Awkward agency accounts dept

[mankyspanky]

Can't believe their attitude.

30 day payment terms. Timesheets submitted via client system. Option to auto generate invoices (but I opted out and produce my own).

Anyway, xmas week, email comes around. Please enter all time for week after xmas in advance before xmas. Fair enough - I dont care - Im in for two days so all done and manager approved. I download PDF for my records.

Fast forward to now and I realise I've not had remittance or been paid for that week. So I email agency accounts dept - no reply. So I email again and finally get reply.

Apparently, I dont have a VALID timesheet for that week so they wont pay me! First of all thanks for letting me - lucky I noticed.

Time to phone them. Guy trys to tell me Im not allowed to get timesheets pre-approved like this and thats why. So I calmly point out that client asked me to do this, there is nothing in my contract to say I can't do this, and why didnt anyone tell me weeks ago not just ignore me and not pay me? I also add if it gets sorted this week then I wont have an issue.

Guy gets well off with me and tells me its tough if I dont follow their procedures and in future wont get paid if the same happens again and neither will they pay me or remind me.

Seriously bad attitude. Next time, I'll be pointing out I have a signed timesheet in my possession, I'm not opted out, and they are in breach of contract!

[northernladuk]

Option to auto generate invoices (but I opted out and produce my own).

Maybe opt back in?

I'm not opted out, and they are in breach of contract

One late payment and a disagreement over process is not breach of contract. Please tell me you didn't say that to the agent. He'll just laugh his tits of and treat you like the numpty he thinks you are.

[TheFaQQer]

One late payment and a disagreement over process is not breach of contract. Please tell me you didn't say that to the agent. He'll just laugh his tits of and treat you like the numpty he thinks you are.

If the payment terms are in the contract and they are late, then there is a breach of contract.

However, the breach would not be sufficiently egregious to allow for termination, merely damages.

[tractor]

...

If the payment terms are in the contract and they are late, then there is a breach of contract.

However, the breach would not be sufficiently egregious to allow for termination, merely damages.

Which are unlikely to be greater that that provided for by the late payment of debts act.

OP needs to negotiate better. Watching reciepts more closely would help too.

Why does anyone not use self bill when it's available? For me, self bill takes away any and all defence from an agent refusing to pay an invoice retrospectively, adding another layer of protection to your business.

[northernladuk]

If the payment terms are in the contract and they are late, then there is a breach of contract.

However, the breach would not be sufficiently egregious to allow for termination, merely damages.

In general yes but if the timesheet hasn't been submitted properly then it isn't as it will be covered in the contract. The argument if the timesheet did or didn't get submitted properly has to be resolved first.

Either way, shouting 'breach' at the agent isn't going to get you anywhere. It's like people that threaten to sue at the first sign of a disagreement. No one takes them seriously either.

[mankyspanky]

Maybe opt back in?



One late payment and a disagreement over process is not breach of contract. Please tell me you didn't say that to the agent. He'll just laugh his tits of and treat you like the numpty he thinks you are.

sorry meant not opted out.

I was a bit put out that they had decided not to pay me and not even tell me why I must admit. But I was happy to let it if they promised to sort it until this lad started getting off with me telling me it was tough luck and all my fault.

[northernladuk]

sorry meant not opted out.

I was a bit put out that they had decided not to pay me and not even tell me why I must admit. But I was happy to let it if they promised to sort it until this lad started getting off with me telling me it was tough luck and all my fault.

Facts aside that is a pretty poor attitude whatever the situation. Am guessing he doesn't understand we are the reason he gets paid so bit of respect wouldn't go amiss.

[mankyspanky]

Which are unlikely to be greater that that provided for by the late payment of debts act.

OP needs to negotiate better. Watching reciepts more closely would help too.

Why does anyone not use self bill when it's available? For me, self bill takes away any and all defence from an agent refusing to pay an invoice retrospectively, adding another layer of protection to your business.

30 days is fine. Just expected to be told if there was an issue not ignored and then not expecting attitude when its their fault anyway.

[BolshieBastard]

And the agency is..........?

BTW, I just dont understand this paranoid nonsense of not using self billing. The myth that goes around that you never have an invoice \ receipt for payment is just that, nonsense. You can even reconcile the hours \ days worked against the payment.

I dont understand the even greater paranoia of creating a 'shadow' invoice yourself. Utterly ludicrous.

[jjdarg]

And the agency is..........?

BTW, I just dont understand this paranoid nonsense of not using self billing. The myth that goes around that you never have an invoice \ receipt for payment is just that, nonsense. You can even reconcile the hours \ days worked against the payment.

I dont understand the even greater paranoia of creating a 'shadow' invoice yourself. Utterly ludicrous.

Not paranoia, but when I am on self-bill, I do create a shadow invoice in FreeAgent to keep the records straight, more practical than paranoid.