Last checked October 2026 · by the PaySorted team
Friendly — before it's due and on the day
Subject: Invoice INV-1047 from ABC Plumbing Hi John, Just a quick reminder that invoice INV-1047 for £576.00 is due on 30 October. You can pay securely here: [payment link] Thanks, ABC Plumbing
Text message
Hi John, a quick reminder that invoice INV-1047 for £576.00 is due on 30 October. Pay here: [link] Thanks, ABC Plumbing
Professional — a few days overdue
Subject: Invoice INV-1047 is now overdue Hi John, Our records show invoice INV-1047 for £576.00 was due on 30 October and hasn't been paid yet. If you've already paid, thank you — please ignore this. If not, you can pay here: [payment link] If there's a problem with the invoice, just reply and let us know. Kind regards, ABC Plumbing
Text message
Hi John, invoice INV-1047 for £576.00 is now 7 days overdue. Please pay here: [link] or reply if there's a problem. Thanks, ABC Plumbing
Firm — final reminder
Subject: Final reminder — invoice INV-1047 Dear John, Invoice INV-1047 for £576.00 is now 14 days overdue, despite previous reminders. Please pay the full amount within 7 days: [payment link] If we don't receive payment or hear from you by then, we'll need to take further steps to recover the debt. Yours sincerely, ABC Plumbing
For a business customer you can add: "Under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 we're entitled to claim interest and a fixed compensation sum on late invoices." — see charging interest on late payments.
Chasing letter — by post or as a PDF
If emails and texts are being ignored, a letter on paper often gets attention. Send it before a formal letter before action.
ABC Plumbing 12 High Street, Bath, BA1 1AA 07700 900123 · accounts@abcplumbing.co.uk [Date] John Smith 4 Park Road Bath BA2 2BB Dear Mr Smith, Unpaid invoice INV-1047 — £576.00 Our invoice INV-1047 for £576.00, for the boiler repair at the address above, was due on 30 October and is still unpaid. We have sent reminders on [dates]. Please pay the full amount within 7 days of the date of this letter, by bank transfer to: Account name: ABC Plumbing · Sort code: 00-00-00 · Account: 00000000 · Reference: INV-1047 If you've already paid, please accept our thanks and ignore this letter. If there's a problem with the work or the invoice, please call or email us so we can sort it out. If we don't receive payment or hear from you by [date], we may take further steps to recover the money, which could include court action. Yours sincerely, ABC Plumbing
Tips for reminders that get paid
- Always include the invoice number, amount, due date and a way to pay.
- Keep it short. People pay from their phone — a link they can tap beats a paragraph of bank details.
- Get firmer gradually. Friendly first; firm only once it's genuinely overdue.
- Never chase after they've paid. Check your bank first — or use a system that stops automatically.
- Don't do it by hand. PaySorted fills these in with each customer's details and sends them on schedule by email and text, then stops the moment they pay. You can edit every word.
Common questions
How do you politely remind someone to pay an invoice?
Keep it friendly and short: mention the invoice number, amount and due date, include a link or bank details to pay, and thank them. Assume they've forgotten rather than refused.
How many payment reminders should I send?
Typically 3–5: one before the due date, one on the day, then at around 7, 14 and 28 days overdue, getting firmer each time.
Should I send payment reminders by text?
Yes — texts are read within minutes, and a text with a "pay now" link is a useful extra nudge alongside email. Using both works best.
What is a chasing letter?
A letter, by post or as a PDF, asking a customer to pay an overdue invoice. It's usually sent after email and text reminders have been ignored, and before a formal letter before action.
What should a payment reminder SMS say?
Keep it short: your business name, the invoice number, the amount, whether it's due or overdue, and a link to pay. For example: "Hi John, invoice INV-1047 for £576.00 is now 7 days overdue. Please pay here: [link] Thanks, ABC Plumbing".