Unsettled invoice from Council
Discussion
I did some work, at short notice I might add for the local council. It has now been 34 days since they received my invoice.
I have rung up a couple of times but just get passed from pillar to post.
Bearing in mind no credit terms have been given or implied, how long is acceptable to wait? It's for several hundred pounds...
Cheers
I have rung up a couple of times but just get passed from pillar to post.
Bearing in mind no credit terms have been given or implied, how long is acceptable to wait? It's for several hundred pounds...
Cheers
It took me 14 months to get an invoice paid by a local authority in the west country.
I suggest you just chase them as much as you can, the holdup for me was because I hadn't filled in their supplier questionnaire correctly, they wanted things like a copy of my company equality and diversity statement.
I suggest you just chase them as much as you can, the holdup for me was because I hadn't filled in their supplier questionnaire correctly, they wanted things like a copy of my company equality and diversity statement.
If you're set up on their systems as an official supplier, they've issued you a purchase order or purchase order number and you have followed invoicing guidelines to the letter, most councils will pay in 14 days, some sooner than that.
If one or more of the above hasn't been done - don't expect your money anytime soon.
Best course of action is to speak personally to the person that asked you to do the work.
If one or more of the above hasn't been done - don't expect your money anytime soon.
Best course of action is to speak personally to the person that asked you to do the work.
StevieBee said:
If you're set up on their systems as an official supplier, they've issued you a purchase order or purchase order number and you have followed invoicing guidelines to the letter, most councils will pay in 14 days, some sooner than that.
If one or more of the above hasn't been done - don't expect your money anytime soon.
Best course of action is to speak personally to the person that asked you to do the work.
Have to agree with the above. Everything is automated and normally payments are really quick, however if one little bit is wrong it is almost unfixable. You need to put pressure on whoever contracted you for the work.If one or more of the above hasn't been done - don't expect your money anytime soon.
Best course of action is to speak personally to the person that asked you to do the work.
surveyor said:
Am beginning to have the same treatment from a major supermarket. I don't like clients who don't pay on time so at 60 days the small claims forms will get filled in.
I was talking to a client earlier today who had sent the bailiffs in to a large supermarket chain that had failed to pay the rent on a supermarket. Said supermarket chain are some what miffed, particularly as the bailiff costs are £36,000!Bailiff changes have hammered big business as the fees are now based on the debt, big business tend to have big bills so a small foul up leads to a large bill.
Local Authorities actually have a metric they have to meet for payment within 30 days and submit their results to central Government.
Unlike a business, LA finance departments will not sit on authorised invoices. As has been pointed out, badger the person who commissioned the work as it's more than likely their fault.
The problems come in the authorisation process which will require the person who commissioned the work to have done a purchase order, goods received and authorise payment. If you haven't got an official order and you need setting up as a creditor, that can take a while - some authorities go to town on checking out their suppliers these days. A couple of LA's I've done work for try to encourage their staff to pay by corporate credit card for low value items - and low value was anything less than £5k in some cases.
Unlike a business, LA finance departments will not sit on authorised invoices. As has been pointed out, badger the person who commissioned the work as it's more than likely their fault.
The problems come in the authorisation process which will require the person who commissioned the work to have done a purchase order, goods received and authorise payment. If you haven't got an official order and you need setting up as a creditor, that can take a while - some authorities go to town on checking out their suppliers these days. A couple of LA's I've done work for try to encourage their staff to pay by corporate credit card for low value items - and low value was anything less than £5k in some cases.
Most local authorities are very compartmentalised. In this case at least 3 departments are involved, the department that wanted the work done, the procurement team and the exchequer team.
Make sure your invoice has their purchase order number clearly stated on it. Invoices without a P/O are routinely dumped, far too much money was being paid out on spurious invoices.
If you're set up as a supplier, you've got a p/o and you've put it on the invoice then, although you've already been sent from pillar ro post, ask to speak to the head of Governance.
Best of luck
Doug
Make sure your invoice has their purchase order number clearly stated on it. Invoices without a P/O are routinely dumped, far too much money was being paid out on spurious invoices.
If you're set up as a supplier, you've got a p/o and you've put it on the invoice then, although you've already been sent from pillar ro post, ask to speak to the head of Governance.
Best of luck
Doug
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