how quick should you be paid ?

[Spud]

going to post a poll on how quick you think you should be paid from a customer after you have sent them an invoice please vote and please put post your reasons for your answers

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Give them the invoice the day before you finish and take the payment as you walk out the door on day of completion!

 

[Chalker]

Private customer. On same day invoice was issued.
builder. As soon as you can get it, or agreed terms.

 

[Ian]

In an ideal world the same day but, if think within 7 days is reasonable. If it's paid by cheque it's nice to take it away on the final day as you still have to wait for clearing, which will be nigh on 7 days anyway. Most of my payments are BACS now, that's why I have 7 days as my payment terms.

 

[Gazzer]

I voted 30days but that would be for builders , sadly they seem to take 3 months. Private work usually as I finish the job.

 

[White Room]

Domestic, invoice morning of finishing and being paid same day.

Builders, as agreed to payment terms...7 days to 30 days but start chasing after the agreed terms.

 

[Ian]

I wouldn't work for someone if they paid in 30 days, not a chance.

 

[radim]

private work - when leaving customers house.
builders - normaly on my account within 7 days but some dicks take 2-3 weeks. but they have to wait for me to do their work....

 

[Dougs Third Go]

I've voted within 7 days, the reality is usually different for commercial customers even though my invoice states "payment due within 7 days of practical completion"..

 

[CJ]

Private customers.........on way out of door.

Builders? I only work for one builder, and he usually puts me forward to the customer..........and I deal with them. He is quite good when the odd job comes up that he pays.

 

[Andy Allen]

You should be paid on completion so I voted same day. And I only work for builders that pay on completion because I know if you give them an inch they take a mile.......been there and got the t-shirt..

 

[Qwerty]

Private & builders 7 days. My t&c's specify this.

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

its up to you to decide if you are a banker or a tiler short jobs the day you finnish. long jobs for work completed that week. on a weekly basis .the day your moneys not there walk away and come back when it is never leave more than one week out standing .when you do you will find your self outstanding weeks now you keep going hoping to get paid maybe you will maybe you wont .every week you work not getting paid you are only building more debt as it cost money just to work .so you have a choice loose a week or keep going and maybe end up loosing your house .if you dont make your terms clear and stick to them .you will be used and abused at will

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

With my customer from hell just getting paid anytime soon would be a bonus. Small claims next step, lesson learned, from now on I will not trust anyone money up front, contract signed.
I'm not bitter though, I am bloody bitter.

If the ***** spontaneously combusted three seconds after my cheque cleared I would open a bottle of Moet Chandon. And buy my long suffering wife Julie a case of it for putting up with me the last couple of years.

 

[gamma38]

7 days for me, most of mine are bacs nowadays. Most customers pay up pretty quickly, within 2 days the moneys in. If it's a cheque i will usually wan't to take it with me on completion and get it in sharpish.

 

[peteablard]

The shop fitting firm where most of my work comes from pay me 30 days from invoice. I've just ditched another who paid 30 days end of month.....Then dragged it out... 44 days late once which meant nearly it was nearly 3 months from the job finishing.
One builder pays within a couple of days, another takes 3-4 weeks
If a domestic customer wanted to pay by BACS then I'd give them up to 7 days before I went knocking on the door so that's what I've voted

 

[The D]

If it is a privet job I want the bill settled the day thejob is complete. And my reason is I can’t take my van to the garage and fill upwith diesel and say I will pay you in 7 days and if I takeit to have an mot they will not give me 30 days credit they want the cash assoon as the job is done and so do I.

 

[judge]

Finishday,i want pay !:smilewinkgrin:

 

[Colour Republic]

Most of my terms are clearly stated 'on completion' on the quote I gave them at the begining

But will happily wait 7 days from final invoice, some times it takes me a couple of days to get the final invoice out any way
after 14 days i'm getting little annoyed
after 21 days i'm ringing them once a day
after 30 i'm ringing them on the hour every hour
60 days i've burnt the house to the ground


All that said if it's a regular customer who I know is good for it then i'll wait up to a month without hassling them but not as a regular agreement, where every payment is like that.

 

[area tiling]

Private on completion of job , builders 30 days if lucky !

 

[foggy34]

private again on completion ,builders 14 days is reasonable, posted 14 days on poll

 

[John Benton]

I normally present invoice on last day and generally get paid there and then. If they want to pay by BACS then it comes within 7 days. Can't remember the last time I wasn't paid within 7 days only the time below.

Only ever had one payment late and that was because the ladies husband died. I waited 3 weeks for that cheque, she had completely forgotten about it under the circumstances. I told her to wait until after the funeral as I knew she was good for it.

 

[kaharrison9]

I work in domestic and tend to always build a good relationship up and mainly get paid on the day.
If not I have found there seems to be a genuine reason, the customer is apologetic and I get paid in the next couple of days.
Only once other trades were saying the customer on a large house was never in a rush to pay and I needed to put payment within 30days. I thought hell to that and put 7 days and rang on the 8th and got paid immediately. I think putting 30 days is setting oneself up unless it is agreed when quoting for the job and then I don't think I would be to fussed to work under that arrangement.

 

[andyb1]

Private customer normally same day. 7 days not unreasonable, some builders 30 days but don't normally have an issue with them.

 

[Sean Kelly]

Private customers cash/cheque on same day.
Builders seven days from invoice then it's a bacs xfer.

I started a thread regarding bank xfer from private customers. Twice in as many months I have had to chase them for payment.

I ask for no money up front. I buy all materials (except tiles), but including ufh etc. I get a bit peed off when my credit card payment has already been paid, but I have not been paid by customer.

 

[TJ Smiler]

Domestic cash work, as i'm saying goodbye.
Domestic bank transfer upto 7 days maximum.

Commercial 28 days after invoice.

Builders..... Kick em in the nuts, grab your money and do the off sharpish!

 

[Qwerty]

Alot of self employed people have no idea that unless you agree a payment date and terms with the customer prior to commencing work, then they have the right to pay you within 30 days of getting your invoice (or the goods or service.)

You can set your own payment terms, such as discounts for early payment and payment upfront but you have no rights in law to demand this at the end unless agreed between you and the customer.

How many people here that say they are paid as they leave have these terms agreed, and (going back to T&C's from another thread) how many here actually specify this in writing within their terms?

 

[widler]

I get paid when they wanna pay me 🙂
could be the day of finish could be the month after or the month after .
I invoiced a bloke yesterday, went in the bank today, i invoiced a bloke last week, went in bank straight away (a grand to much as well 🙂 )
I in voiced a bloke in january got it this monday .
Always swings and roundabouts with me

 

[Brian the Tile]

on comletion ,builders no way, i always found builders make you wait and i dont like waiting tesco wont give me credit on my shopping will they

- - - Updated - - -

completion

 

[RDTiling]

In an ideal world, I'd like to get paid same day from all jobs, however to be fair to customers I don't mind giving them seven days to pay.

I will occasionally allow that to be stretched to 14 if I know the person, but generally its 7 days.

I'm contemplating getting one of those card things that you link up to your phone, but its whether the customer trusts putting their pin details into a device attached to a mobile phone.

 

[RDTiling]

Alot of self employed people have no idea that unless you agree a payment date and terms with the customer prior to commencing work, then they have the right to pay you within 30 days of getting your invoice (or the goods or service.)

You can set your own payment terms, such as discounts for early payment and payment upfront but you have no rights in law to demand this at the end unless agreed between you and the customer.

How many people here that say they are paid as they leave have these terms agreed, and (going back to T&C's from another thread) how many here actually specify this in writing within their terms?

I'm one of those people who did not know that - I must get some T&C's drawn up, but I've really no idea where to start.

I'll hunt down that other thread...