Client agreed to pay but is stalling

[zazou]

I was in a short contract which had its fair share of scope creep and agreed units of work all of a sudden having no importance.
I was asked to create the DB and a digital agency with multiple employees were to create the public front end.
The end product is a DB + internal web pages which were all agreed, mainly in email correspondence.

To make a long story short, the client has done me the favour of putting my involvement on ice but stating both verbally and in writing (email) that the invoices will be paid.
I suspect that they'll want to go with the digital agency for what's left.

That was supposed to happen Monday last week (Client Co EoM) but when I asked if anything was missing for the payment to go through last Friday the MD expressed surprise, asking their Business Manager to look into it (cc). This is a tiny company and communication channels are simple.

I get a strong feeling that the MD is stalling things and would like to know what my options are.
As I am new to a situation like this, what can I reasonably do to put pressure on them paying up?

[administrator]

If you have it in an email that they will pay then invoices then that is all good. Time now to use the late payment process:
Late payment. How to manage debts. :: Contractor UK
Contractor late payment letters - free templates l debt recovery example and sample letter :: Contractor UK

Follow the steps outlines there and they will cough up, whether they want to or not.

[Safe Collections]

First things first, pick up the phone and call. Keep it polite and professional and try and get a firm payment date, if they give you one confirm the date by email. If they don't/can't or wont give a date then it's time to send a more formal notice in Admins link.

Follow this up with regular calls and if necessary further chaser letters, just don't sit on your hands and you will probably find they cough up sooner rather than later.

[zazou]

I expressed my surprise to the client that the payments hadn't gone through in a bit informal manner and got a fuming reply about that they had already agreed to pay but no date was mentioned.
I have strong suspicions on why they are stalling (to delay the acceptance date / extend warranty period).

As I've already done the work they requested but they are not in optimal technical position to go through it, what might be the length of a normal 'grace period' I could grant them?

What else can I do to cover my back?

[Safe Collections]

I expressed my surprise to the client that the payments hadn't gone through in a bit informal manner and got a fuming reply about that they had already agreed to pay but no date was mentioned.
I have strong suspicions on why they are stalling (to delay the acceptance date / extend warranty period).

As I've already done the work they requested but they are not in optimal technical position to go through it, what might be the length of a normal 'grace period' I could grant them?

What else can I do to cover my back?

So you asked informally why payment had not been made and got a fuming reply back? Hmmmm...

Not sure what more you can do currently, they have promised payment so you have that at least. The only other trick to be mindful of is if they come back and create spurious queries or issues that need to be resolved before payment can be made.

Might be worth chasing up previous requests for payment and just asking if they were happy with the work provided...

[SueEllen]

What else can I do to cover my back?

^^^^^^