With-holding payment for 32 weeks

callansdad

Hi all,

very quickly ....

I employed a structural engineer in june last year .. they promised an eight week turnaround for job .... they actually delivered their report/drawings 40 weeks after.

I am therefore intending to with-hold their payment for 32 weeks from when it was due.

Can i do this?

4743hudsonj

callansdad wrote: »

Hi all,

very quickly ....

I employed a structural engineer in june last year .. they promised an eight week turnaround for job .... they actually delivered their report/drawings 40 weeks after.

I am therefore intending to with-hold their payment for 32 weeks from when it was due.

Can i do this?

In a word, no. You received a service and must pay.

On the other hand, you should be able to negotiate a discount.

The fact of the matter is, you should have taken action sooner as once they have carried out the service, it leave you with little else to do.

stebiz

callansdad wrote: »

Hi all,

very quickly ....

I employed a structural engineer in june last year .. they promised an eight week turnaround for job .... they actually delivered their report/drawings 40 weeks after.

I am therefore intending to with-hold their payment for 32 weeks from when it was due.

Can i do this?

Many buyers/companies do delay paying businesses for many months (maybe not quite as long as 32 weeks) and there is little the structural engineer could do to force you to pay.

However he could

*Keep phoning
*Keep sending invoices
*Issue court proceedings, in which you would no doubt fail, and then possibly be hit with costs

It depends on how much he has annoyed you. If he has really p1ssed you off, then yes you could play a game with him. Then again it depends if he wants to play the game =know what I mean=

Good Luck

withabix

I presume there was no written contract?

Why did it take so long? Were there any reasons outside their Control?

Have you incurred any actual costs because of the late completion of their work? If you have and there is no written Contract stating otherwise, advise them that you will be deducting these costs as Liquidated Damages.

Don't pay until he starts a Small Claims Court action against you, or after 32 weeks, whichever is the sooner.

callansdad

Thanks peeps

Let the games begin!!!

mountainofdebt

And they say childhood ends at 18

fozzeh

I think we invoiced a company once for £50,000 they owed us...and got it after 16 months.

Enjoy your games =D

pinkshoes

If you have suffered financial loss or inconvenience due to their late delivery, then I'd pay them what you feel you owe them i.e deduct any costs from their fee, making it clear in the payment on why they're not getting the full amount.

Withholding the payment for fun is a daft game.

michaelvintner

fozzeh wrote: »

I think we invoiced a company once for £50,000 they owed us...and got it after 16 months.

Enjoy your games =D

You must have done some work for the company I work for.