dixon9

I´ve been out the trade for a fair old while now but plan to return.

For self-employed sparks, I wondered with the economic climate on the slide, which methods of payment and conditions do you accept?

For example, domestic work - do you explain that payment is required immediately after the work is completed (on the spot invoice)? Or do you issue a 30 day invoice? Or half now, half on completion? etc etc.. Ditto comercial work. For those of you who give time for the customer to make payment (eg bank transfer) how often do you get let down and have to chase them up?

What about if you are a sub contractor? Or working on say 3 phase stuff in a factory - that company (with no maintenance dept) contracting your company ...or an agency contracts you? (As above questions apply).

Thanks in advance.

Cirrus

I work in a couple of ways - depends on the punter but with some I ask for 50% up front for materials and the rest on completion. With others I ask for 80% at end of 1st fix with the other 20% payable on completion. I NEVER offer credit terms such as 'invoice payable within 30 days'. But, having said that - I don't operate a business with a huge turnover where credit terms are required.

homesafe

How brilliant would it be if everybody paid up at the end of the job,We have a big problem in a certain area of Doncaster which happens to be our patch if you no what I mean,Were the customers say 'send me a bill' Which means by the time you have done the invoice, sent it, received the check back,cashed it waited for it to clear, 2 weeks have passed since completion of work (its no good)Thats the posh people.

But then pit village or ex council house people cant wait to hand the pound notes over,Without fail as soon as the jobs complete the money is in your hand..

Moog

Thats how posh people get to be rich, they don't part with the money unless you use a special tool

dixon9

A billiard cue?

London Luke

unless you state your "terms and conditions" you will enter into the clients. 10 years ago i never asked for a penny up front. Now i want all materials and 30% of the labour >Then the full amount paid straight away. All this 3 weeks crap drives me mad. in the last few months i demand more cash as well. Its the "cash flow" that drives me mad

dixon9

So you appear to be going for approx 50% up front / 50% on completion Luke?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

What about testing and inspection?

For example, you do a PIR for a customer and you find faults. My understanding is that you make recommendations on the form for problems to be corrected - its then up to the customer to pay for the work if he wants a certificate with a clean bill of health but he obviosuly pays for the inspection?

As for testing and inspection of a new installation, any certficiation can´t be given unless it passes - what if the customer refuses to pay for the insepction and the corrective work until its all done?

I suppose it all boils down to exlaining CLEARLY payment conditions before you start work...

Cirrus

Talking 'terms and conditions' - does anyone have a set that they can let me have as I want to create my own but modify some that have been used already.