Poll: Do you charge a late-payment fee to your client(s)?
论题张贴者: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
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Apr 16, 2011

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you charge a late-payment fee to your client(s)?".

This poll was originally submitted by humbird. View the poll results »



 
Alexander Kondorsky
Alexander Kondorsky  Identity Verified
俄罗斯联邦
Local time: 08:38
English英语译成Russian俄语
+ ...
I wish this were possible Apr 16, 2011

This is hardly possible here in Russia. Sometimes they don't pay and I have to grin and bear it, just don't work with such clients anymore. Select those who pay well and on time.

 
Dinny
Dinny  Identity Verified
希腊
Local time: 08:38
Italian意大利语译成Danish丹麦语
+ ...
I just skip them! Apr 16, 2011

I don't charge a fee for late payment. I might send a friendly reminder, but if payments tend to be late every time, I just don't work with that client anymore. And I make sure to tell them why, when I get their next request.

They expect my to respect my deadline, don't they?
Well, it goes both ways!


 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
德国
Local time: 07:38
正式会员 (自2009)
English英语译成German德语
+ ...
No. Apr 16, 2011

Dinny wrote:


I don't charge a fee for late payment. I might send a friendly reminder, but if payments tend to be late every time, I just don't work with that client anymore. And I make sure to tell them why, when I get their next request.

They expect my to respect my deadline, don't they?
Well, it goes both ways!


I must agree with you, Dinny. Terms work both ways.

However, and here it comes, if payment is late once, even twice, the reminder is being send. If the client can provide credible reasons for the late payment, e.g. technical problems or - perhaps a little far fetched in most countries, but valid in some - riots, earthquakes etc. then I'll give them another chance, actually a few chances.


 
Manuela Junghans
Manuela Junghans  Identity Verified
德国
Local time: 07:38
正式会员 (自2004)
English英语译成German德语
+ ...
Not yet Apr 16, 2011

But thanks for reminding me.

I´ve got one particular client, who always has the tightest deadlines (apart from the worst rates) and always pays at least 3 weeks late, and also only after several reminders.

I would be curious to hear other´s opinions as to what percentage would be acceptable as a surcharge. I was thinking somewhere in the range of 5%-10%?

Manuela

[Edited at 2011-04-16 12:20 GMT]


 
R. Alex Jenkins
R. Alex Jenkins  Identity Verified
巴西
Local time: 02:38
正式会员 (自2006)
Portuguese葡萄牙语译成English英语
+ ...
I agree Apr 16, 2011

Dinny wrote:


I don't charge a fee for late payment. I might send a friendly reminder, but if payments tend to be late every time, I just don't work with that client anymore. And I make sure to tell them why, when I get their next request.

They expect my to respect my deadline, don't they?
Well, it goes both ways!


I tend to lose respect for that client and feel relunctant to work for them again in the future, but I have never charged 'extra' or 'interest' for late payment.


 
Norbert Hermann
Norbert Hermann  Identity Verified
Local time: 06:38
English英语译成German德语
+ ...
There are official guidelines for this Apr 16, 2011

Manuela Junghans wrote:

I would be curious to hear other´s opinions as to what percentage would be acceptable as a surcharge. I was thinking somewhere in the range of 5%-10%?

Manuela

[Edited at 2011-04-16 12:20 GMT]


See: http://payontime.co.uk/

This site has a statutory interest calculator - current rate 8.5% (UK). On top of this, it will tell you how much you can (should) charge in form of an admin fee.

Size of the unpaid debt Amount to be paid to the creditor
Up to £999.99 £40
£1,000 - £9,999.99 £70
£10,000 and above £100

Similar guidelines exist for other EU countries.


 
Lany Chabot-Laroche
Lany Chabot-Laroche  Identity Verified
加拿大
Local time: 01:38
正式会员 (自2009)
English英语译成French法语
I do Apr 16, 2011

I ask for 60 day payment, which is largely sufficient. When a client has not paid for 90 days, I tell them that I will start charging interest the next month, I usually get the check soon after.

I did get situations where payment took 6 months, and it was eventually paid with the late fee penalties.

And yes, in all those cases, I don't work for those clients anymore. If they do however approach me again, I will tell them that I need payment up front.


 
Manuela Junghans
Manuela Junghans  Identity Verified
德国
Local time: 07:38
正式会员 (自2004)
English英语译成German德语
+ ...
Thanks Hermann Apr 16, 2011

I will have a look at those and will apply it to the next invoice of those notoriously late paying clients.

Whether that will change anything remains to be seen.

Otherwise I totally agree with what others have said. I just loose interest in working for those people, and will replace them with better and earlier paying clients...

Have a nice weekend everyone

Manuela


 
Ahmet Murati
Ahmet Murati  Identity Verified
德国
Local time: 07:38
English英语译成Albanian阿尔巴尼亚语
+ ...
I did worked with Russian companies Apr 16, 2011

and in terms of payment in the invoice I stated based on mutual agreement that the payment will be done after 90 days after the invoice is received. Every time that I had to collect the money on 90 day the payment was in my bank account.

 
Marlena Dobosz
Marlena Dobosz
Local time: 07:38
English英语译成Polish波兰语
+ ...
90 days!!! Sep 15, 2011

That's a lot of time... How are You dealing with Your taxes?

 


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Poll: Do you charge a late-payment fee to your client(s)?






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