Issuing a Invoice - whats the time limit?

[kellyjelly]

Hi, we had some plumbing works done over 6 months ago and we have only just been invoiced for it! Is this legal? The plumber has written that the invoice should be paid within 10 days! I'm not trying to get out of paying but would like to be able to atleast say to the plumber that you can't invoice us 6 months down the line and then demand payment within 10 days. I'm not sure if it makes a difference but I don't think that he is VAT registered and he asks for chq's to be made to his name not 'buisness' name! Any advice would be appreciated.
Kelly

[bednobs]

did you have the work done? If so, you should pay. After all you've had the benefit of the money in your account for six months

[redcrx]

do you agree the figure? if you knew you owed it then just pay him and be grateful for the fact that you earnt interest on it for 6 months.

[redcrx]

snap, bednobs :)

[kellyjelly]

He didn't complete works, and didn't cap all old pipes so when new system was switched on half my dining room ceilling came down!!! I never said i wasn't going to pay him, just that he gets to take his time over invoicing so shouldn't I get to take my time over isssuing chq!

[cassa333]

Oh I see. You want to be petty because you're not happy with the finished work.

I think you should have sorted that out with him before now.

[redcrx]

it doesnt work like that does it, if you wanted the invoice earlier you shouldve asked for it earlier. what would the terms of payment have been if he'd issued it at the time of work?

[LoftyLottie2]

I queried this with a member of the Law Society who said that there is no time limit for the issue of invoices!

However, if the work remains unfinished you need to contact him in writing to say that you are disatisfied with his work.

If he then issues an invoice you can dispute it.

Not something you should ignore.

[4getmenot]

If you have had the money to pay it for 6 months then just pay it. Lifes to short for petty little squabbles

[ummmm]

Call him back to complete the work.

So when your ceiling came down are you saying you didn't contact him to complain?

[LoftyLottie2]

I certainly wouldn't pay for work that had caused half my ceiling to come down and wasn't finished 4get!! Hardly petty little squabble.

However, sorry I didn't read the question properly and see that the invoice has already been issued. You should have at least contacted the plumber much, much earlier to say you were disatisfied.

I certainly wouldn't pay, but you at least need to send a letter now saying that you will not pay until the work is finished to your satisfaction and the issue with the ceiling is sorted out.

[Skyline D]

No, There's absolutely no limit on the time someone can take to issue an invoice.

10 days is a very short payment demand time though, particularly when it's taken him 6 months to actually issue it. Normal practice is more like 28 days.

It's perfectly feasible he could be an entirely legitimate business and still have cheques paid into his own name. It's not illegal. Tens of thousands of businesses around the country aren't VAT registered because they don't have a high enough turnover. Nothing suspicious in that either.

So no, all of the points in the original post are irrelevant (though as I said 10 days is a short demand and, unless you previously agreed to that, I probably wouldn't fall over myself to pay it within a month unless you want to).

On the other hand, the subsequent post contends the work was actually unsatisfactory. If that's the case you are out of my knowledge and into the hands of the lawyers. I certainly wouldn't look to pay for something that wasn't done right.

[redcrx]

"I'm not trying to get out of paying "

this suggests to me that you are happy with the actual invoice, did they repair damage or have you only been charged for part of the work?

[ummmm]

And if so - minus the repair costs off the invoice amount but provide a copy of receipts etc.

[4getmenot]

neither would I loftie but I;m sure they have sorted it otherwise she has been sitting with no ceiling for 6 months lol. So if its all been sorted and they did the work then pay

[4getmenot]

skyline we usual do business invoices 28 days and private punters 7 days

[kellyjelly]

Thankyou for all of your comments. I have tried to call him several times with no success, regarding ceilling at the time. Especially as the cost of his non-capping of pipes has cost me far more then his invoice. He didn't return to complete works as he wasn't happy with the fact that I wanted to supply specific rads 30% cheaper then him (that was his mark-up a little excessive I feel)
Thanks for the consructive comments that have been helpful, but the ones that have just said "pay him, life is to short" comments thats not helpful and neither answered my original question. This is answer bank NOT opinion bank!!!

[kellyjelly]

Dont think I said thankyou enough to the people that have helped here. So Thankyou again.