Payment of an invoice (Mod: Situation after delayed submission of invoice) Thread poster: Valérie Bellot
|
|---|
Hello,
I did some translations for a translation agency one year ago and submitted my invoice after completion. We did not agree on the amount of words, so the agency sent me her own log plus two reminders to send me the amended invoice.
It would have taken a long time to review the differences in the wordcounts and I was really busy so I did not reply immediately and nearly "forgot" it, though the sum involved was high.
I remembered it at the end of the ye... See more Hello,
I did some translations for a translation agency one year ago and submitted my invoice after completion. We did not agree on the amount of words, so the agency sent me her own log plus two reminders to send me the amended invoice.
It would have taken a long time to review the differences in the wordcounts and I was really busy so I did not reply immediately and nearly "forgot" it, though the sum involved was high.
I remembered it at the end of the year when doing my accounts, amended the invoice and sent it. No answer, despite some emails. I phoned today and was told that as two reminders were sent to me one year ago without any answer from me, the agency did no longer have the money. But she asked me to send the invoice so that her accountant will see if he could do something for me.
My question is : is there any limitation in time for an invoice to be paid and should this agency pay me though I did not send her the invoice in time?
Thank you very much for your answers!
[Subject edited by staff or moderator 2004-06-23 13:41] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Luca Tutino 
Italy
Member (2002)
English to Italian
+ ...
| They should pay - evasive replies should be reported on the blue board | Jun 24, 2004 |
You can rest assured that you should get paid. If I understand well, your client tried not to pay at all. He did not apologise for the delay and was not even disposed to give you a payment date. All this is absolutely illegal.
When the agency contested your invoice, they did so only partially, hence they aknowledged their obbligation to pay at least their amended amount. According to European member states legislations, they where obliged to do so according to payment terms agreed b... See more You can rest assured that you should get paid. If I understand well, your client tried not to pay at all. He did not apologise for the delay and was not even disposed to give you a payment date. All this is absolutely illegal.
When the agency contested your invoice, they did so only partially, hence they aknowledged their obbligation to pay at least their amended amount. According to European member states legislations, they where obliged to do so according to payment terms agreed before carrying out the work, or within 30 days from your 'wrong' invoice if there where no specific terms agreed.
You should not have left the matter go on for so long. Even a day of delay is unwhise in this matter. I cannot see why you should ever accept that payment terms are less obliging than delivery terms.
Yet, there are agencies that try to make you feel guilty (or even whorse) if you ask for immediate payment of an outstanding invoice. This behaviour should actually be reported in the blue board.
Luca ▲ Collapse
| | | | Edward Potter
Spain
Local time: 11:06
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Solve the problem and move on | Jun 24, 2004 |
It sounds like they are going to pay you.
It also sounds like they were pinching pennies a year ago when you had the dispute. Perhaps you should have suggested a mid-point between the two amounts.
But, you are where you are. It is possible that they forgot about you the same way you forgot about them. Keep on them now that you have renewed contact. Bother them about the "we'll see what the accountant can do" part. A good part of this situation is your fault, you ... See more It sounds like they are going to pay you.
It also sounds like they were pinching pennies a year ago when you had the dispute. Perhaps you should have suggested a mid-point between the two amounts.
But, you are where you are. It is possible that they forgot about you the same way you forgot about them. Keep on them now that you have renewed contact. Bother them about the "we'll see what the accountant can do" part. A good part of this situation is your fault, you understand. Get it solved now.
Trying to help.  ▲ Collapse
| | | | Eva Blanar
Hungary
Local time: 11:06
English to Hungarian
+ ...
| This is what accountants are for | Jun 25, 2004 |
Actually, their business year was closed and, at this point, the accountant has to be consulted - don't worry: accountants can solve that (not too happily, that's true). Have a look at it the other way round: if some of their clients did not pay for a year and remembered only now, they would have to account for that, too (a little more happily, in that case).
Of course, we cannot exclude that this is only an excuse not to pay at all, but there should be other signs of that - person... See more Actually, their business year was closed and, at this point, the accountant has to be consulted - don't worry: accountants can solve that (not too happily, that's true). Have a look at it the other way round: if some of their clients did not pay for a year and remembered only now, they would have to account for that, too (a little more happily, in that case).
Of course, we cannot exclude that this is only an excuse not to pay at all, but there should be other signs of that - personally, I don't think this is the case. If it still is, please insist and report the matter on the Blue Board, in the interests of all of us. ▲ Collapse
| | | | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Payment of an invoice (Mod: Situation after delayed submission of invoice) | Protemos translation business management system | Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!
The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.
More info » |
| | TM-Town | Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
Translation news
