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We quite clearly love freelance life. Over at FFJ headquarters we frequently state that we would never ever go back to being staff for one company. The freedom, flexibility and variety that freelance affords us is just too important to us.
That said there is one aspect of freelancing that really really grinds our gears and you can probably guess from the title of this newsletter what it is. Yep getting paid.
As freelancers it is important for us to pitch great ideas, meet the brief of any commissions and hit those deadlines. We’re holding up our end of the bargain but unfortunately, as most freelance journalists will attest, our clients are not always affording us the same respect. Not when it comes to paying promptly and without hours of ridiculous form filling.
FFJ co-founder Emma, tweeted about this very issue just this week after weeks of dealing with a payment for £550 that seems to have just gone missing. After first chasing once the 30 days were up (despite being on holiday) and being told it had been paid, then that there had been a mistake, that it was now going through, that it definitely gone from there end now, to no it hasn’t and now we can’t get an answer from the payment teams, it’s been a saga and a half. All for one invoice.
“I write mainly for specialist titles who I know well and they are on the whole very prompt at paying, they know my payment terms and respect it, but it’s still amazing how often things go wrong,” says Emma. “This latest example is work for a very large company that regularly pay me for articles with no problem but I’m now having to waste my time keeping on at them because I can’t get a straight answer. They are apologetic but it doesn’t solve my problem.”
With another couple of invoices that are late but with payments now promised later this week, Emma was missing £2,000 at the point of writing this newsletter. And the responses to her tweet show she is far from alone. In fact Emma points out that over the years she has honed her clients to ones that (usually) pay well and quickly, so she may have to deal with this less often than those who work for national papers or are new to the industry. And none of this relates to payment on publication - another way in which media organisations screw over those providing them with valued content.
But as ever our goal at FFJ is to find practical solutions, so knowing that prompt payment is a pervasive industry-wide problem, what can we do to limit its impact and fight back?
Our top tips for managing late payments
Agree a rate and deadline upfront
Whatever you do don’t wait until after you file a piece to talk money. You need to know the rate to know whether the commission is worth your time. This includes not being afraid to negotiate a rate that seems low. If you’re not sure what an acceptable rate is check out Journo Resources or the NUJ for guidance.
Keep on top of your paperwork
Make sure you file those invoices straight away, either with any copy you submit or as soon as you have had an acknowledgment it’s been received. Have a way to keep track so you know when a payment has been made or is overdue. This doesn’t have to be fancy accounting software, a basic spreadsheet will do the job as long as you understand it.
Include payment terms on your invoice
By law in the UK, you are within your rights to set your own payment terms, such as discounts for early payment and payment upfront and unless you agree a payment date, the customer must pay you within 30 days of getting your invoice or the goods or service. To make that doubly clear, although you don’t have to include this for this timescale to apply, it’s a good idea to have a standard line on your invoice that payment is to be made to your bank account within 30 days.
Charge late payment fees
You also have the right, if you choose, to add interest onto your invoice once a payment is late. The decision to do this may rely on who the client is, how late the payment is and whether they are actually engaging with you on getting a payment sorted. The details of what you can charge (8% plus the Bank of England base rate as well as £40 compensation) can be found here. There’s even a handy calculator so you don’t have to work it out. Sometimes just threatening to add these charges can suddenly make a payment magically appear. We all have bills to pay and the rules are there for a reason.
Deal with accounts directly
Of course you want to keep a good working relationship with your editor and most of the time payments are dealt with by a completely different department. Once you’re into overdue/missing payment territory it’s best to get the contact details of the person in accounts who can chase this up for you.
Don’t be afraid to fight back
Be polite but firm and don’t be afraid to chase all payments from the second they are overdue. The more of us that stand up and demand our rights, the more hassle we create and the more companies realise its easier to pay their freelancers promptly and without fuss the first time.
Know that an invoice is enough
We have all been bogged down in stupid form filling. Sally Howard, a longtime freelance journalist, has urged all freelance journalists to push back against what she says is a “vicious creep” of payment administration. All you have to do under UK law to be paid is send an invoice with the correct information (see government guidelines here). Companies that “get you to jump through hoops and fill in numerous forms as a delaying tactic or to offload administrative admin to you” are not operating in good faith and within the bounds of the law. She advises freelancers facing this admin overload to direct clients to the government page outlining their rights to be paid once an invoice has been received.
Ask your fellow freelancers for advice
If you’re not sure what your rights are or how to deal with a late payment, the best thing to do is ask other freelancers. There will always be someone who can provide well-earned wisdom on what to do next. If you’re not already in it our Facebook Community is just the place for such questions.
We have been working with some colleagues on setting out expectations for freelance pay. Watch this space and we’ll let you know all about it when we’re ready to launch!
Quick Guides
Also if you need some freelance help check out our Quick Guides on everything from pitching to finances and contracts. You can see more information at our PayHip store by clicking the button below.
Triumph of the week
Finding a new contact who could not have been more perfect for the piece you’re working on.
That feeling when
You are in the middle of a phone interview when you hear children screaming in the garden (thorn emergency and yes there was blood). How long until the summer hols finish again?
We love to hear your feedback on everything we do, so feel free to drop us an email anytime at freelancingforjournalists@gmail.com
Bye for now!