Payment excuses are getting more inventive

The cheque is in the post has a whole new ring to it given the industrial relations at Royal Mail. Where has all the money gone? It is certainly not circulating in the construction industry and I don't think it is just in a sorting office in London. Given that cash is “King” it is not surprising that at every level of the supply chain it is being held on to for so long.

We all know that practices such as “Pay when Paid” and “Pay if Paid” are no longer legal. We also know that they are rife. What this latest recession has created is a whole new set of excuses. They cannot say that they haven't been paid so they come up with another excuse. So in a light hearted way I open up my comment today for others to provide the best excuses they have heard recently. To start the ball rolling let me offer a few from my recent experience in no particular order.

1. “You did not get paid this month because the payment date fell on a Saturday”

2. “Your cheque was the biggest - so it didn't get signed. You will have to wait another week!”

3. “I know I owe you some money but you haven't been chasing me hard enough for it.”

4. “ I lost the copy of your insurance so I couldn't put a valuation in last month”

5. “You didn't backdate your invoice so the accounts took another 30 days credit”

6. “You won't be paid until you have completed the defect liability period works” (This is one month away from the end of the period and a year after the work was completed. We still have not got any money on this small project.)

7. “The QS is off sick with stress!” (I'll give him STRESS!”)

So readers - what are your best or worst excuses? I could offer a prize for the best excuse - but I would then just tell the winner that “the cheque is in the post”.