When should I send the first reminder?

On day 1 overdue. A short, friendly note assuming the invoice was missed recovers a surprising share of late invoices without any awkwardness.

Can I charge late interest?

In many jurisdictions, yes — for example the UK Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act sets base rate plus 8%. Confirm your local rule before quoting it on the invoice.

When should I stop chasing and escalate?

After three written reminders and a phone call without a confirmed payment date. At that point a formal letter of demand or small-claims process is more useful than a fourth email.

Topic hub

Late Payments

Late payments are the number one cashflow problem for small businesses. The fix is rarely aggression — it is a calm, predictable follow-up cadence with the right tone at the right time. This hub gives you templates and a sequence that works.

Start with the tool

Run this in five minutes to get a concrete number or draft.

Late Payment Recovery
Reminder drafts and a follow-up cadence for overdue invoices.
Open late payment recovery

Read the guides

Plain-English explainers for the questions that come up most often in late payments.

Key terms

The vocabulary you will run into in tools, contracts, and statements.

Templates and examples

Copy-paste examples you can adapt to your business.

Editorial insights

Common mistakes and the reasoning behind the numbers.

Why overdue invoices hurt more than you think
The cost of an overdue invoice is not just a delay — it is opportunity cost, recovery cost, and a quiet drag on the entire business.

Common questions

When should I send the first reminder?: On day 1 overdue. A short, friendly note assuming the invoice was missed recovers a surprising share of late invoices without any awkwardness.
Can I charge late interest?: In many jurisdictions, yes — for example the UK Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act sets base rate plus 8%. Confirm your local rule before quoting it on the invoice.
When should I stop chasing and escalate?: After three written reminders and a phone call without a confirmed payment date. At that point a formal letter of demand or small-claims process is more useful than a fourth email.