How to get my money from a US agency? Thread poster: Floriane D (X)
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Floriane D (X) 
France
Local time: 15:35
English to French
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Hello everyone!
Here is my first post on this forum and I was hoping someone could help. I am a French freelance translator, living and working in France. I did translations for a US translation agency (I checked their website and they looked reliable) in September 2010 and sent them my first invoice which was due in December 2010 (They pay 90 days from receipt of invoice).
Of course, in December 2010, I hadn't received anything. I tried to contact them and they told me... See more Hello everyone!
Here is my first post on this forum and I was hoping someone could help. I am a French freelance translator, living and working in France. I did translations for a US translation agency (I checked their website and they looked reliable) in September 2010 and sent them my first invoice which was due in December 2010 (They pay 90 days from receipt of invoice).
Of course, in December 2010, I hadn't received anything. I tried to contact them and they told me they were late in the payment of invoices but that they will pay. Until today, I haven't received anything and when I contact them to have news they don't even answer. I was wondering if there was something I could do to get my money. The amount is quite important and I am determined to get it.
I am French and it's a US company. How do I proceed? I found on the Internet that I could send a formal notice but I am not sure as I am French if it will have an impact or something.
Have you already faced such an issue and what did you do?
Thanks in advance for all your answers.
Flo ▲ Collapse
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Add a Blueboard entry in Proz.com. If they are not reliable business partners, you can help other translators by reporting your lack of wish to work for them again (with a Likely of Working Again score of 1 in the Blueboard).
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Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 06:35
English to German
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In memoriam | Maybe start charging interest and send a revised invoice | Apr 14, 2011 |
This is absolutely legitimate. The interest rate charged by of one of my US clients to their clients is 18%.
All of the sudden postponing your payment might look much less attractive.
Addendum:
If your are used as a credit institute you might as well act like one.
[Edited at 2011-04-14 17:45 GMT]
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Heinrich Pesch
Finland
Local time: 16:35
Member (2003)
Finnish to German
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| Did you obey their procedures? | Apr 14, 2011 |
Some agencies (more all the time) want to automatise their invoicing system. So sending an invoice the normal way (to the PM) would be wrong. Did they give special instructions for invoicing?
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Holly Nathan (X)
Italy
Local time: 15:35
Italian to English
| well well well | Apr 14, 2011 |
Nicole Schnell wrote:
This is absolutely legitimate. The interest rate charged by of one of my US clients to their clients is 18%.
All of the sudden postponing your payment might look much less attractive.
Is it? Won't they just turn round and say "We never agreed to any such terms, this means nothing". I would have loved to have done this with certain people in the past but I never thought you could. Not to sound like a doubting thomas (because I certainly know little about the law when it comes to stuff like this) but how do you know you can do this Nicholle? I would love to know!
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Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 06:35
English to German
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In memoriam | Because you can. | Apr 14, 2011 |
Holly Nathan wrote: Nicole Schnell wrote:
This is absolutely legitimate. The interest rate charged by of one of my US clients to their clients is 18%.
All of the sudden postponing your payment might look much less attractive. Is it? Won't they just turn round and say "We never agreed to any such terms, this means nothing". I would have loved to have done this with certain people in the past but I never thought you could. Not to sound like a doubting thomas (because I certainly know little about the law when it comes to stuff like this) but how do you know you can do this Nicholle? I would love to know!
Nobody can hinder you to make amendments to any contract, especially after the original one has been breached already by the agency by delaying payment. But read carefully: I said "start" charging interest. You can not claim interest rates for the months that have gone by if you didn't state so in your original invoice.
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Floriane D wrote:
I am French and it's a US company. How do I proceed?
What are your written agreements with the company? I mean do you have such an agreement with them? Does it say when they will pay the invoices and at what rate (some agencies put this in a separate document)?
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First off, I'm alarmed by the 90 day payment policy.
Any client unwilling to pay you within 30 days of invoice or less is a red flag.
I don't care what their excuse is or what country they live in.
My bills come every month. So should my payments.
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yugoslavia
United States
Local time: 09:35
English to Spanish
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| List of American collection agencies | Jun 25, 2011 |
Hi Florianne,
I will be glad to help you. I experienced the same problem with some American translation agencies. I can send you a list of debt collection agencies who can help you to collect your money. What state of The United States your debtor is located?
Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected].
Best regards,
Yugoslavia
[Edited at 2011-06-26 06:48 GMT]
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| check it over | Oct 22, 2011 |
Heinrich Pesch wrote:
Some agencies (more all the time) want to automatise their invoicing system. So sending an invoice the normal way (to the PM) would be wrong. Did they give special instructions for invoicing?
Maybe.Check everything over and send email to the company for help or for explanation.
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