Poll: Do you charge fees for late payment?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Jul 8, 2019

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you charge fees for late payment?".

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neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 13:55
Spanish to English
+ ...
No Jul 8, 2019

Others can do what they like. They don't need my approval, nor I theirs.

 
Jean Dimitriadis
Jean Dimitriadis  Identity Verified
English to French
+ ...
Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt Jul 8, 2019

Do you charge interest or penalty fees for late payments?
- https://www.proz.com/polls/18452

[Edited at 2019-07-08 08:35 GMT]


 
Elizabeth Tamblin
Elizabeth Tamblin  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:55
French to English
N/A Jul 8, 2019

It hasn't happened yet. If/when it does, I won't charge extra - too much hassle.

Christine Andersen
neilmac
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 12:55
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Other Jul 8, 2019

All my old-standing clients pay as agreed and they form my client base. If a new client doesn’t, I will nag them until they pay and will not work for them again. I must say also that I never accept huge jobs from first-time clients, unless they are well-known organizations. I’ve just looked at my records and the last reminder I’ve sent was in 2016. In over 30 years, I faced 5 serious non-payment issues (in 2 instances I had to hire a lawyer, the others were small amounts).

neilmac
Philip Lees
Eckhard Boehle
 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 13:55
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
No Jul 8, 2019

It doesn't happen often, but in practically all cases a reminder is followed up with a meek apology and money in the bank straight away. The less hassle the better!

Eoghan McMonagle
Edith van der Have
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Els Govaerts
Philippe Etienne
neilmac
Gibril Koroma
 
Edith van der Have
Edith van der Have
Netherlands
Local time: 13:55
Member (2016)
English to Dutch
+ ...
No ... Jul 8, 2019

... as they would be too hard to actually get paid, and they would make bookkeeping more complex. First of all, I check all clients on beforehand - really effective because only a small minority of them pay too late - and second of all I have an efficient procedure to handle late payments. Up to now, all clients have paid me eventually, even without a debt collection agency or legal steps.

Liena Vijupe
Els Govaerts
Muriel Vasconcellos
 
Nina Khmielnitzky
Nina Khmielnitzky  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 08:55
Member (2004)
English to French
For deliquent clients Jul 8, 2019

I had two agencies taking forever to pay and they were large sums. I started charging late fees. One agency dumped me (they sent me lots of work before I started charging fees) and I dumped the other one.

Diana Obermeyer
 
Philippe Etienne
Philippe Etienne  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 13:55
Member
English to French
No Jul 8, 2019

Late payments used to happen, and I never charged interest. I only used to grumble.
But I don't want to be a cashflow safety net to needy or careless clients. Over the years I have managed to replace late payers who systematically needed reminders with clients who pay when agreed (30 days end of month).
I hardly remind anybody nowadays and it suits me well.

Philippe


Diana Obermeyer
 
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 13:55
Member (2012)
English to Danish
+ ...
No Jul 8, 2019

but I threaten to do it.

 
Barbara Cochran, MFA
Barbara Cochran, MFA  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 08:55
Spanish to English
+ ...
No Jul 8, 2019

There has only been one client, over in Paris, who didn't pay me on time, probably because she was busy with other things. So I think that it just happened to slip her mind.

I decided to remind her on my birthday that she was past due, and she paid me almost the instant I contacted her. Nice birthday present, since it was a large project!

[Edited at 2019-07-08 17:19 GMT]


 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 05:55
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
No Jul 9, 2019

They're not set up to do that, so it only creates animosity.

 
Mair A-W (PhD)
Mair A-W (PhD)
Germany
Local time: 13:55
German to English
+ ...
Eventually Jul 9, 2019

I send a polite reminder first but if that doesn't get a response, or receives evasions/lies, then yes, the next step includes a small late charge. I have done this twice so far, received payment from both clients eventually, and not worked with either of them again.

(Perhaps there are different expectations in different countries. This is the same procedure used by most German businesses I've interacted with. An initial reminder, "we understand things get lost/forgotten sometimes,
... See more
I send a polite reminder first but if that doesn't get a response, or receives evasions/lies, then yes, the next step includes a small late charge. I have done this twice so far, received payment from both clients eventually, and not worked with either of them again.

(Perhaps there are different expectations in different countries. This is the same procedure used by most German businesses I've interacted with. An initial reminder, "we understand things get lost/forgotten sometimes, but please pay now or we'll charge", a small charge, and then escalation).
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Diana Obermeyer
 


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Poll: Do you charge fees for late payment?






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