No invoice for works done

Sapindus

I had an electrician round to do several small jobs ranging from replacing a light switch to adding an extra socket. The quote was £200 something. This was over three weeks ago and I've had no invoice.  I texted him a couple of times and also sent emails in case he had the wrong email address.  He actually stopped me in the street and apologised and said he would send it over.  Of course this also means I have no minor works certificate, though the work is so minor you probably wouldn't even pick up on it if you were buying the house..  What else can I do?  I'm worried he's going to come after me in the small claims court saying I never paid him. Would emails and texts be enough evidence that I'd tried?

MattMattMattUK

Sapindus said:

I had an electrician round to do several small jobs ranging from replacing a light switch to adding an extra socket. The quote was £200 something. This was over three weeks ago and I've had no invoice.  I texted him a couple of times and also sent emails in case he had the wrong email address.  He actually stopped me in the street and apologised and said he would send it over.  Of course this also means I have no minor works certificate, though the work is so minor you probably wouldn't even pick up on it if you were buying the house..  What else can I do?  I'm worried he's going to come after me in the small claims court saying I never paid him. Would emails and texts be enough evidence that I'd tried?

Why?            

Sapindus

MattMattMattUK said:

Sapindus said:

I had an electrician round to do several small jobs ranging from replacing a light switch to adding an extra socket. The quote was £200 something. This was over three weeks ago and I've had no invoice.  I texted him a couple of times and also sent emails in case he had the wrong email address.  He actually stopped me in the street and apologised and said he would send it over.  Of course this also means I have no minor works certificate, though the work is so minor you probably wouldn't even pick up on it if you were buying the house..  What else can I do?  I'm worried he's going to come after me in the small claims court saying I never paid him. Would emails and texts be enough evidence that I'd tried?

Why?            

Because it's how my brain works, and I'll worry about it forever.

MattMattMattUK

Sapindus said:

MattMattMattUK said:

Sapindus said:

I had an electrician round to do several small jobs ranging from replacing a light switch to adding an extra socket. The quote was £200 something. This was over three weeks ago and I've had no invoice.  I texted him a couple of times and also sent emails in case he had the wrong email address.  He actually stopped me in the street and apologised and said he would send it over.  Of course this also means I have no minor works certificate, though the work is so minor you probably wouldn't even pick up on it if you were buying the house..  What else can I do?  I'm worried he's going to come after me in the small claims court saying I never paid him. Would emails and texts be enough evidence that I'd tried?

Why?            

Because it's how my brain works, and I'll worry about it forever.

To take you to court the electrician would have first had to request payment, then if you failed to pay they would need to issue a Letter Before Action giving you 14 days or more to pay, if you still failed to pay then they would need to apply to the court using the small claims process, at the moment that takes a minimum of six months. If you failed to pay before the court date then the court would then likely find in the claimant's favour, you would then have 28 days to pay before a CCJ was logged on your credit file. As you have not even been asked to pay that is all highly unlikely to happen.

It may be worth speaking to your GP about your anxiety. 

Myci85

I think for some people they don't send the invoices straight away, probably they book themselves in to do an admin day once in a while and bulk send invoices to people then.

My electrician and mechanic are the same, I would prefer to pay immediately as I'm used to doing so in all other areas of life, but they seem pretty chill about it and it can be weeks before they invoice for the work. 

Sapindus

MattMattMattUK said:

Sapindus said:

MattMattMattUK said:

Sapindus said:

I had an electrician round to do several small jobs ranging from replacing a light switch to adding an extra socket. The quote was £200 something. This was over three weeks ago and I've had no invoice.  I texted him a couple of times and also sent emails in case he had the wrong email address.  He actually stopped me in the street and apologised and said he would send it over.  Of course this also means I have no minor works certificate, though the work is so minor you probably wouldn't even pick up on it if you were buying the house..  What else can I do?  I'm worried he's going to come after me in the small claims court saying I never paid him. Would emails and texts be enough evidence that I'd tried?

Why?            

Because it's how my brain works, and I'll worry about it forever.

To take you to court the electrician would have first had to request payment, then if you failed to pay they would need to issue a Letter Before Action giving you 14 days or more to pay, if you still failed to pay then they would need to apply to the court using the small claims process, at the moment that takes a minimum of six months. If you failed to pay before the court date then the court would then likely find in the claimant's favour, you would then have 28 days to pay before a CCJ was logged on your credit file. As you have not even been asked to pay that is all highly unlikely to happen.

It may be worth speaking to your GP about your anxiety. 

I think it's a little extreme to suggest I need medical help because I don't like having an unresolved debt.  Thanks for explaining the workings of the small claims court.

WIAWSNB

How did you find this sparky, Sapindus? 
The situation is that he hasn't invoiced you, and you therefore have yet to pay? 
Not a problem at all. He can't demonstrate that he's sent you a bill, and you can demonstrate that you've requested one.
Is he a one-man band? Often, such folk will leave the paperwork to the end of the month, if even then. And it's understandable, as they work hard during the day, and the last thing they want is to get out their folders of bills in the evening.
Please don't worry - the bill will arrive. 

It's very old-school, tho', given that many such outfits now use an app for instant billing - even my gutter-cleaner had this. 

Sapindus

Yes, and he is just a young lad so you'd think he would have been up to the latest with payment.  Anyway he finally sent an email and I have paid him.  The email on the MW certificate is different (and looks misspelled) to the one he emailed from, so I have added it as a note.  Otherwise, all seems above board.

prowla

The invoice is a request for payment and the certificate is part of the deliverable; IMHO, you were right in not paying until the job was completed and you received the bill.