Paying for professional services

[teddypops]

See, I don't understand why people would wait to pay vet bills. And I don't say that as someone with oodles of money at my disposal!
You wouldn't expect to take your car to the garage, drive it away and pay anything up to a month later.
Car bills can be as unexpected and as big as vet bills, so why are vet bills different?!
Ok, for big unexpected bills it's nice to have some breathing space, but surely part of having a horse is knowing this is pretty much inevitable, and therefore being prepared (either via insurance and up front conversations with your vet about whether direct insurance payments are acceptable, or savings or credit card as applicable) and taking responsibility is the important thing here?

You wouldn’t be able to pay my vet straight away as they do all the invoicing for the month at the end of the month then send it out at the start of the following They won’t take payment if they don’t know how much to take.

 

[teddypops]

I have a farrier out to shoe one of my horses & I pay him as soon as it's done. If a physio comes out and treats a horse I pay on completion. If I have a vet out I pay when an invoice arrives at my door. One specialist vet I use I pay immediately he has done the treatment because he offers 10% of for immediate payment so it is in my interest to do that. I pay for feed & hay when it's delivered, cash or BACS. If I go to a shop to buy something I pay immediately & that is expected, I cannot understand why some people seem to think that paying for equine treatment, feed, hay etc over a extended period of time is acceptable. It is not up to the vet, feed merchant, hay producer etc to subidise our hobbies.

Do people not pay the way the individual person/ company want paying? I pay for dentist/ farrier/ physio at the time of the appointment because this is what they want. I pay my vets bills when I receive the invoice - They want payment within 28 days. I go to a shop to buy feed so pay then. The farmer up the road makes my haylage and will not take payment until just before he makes it the following year! He does other stuff for us and puts everything for the whole year on one bill.

 

[Tarragon]

I just pay promptly and in full in whatever format the professional requests (which does include cash for those who want to stay below the tax radar!)

 

[Tiddlypom]

You wouldn’t be able to pay my vet straight away as they do all the invoicing for the month at the end of the month then send it out at the start of the following They won’t take payment if they don’t know how much to take.

Exactly how my equine vets work too.

The ambulatory vets don't waste time in totting up the exact amount due at a visit and processing the payment, instead they are off to see the next client.

They do let the office know exactly what was done, and the office itemises the bill and sends out monthly invoices at the start of the following month.

With small animal vets it's easier to invoice at the time if you take the animal in. Vet says what they've done, office bod in situ tots up the bill, client pays before leaving.

 

[sjdress]

if it’s a cash payment I pay on the day. If they invoice me I pay as soon as I receive it.

 

[Kat]

My farrier I used to pay cash at the appointment, I use a trimmer now and generally pay by BACS on the day as I am not normally there.

Dentist, I leave cash for him so he is paid on the day.

Instructor I pay cash at the end of the lesson apart from some clinics that require upfront payment by BACS.

Livery by standing order, but any extras would be by BACS when I get the bill.

Bedding over the phone by card when arranging delivery (apart from one supplier who is cash on collection only)

Back lady either cash or BACS on the day.

The vet annoys me though. They do a discount if you pay same day so I always pay for routine visits immediately but the vet never wants to do it there and then and prefers you to call reception and pay over the phone. Fine, I am happy to do that but they never get the bill on the system promptly so I end up making multiple calls, and last time after calling on the day it slipped my mind to call again the next day until they called me. I was embarrassed but the system is crap.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I just pay promptly and in full in whatever format the professional requests (which does include cash for those who want to stay below the tax radar!)

Why are you aiding tax evasion? If someone earns enough to pay tax they should pay tax! You don’t get a choice if you are PAYE and there are many ways for a business to legally minimise tax paid.

 

[Tarragon]

Why are you aiding tax evasion? If someone earns enough to pay tax they should pay tax! You don’t get a choice if you are PAYE and there are many ways for a business to legally minimise tax paid.

I suppose what I meant is that I don't ask questions if asked to pay cash.