Freelance payment problems....

purpleclouds

purpleclouds

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Phil
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Hi!

I did a few days work for a studio in Manchester at the end of May, beginning of June and still haven't been paid. The rate is a daily rate and paid after invoicing them at the end of the month.

I invoiced at the end of June for the work, the 1st one was seemingly ignored. I spoke to a different manager who said he would sort it out, so I emailed him my invoice which would have been due in at the end of July, hence an August payment. The time has now passed and it seems it still hasn't been sorted. Have now spoke to the head photographer there who has told me I won't be paid for the last day as I only did 10am-4pm......despite doing as many shoots as I had done on previous days!!

I haven't gotten back in touch with him yet as I'm still trying to get hold of the 2nd manager I went through.

What should I do?? I'm pretty annoyed I've spent so long chasing it up, losing both my own time and money on phone calls etc and now they're saying they're not going to pay me for a day!!

Any advise appreciated!!
Phil
 
send em another invoice.posted , recorded delivery. include charges for not paying on time.
bill em for full days.
if you worked ten till 4, you could always bill em for bill em for half a day (or six hours). if theyre gonna argue the toss.
then name and shame them on here.
bad reps are hard to shift.
 
inaneredstripe said:
send em another invoice.posted , recorded delivery. include charges for not paying on time.
bill em for full days.
if you worked ten till 4, you could always bill em for bill em for half a day (or six hours). if theyre gonna argue the toss.
then name and shame them on here.
bad reps are hard to shift.
Click to expand...

Just been reading up on late payment charges...over 30 days, for the due amount I can add £40 and 8% interest above the Bank of England base rate under law....should I go straight down that route??

I haven't a problem naming and shaming lol :D
 
Your bank won't waste any time charging you for a late payment.... you shouldn't either.
 
inaneredstripe said:
kick em where it hurts. in the wallet.
you prob wont get any more work from them.
buit do you realy want it?
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Pretty certain I wouldn't have been anyway...was a horrible place to work! So unorganized (which seems pretty apparant now!)
 
take em to small claims court-can do it online for £40 nottigham small claims court-do a search for it.
 
Use the "Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 and Late Payment of Commercial Debts Regulations 2002." against them
 
purpleclouds said:
Hi!
I did a few days work for a studio in Manchester at the end of May, beginning of June.............

I invoiced at the end of June for the work
Click to expand...

Golden Rules:

Always invoice quickly and make sure the invoice date is the date of/date after the last day of the job.

Always mark your payment terms on your invoice: I state 'within 14 days of invoice date'.

If they don't pay on time, make yourself into a royal pain in the backside. Phone them twice a day to chase payment. If they are local, go in there.

The noisest cog get the oil......
 
Send the invoice with late payment charge added with payment due in 7 or 14 days. In the meantime become a client of Thomas Higgins & Co which is a bit of a faff as it involves a copy of your passport or birth certificate. Then, if they haven't paid, instruct Thos Higgins to send `em a Letter Before Action, a marvellously cheap and effective instrument. If necessary, `iggins `ll take `em to court and send the bayleaves before I need to get any more Dickensian.
 
TrevDR said:
Use the "Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 and Late Payment of Commercial Debts Regulations 2002." against them
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Risky, don't want to be seen as a trouble maker. That could lead to being bad mouthed or blacklisted from getting more work.

I signed up to this http://www.payontime.co.uk/ and I put their logo on my invoices. Touch wood, I haven't had a bad payer yet.
 
Why a troublemaker Tyrone, Would you be prepared to let your business fail due to people who wont pay their debts ?

I've used this system on a few occasions and still do work for the folk who wouldn't pay up.
 
If you work for someone, they owe you that money from the moment you have completed that work.

If they fail to pay you when you request, they are using your money as an interest-free loan without your permission.

I have pointed that out before to slow payers................
 
A bit of an update here......

Had a bit of a chat, albeit by sms earlier (I've stated now that all communication will be in writing) with the head photographer there, mentioned I was seeking advice and he went a bit awkward and nit picking with me! Read on....

When I started, there was no formal contract, and I was told I was on a daily rate. I have now been informed that my last day, where I only completed 2/3 shoots (a matter of confusion at the other end at the moment...) didn't qualify as a days rate, which is a minimal of 4 shoots. This means that I would be paid on a per shoot basis. I was there from 10am to 4pm, and took 55 minutes out for a visit to the dentist, making my time there around 5 hours. With this being a shorter than normal day I am not expecting a full days pay however can they insist on paying me per shoot, or can I arrange a deduction of my fee in line with the time I wasn't there??

That Thomas Higgins site looks incredibly useful!! Might not get that far this time around however..sad as I am to say that, it all looks very exciting ;)

Thanks for all the advice guys!
 
purpleclouds said:
When I started, there was no formal contract, and I was told I was on a daily rate.
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That's a contract.

It may not be in writing, but its a contract.

English law does not recognise formal / informal in this context. Its meaningless.
 
You could always use http://www.directroute.uk.com/

They charge from 5% or you can use action chase online from them.

As a former courier late payments are par for the course as most wont pay for 60 or 90 days even though you state 14 days and they agree to it.

I've never had to use them myself just the threat of them, but they are highly recommended throughout the courier network.
 
Well, today I posted off an invoice again....got home, and they had already sent me a cheque for the full amount lol!

So I'm happy...hope they don't ask for the £20 difference back mind you!
 
Turn up in person, kick up a fuss and don't leave until they pay you. Works better than small claims in my experience.
 
purpleclouds said:
Just been reading up on late payment charges...over 30 days, for the due amount I can add £40 and 8% interest above the Bank of England base rate under law....should I go straight down that route??

I haven't a problem naming and shaming lol :D
Click to expand...

To clarify, it's 8% above BoE base rate (currently 5%) per annum so you have to calculate the daily percentage rate (0.036%) and apply this to the debt and also to number of days the debt is over due.

If your debt is say £700 and is say 45 days over due then the interest would only be £11.34

It wouldn't be £91. Kinda sucks unless we are talking larger amounts of money and even better if it's an older debt.

Just in case anyone is confused and thinking it's applied in full on the debt immediately. :)
 
Didn't read the last post lol
 
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