| Stran v tématu: [1 2] > | Rules for a translation job in belgium Autor vlákna: Francesco Damiani
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Good evening. Since two months I have been living in Bruxelles, and someone had choiced me for a
French>Italian translation. Doesn't some rules change abroad, do they? I mean: as soon as I finish my
translation, my client will pay me, but until the delivery can't I charge him anything but a cash advance,
can I?
Best
Francesco
| | | | | Everything is a question of an agreement | Aug 13, 2014 |
between the parties. End of the story
| | | | Gerard de Noord 
Francie
Local time: 21:09
Člen (2003)
angličtina -> nizozemština
+ ...
| Nothing has changed | Aug 13, 2014 |
Nothing has changed if you're still operating from Sicilia.
Cheers,
Gerard
| | | | Francesco Damiani
Belgie
Local time: 21:09
francouzština -> italština
+ ...
AUTOR TÉMATU | From Sicilia? Not | Aug 13, 2014 |
No. I have been operating from Bruxelles, not from Sicilia.
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Francesco Damiani
Belgie
Local time: 21:09
francouzština -> italština
+ ...
AUTOR TÉMATU | Thank you to everybody, of course................. | Aug 13, 2014 |
..............but nobody can answer from Belgium?
Best
Francesco
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Španělsko
Local time: 20:09
Člen (2007)
angličtina
+ ...
| I think Pawel summed it up | Aug 13, 2014 |
I've operated in France and Spain and there are no different "rules", just different things to write on the invoice.
If you're getting paid on receipt rather than waiting 30+ days then you're doing nicely, IMO. If you reckon you can get an advance too then you're onto a real winner.
| | | | Gerard de Noord
Francie
Local time: 21:09
Člen (2003)
angličtina -> nizozemština
+ ...
Francesco Damiani wrote:
No. I have been operating from Bruxelles, not from Sicilia.
My compliments for setting up your business in Belgium within two months. In your (discount) niche of the translation industry nobody will pay you upon delivery and nobody will pay you in advance. So, I guess, nothing will change for you.
Cheers,
Gerard
| | | | Francesco Damiani
Belgie
Local time: 21:09
francouzština -> italština
+ ...
AUTOR TÉMATU | I had thought | Aug 14, 2014 |
Good morning Gerard and good morning to everybody. Perhaps I could get my translation, but I
could avoid sending it before seeing my money.
Francesco
PS Sorry, Gerard, what does it mean
"nobody will pay you upon delivery?"
Francesco
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Woodstock (X)
Německo
Local time: 21:09
němčina -> angličtina
+ ...
| It's not customary | Aug 14, 2014 |
Francesco Damiani wrote:
"what does it mean 'nobody will pay you upon delivery'?"
Francesco
Hello,
Certainly in the countries I'm familiar with, the normal payment target is 30 days after receipt of invoice, and that is general EU policy. However, some countries have different payment modalities and conventions, i.e. 45 or 60 days - it depends on what the two parties agree to. Advance (partial) payments can be arranged with new customers, but again, both sides have to agree to it. It is not obligatory. Technically, you possess the rights to the translation until you are paid for it. That can be used as leverage in a dispute, but - as far as I know - only then and only on the advice of a lawyer. Ideally you want to build long-term relationships with your clients. Pressuring them to pay you BEFORE you submit your work is highly unusual, and would probably end any potential working relationship on the spot.
I'm not sure what Gerard means by "in your (discount) niche of the industry...", I may be missing something here, but I didn't study your profile. If you have been working in this industry as a freelancer for awhile, it might seem a bit unusual to others that you are unfamiliar with such basic translation business practices.
| | | | Francesco Damiani
Belgie
Local time: 21:09
francouzština -> italština
+ ...
AUTOR TÉMATU
Thank you, Woodstock.
Francesco
| | | | | Try the French forum? | Aug 14, 2014 |
Francesco,
It might be easier to find answers from Belgians and to formulate your question a little more clearly if you post it in French in the French forum.
Different countries have very different customs regarding payment, and Italy seems to have some of the worst and slowest payers, so things may be better with Belgian clients. As others have mentioned, though, it does not matter where you are - it matters where your clients are, what their expectations are and what... See more Francesco,
It might be easier to find answers from Belgians and to formulate your question a little more clearly if you post it in French in the French forum.
Different countries have very different customs regarding payment, and Italy seems to have some of the worst and slowest payers, so things may be better with Belgian clients. As others have mentioned, though, it does not matter where you are - it matters where your clients are, what their expectations are and what conditions you can get them to accept.
Michael ▲ Collapse
| | | | Francesco Damiani
Belgie
Local time: 21:09
francouzština -> italština
+ ...
AUTOR TÉMATU
Right, Michael, and thanks you for your explications
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Steven Segaert
Estonsko
Local time: 22:09
Člen (2012)
angličtina -> nizozemština
+ ...
| Most Belgians do speak English :-) | Aug 14, 2014 |
If you work as a freelancer (self-employed), your clients will have to pay your invoice. How you invoice (payment terms, etc) is between you and your client. Including whether or not you get paid an advance, or in instalments.
If you are an employee, that is a different story.
[Edited at 2014-08-14 10:39 GMT]
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I have been living and working as a translator (in-house and freelance) in Belgium for the last 30 years and as far as I know clients in Belgium are as diverse as anywhere else in the world. The same goes for their payment practices, though the normal payment target is 30 days after receipt of invoice. I hardly ever asked for an advance and payment terms are always agreed before starting translating. The bulk of my customers pay as agreed. I may have had to send a few reminders over the years, b... See more I have been living and working as a translator (in-house and freelance) in Belgium for the last 30 years and as far as I know clients in Belgium are as diverse as anywhere else in the world. The same goes for their payment practices, though the normal payment target is 30 days after receipt of invoice. I hardly ever asked for an advance and payment terms are always agreed before starting translating. The bulk of my customers pay as agreed. I may have had to send a few reminders over the years, but not too many and certainly not regularly. In 30 years, I only faced 2 serious non-payment issues (in both instances I had to hire a lawyer). ▲ Collapse
| | | | Francesco Damiani
Belgie
Local time: 21:09
francouzština -> italština
+ ...
AUTOR TÉMATU | Està bom, Teresa | Aug 14, 2014 |
Obrigado.
Vejas tambèm o que acabo de escrever.
See what I had written, please.
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