contract-law ireland
Invoice from work done years ago
<p>I bought a house in 2013 in Ireland, all well and good.</p>
<p>Before everything went ahead, I got a structural survey (recommended, not mandatory).</p>
<p>Conversation with the surveyor went as follows:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Me: I want a survey on my house please</p>
<p>Him: No problem, it costs x. I will do it, then send you the invoice, and release results once payment received</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So it was delayed by 2 weeks or so before he actually got back to me and said he was doing it in the next few days. So I thought grand. Another week elapsed and I followed up and he said sorry there was a delay, I will send over the survey asap. Another week followed, and I eventually got the survey.</p>
<p>Even though he didn't mention any payment, he sent me the survey. So I emailed him and said can I have your bank details please and I will transfer the money for the work done. I never heard back.</p>
<p>5 years later, he has now emailed me and said he was going through his accounts and noticed I never paid him for it (which is true). So he resent me the invoice, and his bank details.</p>
<p>To be honest, at this stage I had forgotten all about it, and I know it's not a huge amount of money, but I'm not currently in a position to pay it.</p>
<p>Is it still legal to send invoices this long from the past?</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>I know it's not a huge amount of money, but I'm not currently in a
  position to pay it.</p>
  
  <p>Is it still legal to send invoices this long from the past?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Yes, it is legal. And the surveyor is still within the <a href="http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1957/act/6/section/11/enacted/en/html" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>statute of limitations</em></a> to sue you for <em>breach of contract</em>.</p>

<p>Beyond the purely legislative aspect, personally I would encourage you to pay the surveyor <em>once you are in a position to do so</em>, even if the statute of limitations had expired. From your description, it seems that the surveyor acted with nobility in that </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Even though he didn't mention any payment, he sent me the survey.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>and there is no indication that the survey was faulty. Thus, it would be opportunistic not to honor your part in the contract under pretext of the <em>statute of limitations</em>.</p>

<p>Consider this: You would not wish to be deprived of compensation today (or once the debtor becomes able to pay you) simply because years earlier you were too overwhelmed to send an invoice for work you actually performed.</p>
