client late payment advice
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- Tara
I've done a website for a client and he is now late on paying the final half of the payment, how long do you wait until you resort to taking down the site? thanks for any tips
- chossy0
how long was your payment terms 30. 60, or 90 days? if it goes two weeks over any of those write a letter, phone then take the site down, in that order I guess?....
- Rand0
have you already exhausted all the usual communication methods? How long has it been?
- letters20
you should have stated in your contract already a late payment fee – hope you do – which usually helps if you remind them they are paying it.
The proper process is to remind them with a letter/email giving them x days (sometimes even a month here is reasonable). if they are unresponsive, the next step is a call and give them x days (usually 5 days at this point). if they are still unresponsive, a letter/email telling them you will need to take the bill to a claims court if they cant respond within x days (however many days you feel like giving).
I would say that after one reminder, that is more than friendly, you should take the site down.
If it were me, I would take the site down as soon as they defaulted on the payment – even a day – they will pay it straight ahead.
- skt0
kill them and their families.
- skt0
or what letters said.
- Tara0
Yeah, he is now 1 week late. I sent him a second invoice which included a late fee. he said last week he would send payment this week but when I sent the 2nd invoice I didn't hear back from him-saying that he sent he check or anything so I just have a feeling he might not pay/i could be wrong.
- Rand0
man, one week is nothing in my world...
- letters20
well, if he said he would pay, after that second invoice – wait and see, don't jump the gun.
and I agree that always being nice about it is good business. Always inquire if there are some extenuating circumstances that you should consider.
but absolutely cover yourself, and don't feel like taking the site down is "mean" – its business. he pays, you deliver.
- Tara0
yeah i'm not going to do anything now, just curious for future dealings with him. want to be fair but also get paid.
- UndoUndo0
a week is pretty slim imo. he maybe away/ill etc.
i would suggest not telling him that you are going to take the site down but instead saying you will be forced to take action. some ppl would just suck out all the site files if they know you are going to do that.
- blaw0
i agree, one week isn't really that late.
- madirish0
a "one-of-your-children-per-day-la... policy is pretty standard
- BonSeff0
call:
Tracksuit Hitman Collection Agency
- Momentum20
ya, not even sure if they can cut a check in a week... i know my freelance it has to go out same time their checks go out.
- letters20
I'm in agreement, 1 week is not serious in any business payment timeline. It is good to stay on top of it, but often it takes an accounting department days to weeks in some cases to actually file and make payments.
- Tara0
Not doing anything now, it's just that i got the feeling from him that he wasn't expecting to have to pay the 2nd half. I think he totally forgot b/c he kept mentioning taking me out to dinner b/c i've been so patient with him- even tho he signed a contract. not the brightest apple in the bunch.
- Tara0
he's only 1 guy- there is no accounting dept. but agreed - i was just asking for future reference so i know how to proceed.
- abba_cadaver0
Whenever possible I state the the website won't go live until the last payment is received.
Those times when I have agreed to put it live first, I have just made judgement calls based on the feeling I get from the person. Some people (especially small business owners) have a thousand things going on at once and one week could just mean it's slipped thier mind.
- barbtastic0
haha dinner... don't let this guy think that just because yr a broad, free dinner is gonna settle the score