vixir

How to chase an unpaid invoice

By Steve Metcalfe, founder of Vixir · Facts checked 27 October 2026

Most late payers aren’t refusing to pay. They forgot, the invoice got buried, or they’re waiting for someone else to say yes. A clear, friendly routine gets most invoices paid without any awkwardness.

Before you chase: make the invoice easy to pay

Check the invoice had a due date, the amount, and how to pay. If any of that was missing, send it again with it added. Half of chasing is fixing an invoice that didn’t say when or how.

A simple chasing routine

1. The day after it’s due: a friendly nudge.

Hi Jo, just a quick reminder that invoice 1042 for £385.00 was due yesterday. I’ve attached it again in case it got lost. Thanks, Sam

2. A week later: a firmer reminder.

Hi Jo, invoice 1042 for £385.00 is now a week overdue. Could you let me know when you’ll be paying it? Thanks, Sam

3. Two weeks later: pick up the phone.

A call usually sorts it. Ask when they can pay, agree a date, then confirm it in a text or email.

4. Still nothing: a final letter.

Say how much is owed, that it’s overdue, and what you’ll do next if it isn’t paid by a set date. Keep it factual and polite. If it’s a business customer, this is when you mention late payment interest (below).

Keep a note of every reminder. If it ever goes to the small claims court, a record of what you sent and when helps.

Late fees you can add (business customers only)

If your customer is a business, the law lets you claim extra when they pay late. This doesn’t apply to ordinary households, unless your terms with them say otherwise.

  • Interest: 8% a year plus the Bank of England base rate, on the amount owed.
  • A fixed fee for the cost of chasing:
    • £40 for debts up to £999.99
    • £70 for debts of £1,000 to £9,999.99
    • £100 for debts of £10,000 or more

If you didn’t agree a payment date, payment counts as late 30 days after the customer got the invoice or after you did the work, whichever is later.

When is a payment late?

Whatever date you agreed. That’s why a due date on every invoice matters. Between businesses, payment terms are usually up to 60 days; public bodies must pay within 30.

What I do

I set a due date on every invoice, and every invoice has a Pay now link so customers can pay by card there and then. Vixir’s Money tab shows who owes what and how late, and I switched on the automatic reminder emails, so the polite first and second nudges go out without me thinking about it. I only pick up the phone for the few that are left.

Source: GOV.UK, Late commercial payments: charging interest and debt recovery. This guide is general information, not legal advice.