Unpaid for survey

Rolyan

I recently completed an online survey for a well known company. It took several hours per day for a week. Despite completing it a month ago they have still not paid. I have contacted the survey company and parent company direct by email and by phone, yet still no joy. I spoke to them last Monday and they said they would get back to me. Same conversation again today.

They will not explain what the delay is, or give any reasons. They simply ask me to hang on and they will get back to me, but then don't.

I just wondered what the legal position is on this, and how long to give it before taking it further (not really sure how to take it further to be honest).

I expected better from this company, but enough is enough. Any help or advice would be most appreciated. This isn't a few pounds to ignore, it's in excess of £50.

GreyAndGold

Without know the company its difficult to comment on what is the usual timescale for payments is, but most that I have done longer studies for (panelbase, valued opinions, opinion outpost) tend to work on about 8 weeks from close of study to payment being made. I would give it a it longer yet before attempting to escalate it.

frenchfancy89

Was it an online focus group? As i recently completed a focus group and (my fault) couldn't remember who the company was as i've signed up for a few focus groups and I had to email the person who invited me to the online focus group and she said it was through Research Now that she got my details so who knows who this is with as the only thing I can relate it to is research opinions and when i log in there it's just my profile that shows up.

culpepper

Give it longer. A month is not that bad. Sometimes companies have to wait for the date when they can send out payments (as with any company) and may only pay out at end of month or whatever (which could easily be the month following the one in which you took the complete survey).

Rolyan

Thanks for the comments.

I don't mind waiting, if they explain. However, in this instance they told me a month ago that they would pay within days. Then when I contacted them, they insisted that I had been paid. Then they agreed that I hadn't. Then they said there was a problem but wouldn't say what it was. They also failed to get back to me. So all of that was the issue, not the delay itself.

However, I received a message last night that suggests they have sorted it and will be in touch today. Let's see what happens. But so far, it's extremely poor customer service.

Rolyan

Well, I finally managed to arrange payment. The only disappointment is that after taking my banking details, they rang me back to say they were sending me a cheque instead.

So overdue and really inconvenient. The payment is looking less value by the minute. I think I'll seek out another survey company!