I’ve been in business for 4 years now and this is the first time I’ve really felt like venting my anger at Irish businesses attitude towards paying invoices on time. This seems to be an Irish phenomenon as with clients from UK or the US, they always pay on time. I’d be interested to hear other peoples opinions on this…
But anyway, what has me so annoyed is that I watched a programme on RTE on Monday night. It was one of those programmes where a family decides the want to buy a “holiday home” abroad. Just as I was about to switch channels and look for something a bit more interesting, the family were introduced…. and low and behold it was a family that I had done some small business with (note the small) and who in fact owed me money. It’s not a large amount of money that they owe me, but it’s the fact that they don’t take my calls, reply to my emails etc etc that annoys me. They didn’t even have the decency to let me know they no longer required our services, which were costing ME money.
So you can see why when they were about to purchase a house for over €240,000 in Italy, that it got up my goat!! They owe me a measly amount in the small hundreds that they can’t seem to pay but have enough money to buy a foreign property. Now, I wouldn’t be as peeved, if they worked for a company, but they were both self employed. They’ve probably even used my invoice to get some tax free allowance for god sake………….
But this seems to be a common occurence in Ireland. I have another client who owes me money over a year now and ignores me everytime I ask for payment. Unfortunately I can’t do much about this one as it is money for work completed, so its not as if I can take down his website or something….
No don’t get me wrong, I have a heart and if people have problems paying their bills, they just need to approach me and tell me. I have at least 3 cleints who I know are very slow payers, but I always get paid. But it’s a mutual respect, I know they won’t go anywhere else, I know I’ll eventually get paid and they know they can ask me to do something and not be breathing down their necks for payment. That situation works for a very small few.
Anyway, rant over…. lets spend the rest of my day chasing payment for outstanding invoices or there will be no money to pay the wages! 
Hmm…bummer…double bummer that they were on the telly goading you
How about small claims court?
Claims under €1270 can be made through this. Costs only €18 last I saw.
They receive note of your claim, get a couple of weeks to solve and if not court date is set. No need for solicitors or anything. If they dont show up then judge rules for you and the sheriff heads over to collect.
Not foolproof but worth a try.
And sure if it was a website then who’s stopping you linking to them with whatever anchor you like
Hmmm!!! I didn’t know that! Will investigate that just out of pure revenge