Hi does anyone know how long a company has to invoice someone by law?

I had some work done on my boiler ages ago, and despite ringing them several times to chase up the invoice, it has arrived today, many months after the work was carried out, and the have only given me 5 days to pay it!

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Saskia x

Hi does anyone know how long a company has to invoice someone by law?

That doesn't mean you have to pay it in their short timescale. If it's going to be difficult to pay in total, write to them with proposals by instalments

A company usually gives 30 days from date of invoice - otehrwise they could be viewed to be as unfair terms of contract.

I thought you only had 6 months to invoice someone for goods or services provided.

If the work is done, it is either paid the time or on presentation of the invoice. If they are late in invoicing, then that is their look-out, but they do have a right to be paid for the work done. Making a demand that it is due in 5 days may seem harsh, but it could have been 'on presentation' so some time was given to get the funds together.

I understood that if you had not been invoiced within one year of the completion of the service, you have been provided with credit. If the amount is within the limitations of the Consumers Credit Act (£12k)I understand there must be an agreement conforming to the strict regulations. If under £12K there must be correctly rendered invoices with signed and dated worksheets.

Generally speaking, invoices or notifications of debt can be issued within a period up to 6 years.

The time period is covered by the Limitation Act. AFAIK

A company usually gives 30 days from date of invoice - otehrwise they could be viewed to be as unfair terms of contract.

I actually meant that a company should give 30 days from date of invoice for payment to be due - sorry if I wasn't clear

I actually meant that a company should give 30 days from date of invoice for payment to be due - sorry if I wasn't clear

30 days is the "default" time for payment to be due, or before non payment action can be taken, if not specified on the invoice. A company/sole trader can put whatever payment terms they like on their invoices if it's in their normal trading terms.

My standard trading terms for non credit customers are payment within 14 days from invoice and I mail my invoices out promptly not after a year, it's printed on every invoice I raise and also in my full terms & conditions.

hmmmm this is an interesting one, Mr Lula bought me an expensive (to my mind, £140) camera for my birthday last June, he paid on his credit card, and it has never appeared on the statements.

And Freaky. that avatar, self portrait is it lovvie?

I understood that if you had not been invoiced within one year of the completion of the service, you have been provided with credit. If the amount is within the limitations of the Consumers Credit Act (£12k)I understand there must be an agreement conforming to the strict regulations. If under £12K there must be correctly rendered invoices with signed and dated worksheets.

Your correct if they 'allowed' you credit for more than 1 year they entered into a controlled agreement by default vis a vee Dimond v Lovell.

However IMHO the debt would still be enforceable with a court order as the court would probably consider 2 main points

The 1st being that you had the benefit of not paying for 1 year thereby accruing a profit in interest & 2nd was the work done to your satisfaction & if so the labourer is worthy of his hire.

Also I doubt the court would be sympathetic as they will say with some justification that you knew of the debt & therefore should have allowed for it in your budgeting

My advice is whilst explaining their invoice was unexpected to try & be reasonable by offering to pay what you can as soon as you can