[Question] Time limit on invoice issuance

[Haniel]

Hi

We took over an existing entity from December 2016. We did due diligence, the Company was clean, there were no outstanding issues and the books were audited. We have just been sent 2 invoices totalling almost R2000 for work done in April 2016. I have disputed them since it is not a company we have dealt with, we have no proof that services were requested or delivered, and in any event it predates the new business by 8 months! It is of course possible that they relate to the previous trading but we have no information.

Is the a time limit by which businesses have to issue an invoice before it is too late?

anyone had a similar situation, and any advice on how to proceed?

[AmithS]

I would be interested to know as well as so many businesses change hands daily.

I was under the impression that an article \ advert had to be put in the government gazette informing all debtors and creditors of the sale and giving them a certain time frame in which to come forward before the sale is finalised to protect the buyer from unknown financial and contractual items. This of course would exclude the day to day finances and any special circumstances that would of been documented in the sale contract.

[Dave A]

Ordinary prescription is 3 years.

[AmithS]

Hi Haniel, did you manage to solve your invoice situation? What was the outcome?

[Haniel]

hi

We queried the invoice with the company, stating that the company to whom the service was provided had changed, that we had no record of the service having been delivered, or which authorised officer of the company had requested the service, and that to invoice us 18 months after the service was delivered was not acceptable. We therefore dispute the invoice and do not accept it.

THat was about 3 weeks ago now and we have heard nothing more. I will update the thread if there's a response from them.