How to follow up on unpaid invoices

Most late invoices aren't malice — they're inbox drift, an approver on holiday, or an invoice stuck in someone's accounts queue. The follow-up plan below assumes goodwill at every step but gets firmer each time, so you never have to improvise an angry email at 11pm.

Before it's late: the day-before nudge

One working day before the due date, send a short note: "Hi Sam — invoice INV-014 for $1,500 is due tomorrow. Attaching a copy in case it's useful."This isn't pushy; it's service. It surfaces missing PO numbers and approval delays while there's still time to fix them, and it means your "overdue" email never comes as a surprise.

3 days overdue: the polite reminder

Assume it slipped through. "Just flagging that INV-014 ($1,500) went past its due date on 30 May — could you confirm it's in the payment run? Invoice attached again for convenience." Always re-attach the invoice. "I can't find it" is the most common stall, and this kills it.

7 days overdue: the direct ask

Drop the softness and ask for a date. "INV-014 is now a week overdue. Could you confirm by return when payment will be made? If there's anything blocking it on your side, let me know and I'll sort it today." Asking for a specific commitment ("a date") is harder to ignore than asking them to "look into it". If you have a contact beyond accounts — your actual client — copy them in now.

14+ days overdue: the final notice

State the facts and the consequence, in writing: "INV-014 for $1,500, issued 30 April and due 30 May, remains unpaid. Unless payment is received by [date — give 7 days], I'll pause all current work and apply the late fee stated in our terms." Pausing work is your strongest lever and costs the client more than it costs you. Only use it if you mean it.

If that fails

Your options, in order of escalation: a formal letter of demand (many templates are free from your local small-business authority), a collections agency (typically 20–30% of the recovered amount), or small-claims court for amounts under the local limit. For most invoices under a few thousand, the letter of demand does the job — it's official-looking and signals you're prepared to go further.

Make the next one easier

Every late invoice teaches you something: shorten the terms, ask for a deposit, or add a late-fee line. Our guide to choosing payment terms covers the wording, and the free invoice generator puts the due date, terms, and a notes field for late fees on every invoice you send.