Need advice

[fidot]

You sound like my gran when she said she would never accept a toilet inside the house.

I'm on self-billing and when my timesheet is signed, I get an email to tell me that an invoice has been raised. If I didn't receive that email then I would chase it up, but it's never happened.

I think you need to come in from the cold, grandma.

Each to their own. Glad your method works for you. I prefer to keep on top of cashflow by raising my own invoices.

[JRCT]

Each to their own. Glad your method works for you. I prefer to keep on top of cashflow by raising my own invoices.

I don't think raising your own invoice is 'keeping on top of cashflow'. Unless you deliver the invoice by hand every week, you're still relying on automation to get the invoice in front of the client/ agency, it's just a type of automation that you're more familiar and comfortable with - but not necessarily a more reliable one.

There are less steps in the process with self-billing and that has to be a good thing. What if you got hit by a bus between submitting your timesheet and raising the invoice? Unlikely, but from someone who's just spent 4 weeks in hospital, it was one less thing I needed to worry about.

[Contractpf]

Does the agency name end in "phen"?
If so, hope you had the contract reviewed they are notoriously poor.
In any case you should have negotiated this, as them having pretty much 6 weeks money in thier hand is a concern.



Exactly this, very, very common.

Thank you. Looks like it's a different agency. You are right though 6 weeks with money in their hand is a concern

[Contractpf]

I did ask them today if I can get weekly pay. The answer was , if we do that it means we have to pay you from our cash flow, so the answer was no

Lesson learnt though

[MrMarkyMark]

I did ask them today if I can get weekly pay. The answer was , if we do that it means we have to pay you from our cash flow, so the answer was no

Lesson learnt though

How do they look when you do a credit check?
Are they sailing close to the wind?

[fidot]

I don't think raising your own invoice is 'keeping on top of cashflow'. Unless you deliver the invoice by hand every week, you're still relying on automation to get the invoice in front of the client/ agency, it's just a type of automation that you're more familiar and comfortable with - but not necessarily a more reliable one.

There are less steps in the process with self-billing and that has to be a good thing. What if you got hit by a bus between submitting your timesheet and raising the invoice? Unlikely, but from someone who's just spent 4 weeks in hospital, it was one less thing I needed to worry about.

This is your experience of self-billing systems and I am glad you have never had a problem. I'm not saying my preferred approach is flawless - it's just my preference.

I am just pointing out a potential flaw with sell-billing systems that some may not have thought of. This isn't just a theoretical flaw - I saw it happen to a fellow contractor. We were both paid late. I was able to claim interest and compensation (see The Late Payment of Commercial Debts Regulations 2013 - Pay on Time). My fellow contractor wasn't able to because no invoice had been raised so it wasn't late.