advice about payment for work completed***Resolved***

[marke32]

Hi everyone

 

I am a Decorator and did a job for an estate agents on a flat they rent out for the owner. The only communication I have had is with the estate agents. I emailed the quote and they gave me the go ahead. Once completed I emailed them the invoice. However I have not been paid, they say they've forwarded the invoice to the owner, but I think the estate agents should pay me and get the money off the owner is this right?

[citizenB]

I would have thought if the contract was with the Estate Agent, then yes they should pay you. But wait for others more knowledgeable to advise.

[martin2006]

i think it depends on the type of arrangement the estate agents have with the landlord, if its a full management agreement then the estate agents should pay you, if its not then its the landlord who pays you via the estate agents

[marke32]

when I contacted them about payment. They said it was work for them, but because they didn't hold any money for this property the landlord has to pay. As citizenB said I would have thought it's up to them to pay me and get their money off the landlord

[honeybee13]

Hello there.

 

Do you have any paperwork from the agency about the work that you did please?

 

HB

[marke32]

No all I have are the emails, that's the only contact I have had with them

[honeybee13]

And do the emails spell out the terms of payment for the work?

 

HB

[marke32]

No the last one just said it was work for them but they did not hold money for this property so the landlord has to pay it

[marke32]

that was after I sent an invoice for the work

[honeybee13]

Thank you for that. Is there an email from the beginning when you agreed to carry out the work for them?

 

HB

[marke32]

Yes I have a reply to my initial quote that just says please go ahead with the work

[honeybee13]

So no details of the terms on which you were going to do the work?

 

HB

[marke32]

no none at all

[honeybee13]

So it seems that they didn't tell you about the terms on which you'd be working until you asked for the money?

 

HB

[marke32]

Exactly no they never mentioned it at all. I assumed as I was working for them they'll pay and then bill the landlord

[honeybee13]

I would be angry if someone did that to me, marke. Possibly a difficult lesson learned.

 

Hopefully people who know more than I do will tell you how to pursue this. I'll keep an eye on your thread and make sure you get further advice.

 

HB

[marke32]

thanks for that I appreciate it

[honeybee13]

thanks for that I appreciate it

 

You're welcome.

 

HB

[AndyOrch]

How did this quote come about marke...who approached who?

 

Regards

 

Andy

 

Thread moved to the appropriate forum.

[martin2006]

I was self employed for many years and had this on numerous occasions, if the flat is currently let then you will probably be paid once the next rent payment is made to the agent. Its a pain but unless the landlord has given full management responsibities to the agent then its a waiting game.

What were the terms of your invoice and did you state during the quotation process that payment would be due immediately upon completion?

[maroondevo52]

Hi,

 

When did you finish the job.

[marke32]

No I didn't regrettably, I just assumed the agency would pay me on completion.

[maroondevo52]

Hi,

 

I'm a self-employed decorator, well was for about 30 odd years, still dabble a bit.

I asked when you finished the job as any estate agents I did work for would give me the 'we don't have to pay you for 31 days ect' I've also worked for a few who would give me the same line they have given you that they would need to get the Landlord to pay you, a lot of the times this was the case and I would end up chasing the Landlord for the cash.

 

I've a feeling you do what I used to and not stipulate you wanted paying when you finished the job.

I worked for loads of people who didn't seem to understand I needed paying pretty swiftly after finishing a job and they would not see paying up for a few weeks or months as a problem.

 

I would think the Estate agent is being truthful with you regarding the landlord having to pay you but I would not let it drag on too long.

[marke32]

Hi

 

I finished the job 7 wks ago now,and I emailed the agency last week. They replied saying they had sent a reminder email to the owner and he had said it would be paid by weekend just gone, but I've received nothing as yet. I'm just not sure how to proceed, do I go down the route of agency should pay or try and get the name and address of the owner and chase him for it

[martin2006]

i think you need to put some pressure on the agency, they contracted you to do the work on behalf of the landlord.

 

have you done work for them before? if so how did that go?

 

whenever ive had a situation like that, the agency always allowed the next months rent to arrive and paid me out of that if the landlord was slow to pay up