Most late payments are not refusals. They are invoices nobody has looked at yet.
Send a polite reminder a few days before the due date, a note on the due date, a firmer email at 7 days overdue, a call plus email at 14 to 21 days, and a final notice stating the next step at around 30 days. Every email should quote the invoice number, amount, due date and how to pay, and ask for a payment date.
| Stage | When | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pre-due reminder | 3 to 5 days before due | Helpful |
| 2. Due today | On the due date | Matter of fact |
| 3. First overdue | 7 days overdue | Polite, direct |
| 4. Second overdue | 14 to 21 days overdue, with a phone call | Firm |
| 5. Final notice | Around 30 days overdue | Formal, states next step |
Subject: Invoice [number] due on [date]
Hello [name], a quick reminder that invoice [number] for [amount] is due on [date]. A copy is attached. If anything is missing for it to be approved on your side, let me know and I will sort it today. Payment details: [bank details or payment link].
Subject: Invoice [number] due today
Hello [name], invoice [number] for [amount] is due for payment today. Could you confirm when it will be paid? Payment details are below.
Subject: Overdue: invoice [number], [amount]
Hello [name], invoice [number] for [amount] was due on [date] and is now 7 days overdue. Please let me know the date you will pay, or if there is a query holding it up, so we can resolve it.
Subject: Second reminder: invoice [number] now [days] days overdue
Hello [name], I tried to reach you by phone today about invoice [number] for [amount], due on [date]. We have not received payment or a query. Please confirm a payment date by [date, 3 working days ahead].
Subject: Final notice: invoice [number]
Hello [name], invoice [number] for [amount] is now [days] days overdue despite our reminders on [dates]. Unless we receive payment by [date, 7 days ahead], we will [state the next step: put the account on hold, charge statutory interest, or refer the debt for collection]. If there is a dispute, please tell me today.
Reminders are one stage of a wider process. See a credit control process that gets invoices paid on time.
UK: for business-to-business debts you can claim statutory interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate, plus fixed recovery costs of £40, £70 or £100 depending on the size of the debt, unless your contract sets other terms. Mention this in the final notice only if you intend to charge it. US: there is no general federal late-payment law for business debts; late fees and interest depend on your contract terms and state law, so put them in your terms before you rely on them.
Work out DSO and the cash tied up in late payers. Free to use online.
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Yes. A pre-due reminder catches missing purchase orders, wrong addresses and invoices stuck in approval while there is still time to fix them, which is where most late payment starts.
Set the point in your credit policy, for example when an account is 30 days overdue or over its credit limit, and tell the customer in the final notice. Applying it consistently matters more than the exact number.
Yes. Most accounting systems can send reminders on a schedule. Keep stages 4 and 5 personal: a phone call and a named sender get far better responses at that point.
Last updated 18 October 2026. General guidance for finance teams; check it against your own policies, systems and local rules.