How to chase unpaid invoices: a reminder schedule and e-mail templates
Most late payments are not bad faith: the invoice got lost, or nobody followed it up. A fixed reminder schedule, polite e-mails and knowing your rights get you paid sooner.
Late payments hurt small companies most: the work is done, the costs are paid and the cash is not there. Most late payers are not refusing to pay. The invoice went to the wrong person, is waiting for an approval, or simply slipped. A clear routine solves most cases before they become a problem.
Before the due date
- Agree the payment terms before the work starts and print them on the quote and the invoice: the due date, your bank details and the reference to use.
- Send the invoice to the right address, often an accounting mailbox, not only to your usual contact.
- A payment QR code on the invoice (the EPC QR code for SEPA transfers) lets your customer pay from their banking app in seconds.
A reminder schedule that works
- 7 days after the due date: a friendly reminder with the invoice attached. It was often simply forgotten.
- 21 days after: a firmer reminder, asking for a payment date.
- 35 days after: a final reminder that mentions late-payment interest and the next steps.
- Between the e-mails, a phone call from the person who knows the customer, often the sales rep, works better than any letter.
Stop the reminders as soon as the invoice is paid: a reminder for an invoice paid yesterday annoys a good customer.
Three e-mail templates
First reminder. Subject: “Invoice F2026-0142, due on 15 March”. “Hello Anne, a quick reminder that invoice F2026-0142 of €1,560 was due on 15 March; you will find it attached. If it has already been paid, please ignore this message. Thank you!”
Second reminder. Subject: “Invoice F2026-0142: payment date?”. “Hello Anne, we have not yet received the payment of invoice F2026-0142 (€1,560, due on 15 March). Could you tell us when it will be paid? If something is wrong with the invoice, let us know and we will correct it.”
Final reminder. Subject: “Final reminder: invoice F2026-0142”. “Hello Anne, despite our earlier reminders, invoice F2026-0142 (€1,560) is now 35 days overdue. Please pay it within 8 days. After that date we will have to charge late-payment interest and the €40 recovery compensation provided by law.”
Your rights under EU law
The EU Late Payment Directive (2011/7/EU), applied in every member state, gives businesses these minimum rights when another business or a public authority pays late:
- Payment terms between businesses should not exceed 60 days, unless expressly agreed and not grossly unfair to the supplier. Public authorities must pay within 30 days, 60 in some cases.
- From the day after the due date you are entitled to interest, without having to send a reminder: at least the European Central Bank reference rate plus 8 percentage points.
- You can also claim a fixed €40 for recovery costs per late invoice.
Many companies do not claim interest from good customers, but mentioning it in the final reminder often speeds up the payment. National laws can go further than these minimums, so check the details for your country.
How Tavalle helps
In Tavalle every invoice has a pay-by date. Overdue invoices turn red, sales reps receive an e-mail with their overdue invoices and the ones due soon, and your customers receive polite payment reminders with the invoice PDF at the steps you choose, for example 7, 21 and 35 days after the due date. They stop as soon as the invoice is paid. See automatic e-mails and invoicing.
This guide is general information, not legal advice.
