Sub Contracting

[chirpychippy]

I have started subbing to an interiors company. I already sub directly to a kitchen supplier whom I have worked with for over 15 years. The latter sell their kitchen to the customer and I contact said customer direct give them a quote to fit and the customer pays me direct.

The interiors company have preset fee's for installations depending on the size of the project and i am paid directly by them, send them my invoice and utr no.

I have completed five remedials for them over the course of 9 days at my Day Rate plus Fuel. Obviously I appreciate they are testing my skills, that's fine with me.

They have two pay dates in each month, mid and end of month. I put my invoices in the beginning of the month, yesterday I learnt that I will be paid at the end of this month, after I have completed another installation for them.

Now, I am very dubious about whether to carry out more work for them when my outstanding invoices haven't been settled and the mid month pay day seems to have been ignored.

Yesterday, I learnt that the interiors company gave my number to their customer to solve a query they had, their customer rang me direct. Then started sending loads of WhatsApp pictures, weekends are my time, that p*used me off.

So, shall I hold fire on more work until I've been paid?

 

[Mottie]

So, shall I hold fire on more work until I've been paid?

Yes. Set your terms out early. Start as you mean to go on. If they don’t like your terms, tell them to go elsewhere.

 

[stevie888]

What are their payment terms? If it's 28 days then they haven't ignored a paydate, it simply wasn'[t relevant.

 

[chirpychippy]

The payment terms are 14th and 28th my invoices were presented well before the 14th but won't be settled until the 28th and that is after I have completed additional chargeable works.

Im not comfortable with this.

 

[denso13]

Im not comfortable with this.

Go with your gut feeling, if you aren't sure, walk away.

 

[Wayners]

Ltd companies run up debts then fold only to start up again.
If they aren't paying when they should it's a red flag.
They have people who's job it is to delay payment to contractors so be careful.
Set a limit and when that's reached stop working for them.
It's part of being a subcontractor although it shouldn't be. Just how it is and how it's always been

 

[Mottie]

They have people who's job it is to delay payment to contractors so be careful.

Mrs Mottie once worked in accounts for a building firm like that. She didn’t stay long. The manager didn’t care who they made wait. The mantra was “do we need to use them again". If the answer was no, they went to the bottom of the payment list. Once, Mrs Mottie had great joy when someone who they were fecking about for months that was owed about £15k had had enough. When he phoned up and was told yet again that the manager wasn’t availible and would he like to leave a message, the message he left was "Tell him I know where he lives and if I’m not paid by this Friday, I’m coming round his house and I’ll cut off his cock and Bollux and stuff them down his wife’s throat". The message was passed on. He got paid.

 

[Wayners]

I sat and waited in office waiting room and refused to move until paid with a building firm once.
I have also been to small claims court.
I remember my wife getting wound up and decided to call in local kitchen company office and have ago at getting payment.
It causes great stress at home and does effect mental health.
When there is no reason not to pay but they do.
They offer good regular work and offer good pay, but when it don't come the stress it terrible.
I think every tradesmen reading this knows what it's like and never think you are the only one... Also don't think you can manage it or have to.
Problem is there are plenty or tradesmen that think it's easier to subcontract so will replace you and the cycle continues.
My wife says there are no friends in business. Promises mean nothing.

 

[Diver Fred]

What does their contract say about payments? whilst they pay their Subbies on 2 days in a month they may hold the payment over one pay day - i.e invoices presented between 1st & 14th paid paid on the last day of the month, invoices presented 15th to last day of the month paid on the 14th.

If they do something different that should be detailed in the contract.

Now if the detail isn't in the contract it needs clarifying ASAP. If they are making the payment for the 9 invoices conditional on completing another job then can you afford to walk away from that money? Or walk away and go to the small claim court.

 

[Mottie]

Getting the subbie work and doing the subbie work is the easiest bit. Getting paid is often the hardest part.