People who can't be arsed to pay

[MX5_Nuts]

I run a small gardening business and I'm finding it quite common now people who think it's acceptable to get work completed and then ignore paying the invoice afterwards. Even for TINY amounts for £30-£40. What's fking wrong with people? Despite it clearing stating "payment due upon receipt of invoice" they think it's ok just to ignore it for months and ignore all contact made reminding them payment is due?

[vsonix]

It's nuts isn't it. Unfortunately my mum is one of these people... books builders or gardners and then sits on invoices for quite a while for no apparent reason other than "I do things when I am ready". In her world, it's perfectly fair to make someone wait an unspecified amount of time before actually paying. Mind you she is generally rubbish at financial planning, and is a bit of a spendthrift and would rather watch money trickle away 'making do' with a bad situation than spend upfront to shore things up (I love her really, but still....)

[Spanna]

The small business world is tough. Business to business is hard on us, people expect to be able to just palm off paying until the end of NEXT month despite what the invoices may say or what's agreed beforehand.

Would it be worth your while investing in a portable card payment machine? Not worth my while as I'm often fitting graphics or signs on site where the people resonsible for payment aren't present. Print invoice off before heading to the job, present card machine and invoice to recipient afterwards.

[Nano2nd]

yep same for me, all i seem to do is chase people for money they owe me, what makes it worst is that most of my customers have retail shops, i bet they wouldn't be to happy if i waltzed in grabbed an arm full of stuff and walked our cheerily chanting "i'll pay you in a few weeks/months!"

[jonamv8]

vsonix said:

It's nuts isn't it. Unfortunately my mum is one of these people... books builders or gardners and then sits on invoices for quite a while for no apparent reason other than "I do things when I am ready". In her world, it's perfectly fair to make someone wait an unspecified amount of time before actually paying. Mind you she is generally rubbish at financial planning, and is a bit of a spendthrift and would rather watch money trickle away 'making do' with a bad situation than spend upfront to shore things up (I love her really, but still....)

God your mum sounds like a dream. Awful attitude. What makes her think people deserve to do things for her and wait till shes ready to pay?

[tuffer]

MX5_Nuts said:

I run a small gardening business and I'm finding it quite common now people who think it's acceptable to get work completed and then ignore paying the invoice afterwards. Even for TINY amounts for £30-£40. What's fking wrong with people? Despite it clearing stating "payment due upon receipt of invoice" they think it's ok just to ignore it for months and ignore all contact made reminding them payment is due?

I would go round and rip the bloody garden up.

[13m]

tuffer said:

I would go round and rip the bloody garden up.

I am sure he has the correct tool for lawn sausage insertion.

[hairyben]

I'm a sparky... nothing more likely to make me can't-be-bothered at your emergency than if you're a tardy payer or more likely to try to bend over backwards to fit you in when my plates already eleven tenths full than being a super prompt payer!

[MX5_Nuts]

13m said:

I am sure he has the correct tool for lawn sausage insertion.

It's got to that stage with 1 or 2. It's hardly worth taking legal action but to be honest I'd get more satisfaction returning their grass cuttings along with a few frozen sausages...

Surprisingly one in particular can afford a brand new Jag AND Range Rover but can't pay a 30 quid invoice.

The credit card machine won't work with me unfortunately as a lot of them are out when visiting hence leaving an invoice.

[VEIGHT]

MX5_Nuts said:

It's got to that stage with 1 or 2. It's hardly worth taking legal action but to be honest I'd get more satisfaction returning their grass cuttings along with a few frozen sausages...

Surprisingly one in particular can afford a brand new Jag AND Range Rover but can't pay a 30 quid invoice.

The credit card machine won't work with me unfortunately as a lot of them are out when visiting hence leaving an invoice.

Can't pay a £30 invoice or maybe forgotten to pay?

What do they say when you ask for it?

I've forgotten to leave out money for my gardener 2 weeks running now (however have called him to ask if i can pay by bacs).

[MX5_Nuts]

VEIGHT said:

Can't pay a £30 invoice or maybe forgotten to pay?

What do they say when you ask for it?

I've forgotten to leave out money for my gardener 2 weeks running now (however have called him to ask if i can pay by bacs).

They've had more than enough reminders so there's no excuses really. Agree most will pay via BACS without a reminder but there's always a few who clearly take the piss.

[Jasandjules]

Put on the invoice payable within seven days thereafter interest is charged at 8% from the date of the invoice until payment........

And I have this problem as well.. It is now at the point where I will require money up from for some work.

[uber]

Everyone knows that the only way to enforce a £30 debt is a baseball bat so people are happy to mess you around hoping you just let it go. Get a izettle or paypal card reader and ask for payment on completion in return for 20% off the normal invoice rate.

[The Mad Monk]

I understand that nowadays many of the domestic repair and service businesses take a credit card payment up front for the estimated amount.

Why not.

The client can complain and/or get a charge back from the credit card company if something is wrong. This cuts out the people who just sit on a tradesman's bill.

[jonah35]

Charge £5 per say late payment plus £10 fee if you have to chase up

[Hoofy]

Funny this thread pops up. I've had my first one in a long while. Still, I'm hoping the customer is just on holiday...

I had already been pushing for 100% payment before the job is done. Most people are happy to do this. Now I've been stung, I'm going to push for payment whether they're happy or not.

[Steve H]

MX5_Nuts said:

The credit card machine won't work with me unfortunately as a lot of them are out when visiting hence leaving an invoice.

Ask them to leave the money for you.

I do similar work in so much as I cover a number of smallish value jobs each day. Everything gets paid on the day, I write out an invoice and get a cheque or cash payment. If they can't be available to pay or leave payment then I won't be there doing the work, it probably seems a bit harsh but I don't want to spend the time administering payments coming in at various times never mind having to chase the ones that don't.

For sure there are occasions where this is not possible or where they forget etc but I'm probably only owed a total of a couple hundred pounds at any one time.

[The Mad Monk]

MX5_Nuts said:

The credit card machine won't work with me unfortunately as a lot of them are out when visiting hence leaving an invoice.

If you take the credit card details over the phone when the job is booked, you can then take a "Cardholder not present" charge when it suits.

Many of these amounts can be relatively small, but the aggravation they cause is out of all proportion.

[Glasgowrob]

my gardener is the same as your customers nightmare to give money to.


comes when wife and I are both at work doesn't take cards or leave an invoice or take paypal or bacs. just square me up when you see me. makes me feel a right chuffer, think at one point I hadn't paid him for 8 weeks. guys great does a cracking job but is a nightmare to give money too

[The Moose]

It's funny, I have it the other way around! I detest owing anyone any money at all and I struggle to get invoices out of people to pay!

I know I owe money to a couple of tradesmen who have worked on my personal property recently and are yet to issue invoices.

I use them for quite a bit of work in the course of business so I could sort of understand if it was a £10 bill for something but even when it's hundreds of pounds of materials alone it baffles me why when I ask they don't give me a bill!