Need help collecting a debt

[firekeeper]

What is the name of your state? NC

In 2005 I signed an agreement with a company based in Pennsylvania to do some online work for them The agreement stated that payment would be made within 30 days of the receipt of an invoice. They paid on time and regularly for the first year.

I did no work in 2006 due to personal situations and began working for them again in January 2007. I was not asked to sign a new agreement and was told the 30 day payment still stood.

I completed 6 projects for them in February and March and mailed invoices. None have been paid as yet.

Repeated requests for information from the billing department have been ignored. I finally contacted the company's president directly and was told he would "look into it." He then posted on their forum that payments were behind and realistically the term needed to be changed from 30 to 45 days and that payments would now be made only on alternating Fridays. The online version of the agreement was changed to reflect the new terms but we were not asked nor required to sign a new agreement.

I believe, since my invoices were sent prior to this change and I have not signed any new agreement with the company, they are obligated to pay my according to the terms of our original agreement. I have sent multiple e-mails to the company stating my views and giving them ample opportunites to correct the problem. Again the e-mails have been ignored.

We've been told now via the forum that payments will be made on the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month but that the first of these new "paydays" will not occur until the 20th of this month...meaning all of my outstanding invoices will be 40 + days over due.

I have sent a registered letter demanding payment for the amounts outstanding from the first 3 invoices immediately and giving them until the 11th when the final invoice has exceeded it's 30 day limit to pay the remaining 3 invoices.

My question is, if I need to file a case in small claims court, what type of documentation would be best to have with me? I have an unsigned copy of the original agreement (and may be able to find my signed copy if it's needed), copies of all e-mails from me and the very few from them, copies of the posts on the forum and of course the invoices I have sent.

Is there anything else that I could have that would make my case stronger?

[debtcollector`]

I hope you realize that while you will most likely be paid according to the terms laid out online, your actions will prevent you from ever working with that company again.

Late payments are a fact of business. Most companies don't pay until 60 days after invoice.

DC

[firekeeper]

If I had a problem with not working for these people again I would not have posted nor would I have taken the matter as far as I have already. I am well aware I will not be working for them in the future but if they don't pay what difference does it make?

So far at 30 days we were told one more week and at 37 days we were told 45 days and now that we have exceeded the 45 days we were told MAYBE in two more weeks. The company was paid for the work we did by their clients. They need to step up and pay those of us who got them that money.

The fact that other companies don't pay until 60 days is irrelevant to this situation. THEIR contract with me states 30 days and I intend to hold them to it.

It's not as if they are even TRYING to work out an arrangement with me, I and 200 others are being totally ignored.