How to chase an unpaid invoice

Most late payers aren’t refusing. They’ve forgotten. Start friendly, get firmer step by step, and keep a record.

A simple chasing routine

  1. Before it’s due. A short reminder a few days before the due date prevents most late payments.
  2. Just after the due date. Assume it slipped their mind. Resend the invoice and ask when you can expect payment.
  3. About two weeks late. Firmer and specific: give a date to pay by, and ask them to tell you if there’s a problem with the work.
  4. Final notice. State what you’ll do next and by when. Only say it if you mean it.

Phone as well as email if you can. Keep copies of everything you send; you’ll need them if it ever goes further.

The reminders

Copy one, change the bits in [square brackets], and send.

A friendly reminder before it’s due

Subject: Invoice [number] due on [date]

Subject: Invoice [number] due on [date]

Hi [Name],

A quick reminder that invoice [number] for [the job], [amount], is due on [date].

You can pay by bank transfer to:
[Account name]
[Sort code] · [Account number]
Reference: [invoice number]

Thanks again for the work,
[Your name]
[Business name]

A few days overdue

Subject: Invoice [number]: payment now due

Subject: Invoice [number]: payment now due

Hi [Name],

I hope all is well. Invoice [number] for [the job], [amount], was due on [date] and I haven’t received payment yet. It may simply have slipped through.

I’ve attached it again. Could you let me know when I can expect payment?

Thanks,
[Your name]

Two weeks overdue

Subject: Invoice [number]: now [x] days overdue

Subject: Invoice [number]: now [x] days overdue

Hi [Name],

Invoice [number] for [the job], [amount], is now [x] days overdue. Please could you pay it by [date, about seven days from today], or reply if there is a problem with the work or the invoice so we can sort it out.

The invoice is attached again for you.

Thanks,
[Your name]

Final notice

Subject: Final notice: invoice [number]

Subject: Final notice: invoice [number]

Dear [Name],

Invoice [number] for [the job], [amount], was due on [date] and remains unpaid despite my reminders on [dates].

Please pay the full amount by [date]. If it is not paid by then, I will take further steps to recover it, which may include a court claim.

If there is a reason you can’t pay in full, contact me before that date and we can agree a plan.

Regards,
[Your name]
[Business name]

A short text instead

Hi [Name], it’s [Your name] from [Business name]. Just a reminder that the invoice for [the job], [amount], was due on [date]. Bank details are on the invoice. Any problems, give me a ring. Thanks!

If your customer is a business

When a business pays you late, UK law (the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998) lets you claim interest and a fixed sum towards your costs, unless your contract agreed something different.

  • When it’s late: if you didn’t agree a payment date, 30 days after they received your invoice or you did the work, whichever is later.
  • Interest: 8% a year above the Bank of England base rate, worked out daily on the amount owed.
  • Fixed sum per invoice: £40 for debts under £1,000, £70 from £1,000 to under £10,000, and £100 for £10,000 or more.

To claim it, send a new invoice that adds the interest and fixed sum. These rules are for business customers, not homeowners. For domestic jobs, put your payment terms on the quote and the invoice so they’re agreed from the start.

Full details are on GOV.UK: late commercial payments. If a debt still isn’t paid, GOV.UK also explains how to make a court claim for money. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Prevent it next time

Agree payment terms in the quote, invoice the day you finish, and make paying easy. A clear quote helps too: see how to write a quote that gets accepted.

More free guides

How to ask customers for Google reviewsTexts and emails that ask for reviews the right way.What to say when a customer says your quote is too expensiveHonest replies that defend your price without losing the job.How to turn down a job politelyKind ways to say no that keep the door open.Free follow-up writerWrite a follow-up for any quote in seconds.

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