To follow up an unpaid invoice, first check it reached the right person and that nothing is in dispute. Then send short, friendly reminders on a set schedule: a few days before the due date, on the day, then at 7, 14 and 30 days late, with a final notice after that. Attach the invoice each time and make paying easy.
Before you chase: four quick checks
Many late payments are simple misses: the invoice went to the wrong inbox, the purchase order number was missing, or the money arrived under a different reference. Spend five minutes ruling those out before you send anything. It saves an awkward exchange and often finds the payment, or the real reason it is stuck.
- Search your bank account for the amount and the customer’s name, not just the invoice number.
- Check who it went to. Larger clients often want invoices sent to an accounts address, not to the person who hired you.
- Check the invoice itself. A missing PO number, wrong business name or missing tax number can stop approval. Our invoice checklist lists what customers expect.
- Ask whether anything is in dispute. If the client is unhappy with part of the work, that conversation comes before any reminder.
A polite schedule for an unpaid invoice
Decide the schedule once and use it for every customer, so chasing becomes routine rather than personal. Each step is a little firmer than the last, but every message stays polite and factual. The example below follows invoice 0318 for $2,640.00, due Friday 13 November 2026; the amounts and dates are examples.
| When | Example date | What to send | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days before due | Tuesday 10 November | Courtesy note with the invoice attached | Helpful |
| On the due date | Friday 13 November | “Due today” note with payment details | Neutral |
| 7 days late | Friday 20 November | First reminder, ask if anything is holding it up | Friendly |
| 14 days late | Friday 27 November | Second reminder plus a phone call | Direct |
| 30 days late | Monday 14 December (day 30 is a Sunday) | Firm reminder, ask for a payment date | Firm |
| Final notice | Monday 28 December | Final notice naming the next step and a deadline | Formal |
If the client replies at any point with a date or a reason, pause the schedule and confirm what was agreed in writing.
Reminder emails for before and just after the due date
Early reminders should read like a service, not a complaint. Keep them to three or four lines, put the invoice number, amount and due date in the subject, and attach the PDF again so nobody has to search for it. Here are two you can adapt; change the names, numbers and sign off to suit.
Template 1: three days before the due date
Subject: Invoice 0318 for $2,640.00, due Friday 13 November
Hi Priya, a quick note that invoice 0318 for the October office fit out is due this Friday. I have attached it again for convenience, and the bank details are at the bottom. Thanks, Sam
Template 2: seven days late
Subject: Reminder: invoice 0318, due 13 November
Hi Priya, I have not seen payment for invoice 0318 ($2,640.00), which was due last Friday. Could you check whether it is in your system, or let me know if anything is holding it up? A copy is attached. Thanks, Sam
For the email you send with the original invoice, see our invoice email templates.
Firmer reminders and the final notice
From 30 days late, be direct: state the amount, how late it is, and ask for a specific payment date. A final notice adds a deadline and the one next step you will actually take. Only mention fees or interest your contract allows, and only actions you are prepared to follow through on.
Template 3: thirty days late
Subject: Overdue: invoice 0318, now 30 days past due
Hi Priya, invoice 0318 for $2,640.00 was due on 13 November and is now 30 days overdue. Please pay by Friday 18 December, or reply with a date you can commit to. If there is a problem with the invoice, tell me and I will sort it out. Regards, Sam
Template 4: final notice
Subject: Final notice: invoice 0318, $2,640.00
Dear Ms Rao, despite reminders on 20 November, 27 November and 14 December, invoice 0318 for $2,640.00 remains unpaid. Please pay the full amount by Monday 11 January 2027. If it is not paid by then, I will refer the debt to [the next step you will take]. Statement and invoice attached. Regards, Sam Okafor
Phone calls and payment plans
A short phone call often moves a stuck payment faster than another email, because you hear the real reason. Call around the 14 day mark, ask an open question such as “Is anything holding this up?”, and write down what you agree. If the customer cannot pay in full, a written payment plan is usually better than waiting.
- Confirm any plan by email: amounts, dates and what happens if a payment is missed.
- Send a statement after each payment showing what is left.
- Keep the original invoice open until the balance is zero, and issue a receipt for each part payment.
- If you have more work booked with the same customer, decide whether to pause it until the account is up to date, and tell them before you do.
Keep it lawful: what to say and what to avoid
Stick to facts you can prove, a polite tone and consequences you will really carry out. Australia’s business.gov.au advises sending reminders before a letter of demand, checking that nothing in the letter could be called false or misleading, and only including a late payment interest rate if your contract set one. It also notes you have legal obligations when contacting other businesses about debt.
Practical rules that keep you on safe ground anywhere:
- Do not threaten court, credit reporting or collectors unless you intend to use them.
- Do not add fees that were not in your terms. Our guide to late payment fees and interest explains what you can include.
- Do not contact the customer’s family, employer or other clients about the debt, and do not post about it publicly.
- Keep copies of every invoice, reminder and reply. If the matter goes further, this record is your evidence.
If it is still unpaid: small claims and other options
When reminders and a final notice fail, the usual next steps are a formal letter of demand, mediation, a debt collection service, or a claim through a small claims tribunal or court. Which ones are open to you, and the limits and fees, depend on your country and often your state. Use the official pages for your location before you act.
- Australia: business.gov.au sets out reminders, a letter of demand, mediation and debt collectors, then legal advice or a small claims tribunal depending on the amount. It suggests telling the customer before you use a debt collector. See what to do when you have not been paid.
- United Kingdom: GOV.UK explains how to apply to a county court, online or by post, to claim money a person or business owes you, and suggests mediation may be quicker and cheaper. See make a court claim for money.
Elsewhere, search your government’s business or courts website for small claims. To cut the number of late payers next time, read how to get paid faster. If you would rather see at a glance which invoices are still open, WhizInvoice, our sister invoicing app, can send and track them for you.
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