How to chase an unpaid invoice without souring the client

Most late payments are not refusals. They are a client who lost the PDF, or who is waiting for their own client to pay. A short reminder sequence recovers most of them — the mistake is staying silent until you are angry.

Message 1 — two days before the due date

Short, factual, no apology:

Hello [name], just a note that invoice #0987 (€1,240.00) is due on Friday 24 October. The PDF is attached again in case it is useful. Bank details are on the invoice. Thanks — [your name]

Sending it before the due date is the trick: it is a courtesy, not a chase.

Message 2 — seven days after the due date

Add the consequence, still neutral:

Hello [name], invoice #0987 for €1,240.00 was due on 24 October and I do not see the payment yet. Could you confirm it has been scheduled? If something is wrong with the invoice, tell me and I will fix it today.

The offer to fix the invoice matters. Roughly a third of "late" payments are blocked on a wrong company detail or a missing reference.

Message 3 — twenty-one days after the due date

Formal, and mention the legal wording that is already on your invoice:

Hello [name], invoice #0987 (€1,240.00) is now 21 days overdue. As stated on the invoice, late payment interest and the fixed recovery fee apply from the due date. I would rather settle this directly — is there a date you can confirm?

Then what?

• Still nothing after 30 days: a recorded-delivery letter, then your accountant or a recovery service. Keep every message; they are the evidence.
• Partial payment offered? Take it, record it, and send the receipt with the remaining balance — a documented balance gets paid faster than an argument.
• Never stop working on the relationship. The same client often has the next job.

Make the reminder one tap

QuotePaid keeps the invoice, its due date and the balance in one place, so the reminder goes out from the invoice itself with the document attached — no searching through your phone at 9 pm. Start the trial — 14 days free.