Supplier Invoicing Late.

[akajonnyg]

I have a supplier who has invoiced VERY late (nearly a year late). The invoice is for a service plus expenses. The service was provided but due to late invoicing we are now not able to invoice our customer. Our terms and conditions state that the invoice must be provided within 30 days of the service. T&C's are available on our website and always have been. The supplier is now demanding payment. Where do we stand legally? Thanks in advance

[Zacs-Master]

How valuable to you is the supplier?

[boxtops]

My view is that you knew that the supplier had provided the service, so you should have accrued the funding for it so you could pay them as and when the invoice arrived. You owe them the money, you have to pay it - T&Cs (IMO) are your own guidelines, not the law. You could have explained the position to your customer and either asked them if you could invoice as per quotation, or whether they would mind waiting. You could of course have chased up your supplier during the past year, to find out when they were invoicing you.

[akajonnyg]

Hi, Thanks for your responses, the supplier is not important and the invoice total is relatively small, but the principal is what is concerning - we cannot invoice our customer until we have the invoice from our supplier - is it our responsibility to chase for the suppliers invoice or is it the suppliers responsibility to provide the invoice in a reasonable time frame?

[boxtops]

At work, I chase - we can't afford to have money owing over a long period of time. It could be a genuine oversight.

[cassa333]

Although not a business person I would have thought good business practice would mean that both of you should have sorted this sooner. The only one with something to gain is the end user....

I would also find out if the company is in difficulties. Either there accounts department is so rubbish they have only just noticed or they have come upon hard times and are trying to grab some money in!!?

[Vivkins3]

If you are genuinely now unable to recoup your losses it could be argued that after all that time it was not unreasonable to infer that the company had decided not to invoice this (apparently smallish) charge. I was not always pedantic in charging every penny when it was so much more customer-friendly to let them have the odd little freebie.

Whilst your T&C might (as somebody said) only be "guidelines", the supplier should not have agreed to do business with you if he didn't accept them.

[akajonnyg]

All responses much appreciated. I think it will be 'easier' just to pay it and take it on the chin, but on the positive side its a lesson learned; chase payments and chase suplpliers INVOICES. Thanks for your help everyone.

[joko]

why cant you invoice the customer?

just because something was done a while ago does not make it not payable.

there is no set legal time limit on invoices - what they owe, they will always owe until its paid - and if they owe you money then invoice them!