How to chase overdue invoices (without losing the customer)

Step 1 — set clear terms before you start work

Collection begins before the invoice. Agree payment terms in writing up front, state them on every invoice, and include your right to statutory interest on late payment. Clear expectations prevent most disputes and give you firm ground to stand on later.

Step 2 — invoice promptly and accurately

Send the invoice the moment the work is done, with the right details, reference and bank information. A late or wrong invoice is a gift to a slow payer. Make it effortless to pay you — correct details, clear due date, easy payment method.

Step 3 — chase early and in stages

Start the day the invoice is overdue, not weeks later. A friendly reminder first ("just checking this reached you"), then a firmer follow-up, then a formal notice referencing your terms and interest rights. Consistent, escalating contact works far better than a single angry letter a month on.

Step 4 — use your rights and, if needed, help

For persistent non-payment, apply statutory interest and compensation, and consider a formal letter before action. If cash is tight while you wait, invoice finance releases the value now. The threat of escalation, applied calmly, usually gets you paid.

Protect your cash while you collect

Good credit control protects the cash you have earned; short-term finance bridges the gap while you collect it.

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Use the late payment interest calculator.