What to do when a site has not paid you
- pay
- rights
- workers
The work is done. The date has passed. The money is not there.
This happens. It does not mean the money is gone. Work through these steps in order. Do not skip to the last one first.
Step 1 — Get your proof together
Before you ask anyone for anything, put your evidence in one place.
- The dates you worked, and the hours each day.
- Where you worked.
- Your invoice, and the day you sent it.
- Any message agreeing the rate or the work.
This is the step that decides everything after it. A worker with dates and hours gets paid. A worker who says "about three weeks in June" argues for months.
Photos of a paper timesheet count. A message you sent at the end of each day counts. Anything with a date on it is better than memory.
Step 2 — Ask, in writing
Call if you like, but send it in writing too. A short message is enough.
I invoiced on 3 August for 11 days at Albion Road. Payment was due on 31 August. It has not arrived. Please confirm when it is being paid.
Keep it short and keep it calm. You are creating a record, not winning an argument. Most late payments end here.
Step 3 — Know the two things in your favour
Two rules exist that many workers never use.
You can charge interest. On a commercial debt you can add interest. The rate is 8% above the Bank of England base rate.
You can also add a fixed sum for the cost of chasing it. It is £40, £70 or £100, depending on the size of the debt.
You do not need this written into a contract. It is in the law.
You may be able to stop work. On most construction contracts you have a right to suspend. It applies when you have not been paid what is due, and no proper notice was given for holding it back.
You must give at least seven days' written notice first. You must also say what you are owed.
Suspending is a serious step and the rules around it are strict. Read them, or take advice, before you use it.
Step 4 — Adjudication
Construction has something most industries do not. You can refer a payment dispute to an adjudicator at any time. They must decide within 28 days.
It is faster than court and it is designed for exactly this. The decision binds both sides straight away.
Step 5 — Small claims
For smaller amounts, the small claims court is cheap and you do not need a solicitor. You can start it online. The fee depends on the amount and you can usually add it to what you are claiming.
What decides how this goes
Not who shouts loudest. The dates and the hours.
Every step above rests on the same thing: proof of what you worked and when. A worker who can show it is in a strong position at every stage. A worker who cannot is negotiating.
Start keeping it now, not the week it goes wrong.
Where these rules come from
The interest and fixed sum are from the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. The right to suspend and the right to adjudicate are from the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, as amended in 2009. Small claims are explained at gov.uk — Make a court claim for money.
This is a plain-English summary and not legal advice. If a lot of money is involved, speak to someone who can look at your contract.
On VORDO, your hours are saved as you work them — the day, the site, and the time in and out. Not so we have a record. So you do.
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