Not being paid

CompanyViews

Hi guys,

I'm a musician who performed at a pre-awards ceremony in a certain Dublin hotel two months ago and I've not been paid for it. The company is very well known in Ireland.

I had submitted an invoice with a purchase order number.

I've been able to reach the company by phone and email but the can has continually been kicked down the road and I've never waited this long.

Please advise as to whether you think this is just luck of the draw and to wait it out or what steps ought to/can be taken.

Many thanks in advance.

Dav010

CompanyViews wrote: »

Hi guys,

I'm a musician who performed at a pre-awards ceremony in a certain Dublin hotel two months ago and I've not been paid for it. The company is very well known in Ireland.

I had submitted an invoice with a purchase order number.

I've been able to reach the company by phone and email but the can has continually been kicked down the road and I've never waited this long.

Please advise as to whether you think this is just luck of the draw and to wait it out or what steps ought to/can be taken.

Many thanks in advance.

Small claims court, but of course you will have to weigh up the implications of this on potential future bookings.

CompanyViews

Dav010 wrote: »

Small claims court, but of course you will have to weigh up the implications of this on potential future bookings.

Okay thanks a lot.

Rows Grower

If I was to surmise I would think the company sub contracted the booking of the entertainment, paid the sub contractor in full for it and you are barking up the wrong tree.

But I'm only surmising and I genuinely hope you do not end up out of pocket for this.

TheChizler

Dav010 wrote: »

Small claims court, but of course you will have to weigh up the implications of this on potential future bookings.

Doesn't the debtor have to be a business for that to work here? Do you have a business set up op?

SeaFields

Calling them out on social media might be an idea if you're that way inclined.

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TheChizler wrote: »

Doesn't the debtor have to be a business for that to work here? Do you have a business set up op?

Small claims court does not require you to be a company

Del2005

SeaFields wrote: »

Calling them out on social media might be an idea if you're that way inclined.

And never work in the industry again.

Rows Grower

TheChizler wrote: »

Doesn't the debtor have to be a business for that to work here? Do you have a business set up op?

The small claims court is open to any member of the public to use.

Why would you assume the op is not legit?

Charles Ingles

Turn up in person, be polite but persistent that you require payment.
Nothing is easier that ignoring an email,face to face is a different matter

drunkmonkey

Ignore everything above about the small claims courts. It's not the way to handle this.

Did you get a purchase order number for the company, it sounds like you did if so contact their accounts department that's who would be paying you.
If you didn't get a purchase order number contact who ever booked you.

Rows Grower

Charles Ingles wrote: »

Turn up in person, be polite but persistent that you require payment.
Nothing is easier that ignoring an email,face to face is a different matter

I would have the exact opposite opinion.

Charles Ingles

Rows Grower wrote: »

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I would have the exact opposite opinion.

So don't turn up, be rude and tell them your not they bothered when you get paid?
I'm sure that will work

ogsjw

Contact the awards organizers? Court sounds like a load of hassle.

Rows Grower

Charles Ingles wrote: »

So don't turn up, be rude and tell them your not they bothered when you get paid?
I'm sure that will work

That's not what I meant.

The pen is mightier than the sword.

endacl

Del2005 wrote: »

And never work in the industry again.

Not a concern. It’s not an ‘industry’.

elfy4eva

Two months is long enough, future bookings is only a concern if the place actually pays you.

Dav010

endacl wrote: »

Not a concern. It’s not an ‘industry’.

Entertainment industry?

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Dav010 wrote: »

Small claims court, but of course you will have to weigh up the implications of this on potential future bookings.

Small Claims does not cover a business or individual as the seller of the goods or service only as the purchaser.

ogsjw

Dav010 wrote: »

Entertainment industry?

You believe the entire Republic's entertainment industry is gonna make OP the only blacklisted oboe player in Ireland or summat? He didn't get paid, nobody cares what he does as long as it stays words. His face isn't going to be up on a cork board somewhere in the bowels of RTE.

TheChizler

Darius Large Brunette wrote: »

Small claims court does not require you to be a company

It does for disputes over contract which this would fall under.

Rows Grower wrote: »

The small claims court is open to any member of the public to use.

Why would you assume the op is not legit?

Only for consumer claims for goods against a business which this isn't, damage to property which this isn't, or withholding of a rent deposit which this isn't.

Not implying the op isn't legit in any way. Not all musicians are set up as companies or sole traders.

rpmcs

Ok you need to ring accounts. As you have a po number from them means you are not barking up the wrong tree in my opinion.
Keep ringing as much as you can.
I deal in different industry but it's the same with some. Until you basically hound them it gets ignored. Sometimes its helps in future to have agreement that if its paid by 30days then you reduce by 5%. It helps sometimes.
Small claims might be needed. But it has to be under certain value.
I'd keep ringing first. Get talking to a person in accounts.
Just my two cents.

L1011

This isn't a consumer issue as nobody is a consumer in this case; but I'm not sure where to move it to right now... I'll decide and move it and reopen.

Rows Grower

TheChizler wrote: »

It does for disputes over contract which this would fall under.



Only for consumer claims for goods against a business which this isn't, damage to property which this isn't, or withholding of a rent deposit which this isn't.

Not implying the op isn't legit in any way. Not all musicians are set up as companies or sole traders.

The Small Claims Court is a service provided by the District Court offices and is designed to handle consumer claims and business claims cheaply without involving a solicitor.

Hal3000

Charles Ingles wrote: »

Turn up in person, be polite but persistent that you require payment.
Nothing is easier that ignoring an email,face to face is a different matter

Agree, letters - emails - phonecalls are all ignored. I would turn up and request to speak to a manager. Be polite but firm and ask how they would deal with a non paying customer ?

Still waters

book yourself in for a few nights until the debt is repayed

CompanyViews

Okay, lots of ideas here and appreciate the advice.

I wasn't subcontracted and I did ring accounts but ended talking to head office but that was a month ago.

I'll wait a little longer and may take the step of approaching them while being civil.

Will post back here if anything escalates.

Del2005

Del2005 wrote: »

And never work in the industry again.

No business who is capable of paying for a musician within two months (especially those usually on a precarious income) should be the slightest bit worried.

Two months is plenty of time to pay a performer for their services.

If I were in your shoes, I would warn the company that you will highlight this on social media, give them up to a fortnight to pay, and thereafter call them out publicly.

NewbridgeIR

Had a similar problem back in the mid-90s re payment for a DJing gig. Eventually told them I would go to the Gardai if they didn’t pay up within 3 days. That worked and I got a cheque dropped to my house the day after.

Del2005

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

No business who is capable of paying for a musician within two months (especially those usually on a precarious income) should be the slightest bit worried.

Two months is plenty of time to pay a performer for their services.

If I were in your shoes, I would warn the company that you will highlight this on social media, give them up to a fortnight to pay, and thereafter call them out publicly.

It's nothing to do with the business its to do with the next job. Ireland is a small country and if the OP gets a name for publicly shaming a company you'd be surprised who knows who and that will affect future jobs.

Don't a lot of companies only pay after 90 days for invoices? Loads of small traders complain about the delay between invoicing and payments.

There is a law in Ireland for late paying.

Call to them in person and ask for money. Email and phone is easy to ignore