

😂

What makes you think it doesn’t represent real life? The norm in this particular situation appears to be you usually pay within 36hrs or the reminder would have been sent on other occasions. I have different natural terms/relationships with different trades people we use and want to retain as they are good;
The cleaner is awesome, she gets paid the same day and if she has done anything additional as an additional service (ie, cleaned the oven, cleaned out kitchen cupboards etc) that is sent the same day too.
Window cleaner is if I’m home when he comes or when I see him next. He takes cash, doesn’t have the option for transfer and never comes to collect out with his round.
Plumber and electrician both invoice with 7 day terms.

So you should be glad of the reminder then?

Aye since when is it greedy to want to be paid for the job you’ve done.

The cleaner can wait I guess since they are just a mere cleaner?

The dog walker? Ah fuck em they can wait.

They anit big corps with terms and conditions they actually try to trust their customers.

Just pay the bill. Sorted.. ✔️

@SixtySomething I run a business and keeping track of people like you just add to my mental load. I don’t want to have to keep track of non payment and shouldn’t have to. What if they were late showing up for you?

What’s a weekly service?

You received the bill but didn’t pay it yet when you got it but as soon as a follow up was sent your pissed?

you have a weekly service at your house it doesn’t sound to me like you forgot it. You are in the wrong just pay the bill on the day you get billed and no issues. It’s not pushy it’s business they provided a service you provide payment on time.

I run a small business and my terms are that a client pays on the day of delivery of the service. I give a few days grace then send a reminder. I can also see if they have viewed the invoice. It’s annoying when people delay payment or “forget”.

I'm self employed and I think payment within a few days is fine. I've never had anyone expecting immediate payment. In the absence of T&C's, I would have assumed for most smallish jobs it would be 7 days, though for most repeating weekly stuff like tutors, music lessons, cleaners etc, I'd rather a periodic invoice so no one is faffing round each time.

Saying that, if you usually pay straight away, and this time you didn't, it's indication you may have forgotten - which you had, so I can understand why they might send the nag.

Would u like ur wages to
be late with no word when they will
arrive. Rude af. Ur a regular as u say, u should know better. What if they arrived a day and a bit to do the work? You would have plenty to say then eh.

This. People who come to your house to do a job should reasonably be expected to be paid right away. The cleaner/window cleaner/boiler service etc. - these are not invoice situations. Just because OP's husband sends invoices for his business, this is no reason to think it's okay not to pay for a week. It's really rude to assume this.

They are a business they have wages to pay and bills of their own to settle. Do you expect Tescos to allow you 36hrs to pay.
When I ran a business it was always the long standing customers who expected credit. We started using a card machine so they could pay for their own credit rather than us being out of pocket. I still work in the same business, I sold up 7 yrs ago, we now ask for substantial deposits or payment upfront. Bad debt can destroy a business.

If a client fails to pay we refuse to do business with them.

It used to be ok to wait a week until payment because that was the only option. So if it was too much money to pay in cash, or a cheque wasn't acceptable for whatever reason, the plumber etc would have to wait until customers could get to a bank, which would be at least the next weekend if the customer worked full time. Possibly longer if the plumber needed to post them a hard copy invoice first because email wasn't an option.

Now there are emailed invoices and internet banking, prompt (IE before 36 hours) payment is a reasonable expectation. If there is a reason you can't pay promptly then tell the plumber (or whoever) that and why, giving a clear date of when you will pay (eg I've lost my internet banking password sorry, but I will go into the bank on Saturday to pay). They need to plan their own finances and can't wait until the customer decides on a whim to bother to pay.

Also just because your husband is happy to run his business like that doesn't mean other people shouldn't choose to be more organised.

Yes and they sent you a reminder… 😂😂

I pay the guy who does my garden and the guy who cleans my windows within 24 hours. Neither of them is rolling in money.

In which case surely the reminder is quite helpful?

Its not like they sent you a nasty communication saying FINAL DEMAND.

They've obviously just realised that people are busy and it's easy to forget, and it's part of their customer service to send a follow up reminder.