Expiry of invoice

[BillyTheSparks]

Hi all, I have an invoice for a job that I carried out 3years ago, which I never sent and obviously never received any payment for. I just wondered if there was and expiry date of invoices and any legalities that I may encounter should I send this invoice now, after such a long time. I would obviously call the client before hand to refresh their memory of the works, and inform them that I will be sending them the invoice, but if I don't have a leg to stand on, and they argue the time that has past. Then I wont bother.

 

[AndrewMgan1976]

I would suggest forgetting about it and putting it down to experience, unless it is for an absolute fortune!

 

[BillyTheSparks]

it's for £700.00, not a massive amount, but still, it is my money. I have paid out for the materials, and then there is my time that I spent on the work etc..

 

[telectrix]

first thing to do would be to contact the client. explain that you've made a cock-up, and would he be agreeable to paying you, say £500, to avoid unnecessary further action. i've got an identical situation wher ethe job was done except for adding an outside light. customer never got back to organise this and i let it slide 3 years. only £200 odd, so i'm writing it off.

 

[vjsmarwick]

If you have never sent a bill or reminders then after 2 years there is no legal obligation to pay it but no harm in trying some people are honest enough to want to pay for what they have had done no matter how long ago good luck

 

[trev]

The client will most likely remember if nudged that he/she hasn't paid, my brother didn't pay for some fitted wardrobes for a similar time frame but once he got a nudge coughed up as he knew it was due.
Like Murdoch says, get in touch explaining the cock up and you might be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Octopus]

An invoice for £700.0 and you forgot to send it - are you mad?

 

[AndrewMgan1976]

An invoice for £700.0 and you forgot to send it - are you mad?

Obviously just a pocket change job

 

[dan86]

I'd just contact the client, and see how it goes.
two things though-
1) how did you come across this invoice so long after?
2) I'd be wondering how many more invoices I forgot to send...

 

[BillyTheSparks]

Obviously just a pocket change job

I wish!!

 

[BillyTheSparks]

I'd just contact the client, and see how it goes.
two things though-
1) how did you come across this invoice so long after?
2) I'd be wondering how many more invoices I forgot to send...

I found it in a filing cabinet that I was clearing out, and that was the only one. So fingers crossed that it is!

 

[BillyTheSparks]

Thanks for everyone's input.

I will contact the client tomorrow to discuss it. I wont drop the invoice amount straight away, as it is owed after all, but use it as a bargaining tool and hopefully come to an agreement.

 

[Octopus]

I found it in a filing cabinet that I was clearing out, and that was the only one. So fingers crossed that it is!

I use Intuit Quickbooks pro for all my business contacts, estimates, invoices, etc. A single report shows me all the unpaid invoices, and how long they are outstanding for. This means its unlikely I would forget an invoice for £50 let alone one for £700.

I'm guessing that the £700 was included into the calcs for HMRC so you've paid tax on income you've not had!!

 

[oldtimer]

Send the bill and mention an accounting problem worth a try also put a time limit on the payment even if they argue then let them knock you down. I use a Excel workshhet and a numbering system so at the end of each month I carry over to the next what has not been paid and recently lost a letting agent who just ignored my request to pay 2 jobs totaling £135 3 times so fine but no phone call taken on christmas eve with the could you help us out again

 

[BillyTheSparks]

I use Intuit Quickbooks pro for all my business contacts, estimates, invoices, etc. A single report shows me all the unpaid invoices, and how long they are outstanding for. This means its unlikely I would forget an invoice for £50 let alone one for £700.

I'm guessing that the £700 was included into the calcs for HMRC so you've paid tax on income you've not had!!

I tried using that system, but I didn't like the set-up etc..

The HMRC have probably had their 'fair' share, I'll let the accountant know what's going on and then that's for him to sort out.

 

[oldtimer]

You can only pay tax on what you have earned so thats what I declare anything not paid gets carried over

 

[Darkwood]

Explain to the customer due to errors in accounts the invoice was never sent and as the works was done you wish to forward a new invoice for said works the invoice will be dated with todays date but the wording will reference the date of work, explain that due to it been your error a new payment term applies of say 28days from the new invoice date..... express with confident tone, be polite and apologetic for the mishap. If they have no quibble with your original work i can't see why they won't pay even after a year.

 

[dan86]

Explain to the customer due to errors in accounts the invoice was never sent and as the works was done you wish to forward a new invoice for said works the invoice will be dated with todays date but the wording will reference the date of work, explain that due to it been your error a new payment term applies of say 28days from the new invoice date..... express with confident tone, be polite and apologetic for the mishap. If they have no quibble with your original work i can't see why they won't pay even after a year.

three years! hope they still live at the same address...

 

[Darkwood]

Lol my laptop knacked got a stripe down screen and it covered the number 3 ...i thought it was a year!!

Having said that if you owe the government anything they will chase it down for decades even if its their cock-up

 

[richy3333]

If you have never sent a bill or reminders then after 2 years there is no legal obligation to pay it but no harm in trying some people are honest enough to want to pay for what they have had done no matter how long ago good luck

Could you expand upon this statement? What legal rationale is there for a 2 year time limit?