How to chase an unpaid invoice without wrecking the relationship
A day-by-day routine for freelancers and small firms: when to send each reminder, what to say, when to pick up the phone, and what to record so you are never guessing what the client promised.
Before it is late
Most late payments are slow processes, not refusals. Send the invoice to the person who actually pays it as well as the person who hired you, and put the due date, the invoice number and how to pay in the first lines of the email. If the client is a company, ask once at the start how their accounts payable team receives invoices and how long approval takes. Write the late-payment terms on the invoice itself.
The schedule
| When | What to send | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| The day after the due date | A short note with the invoice attached again and one question: can you confirm it is approved for payment? | Friendly |
| 7 days late | A reminder that names the amount and asks for a payment date this week. | Firm |
| 14 days late | A phone call, then an email that records what was said. Ask for a payment date in writing. | Second notice |
| 30 days late | A final notice that sets a deadline and says what you will do next, such as pausing work. Stay factual. | Final notice |
Treat these as a starting point, not a rule. A large company's payment run may be monthly, so the first nudge is often just finding out the date.
Record every promise
The most useful thing you can write down is the date a client says they will pay. When that date passes without payment you have a clear, fair reason to follow up the next day, and a written trail if the matter ever gets formal. In Chasebook you log the contact and the promised date in one step, and the list stays quiet until that date arrives.
Interest and fixed costs in the UK
For business-to-business debts in the UK you may be entitled to statutory interest and a fixed recovery sum. The late payment interest calculator shows the amounts and drops them into the second and final notices. Mention them politely, and only if your contract does not set a different rate. Outside the UK the rules differ, so check your local guidance.
Prevent the next one
- Take a deposit or bill in stages for new clients, so you are never owed the whole amount.
- Invoice the moment work is accepted, not at the end of the month.
- Note which clients pay late. After two late invoices, change the terms for that client.
This is general information, not legal advice.