AnswersTopic
When a client won't pay
The first moves when an invoice goes quiet: who to ask, what to send, when to stop waiting.
28 answers
- My client hasn't paid my invoice. What do I do first?Check, then ask once.
- How do I chase an overdue invoice politely?Two short emails.
- What should a payment reminder email say at each stage?Five emails.
- When is an invoice officially late?After the agreed date.
- Can a big company make me wait 60 or 90 days to be paid?Up to sixty days.
- Can I stop work if a client doesn't pay?Yes, in construction.
- How long can I chase an unpaid invoice before it's too late?Six years.
- What is the full procedure for recovering an unpaid invoice in the UK?Eight steps.
- My client has gone quiet. How do I get an answer?Ask someone else.
- My client keeps promising to pay but never does. What now?Stop collecting promises.
- My client paid only part of the invoice. What about the rest?It is still owed.
- A struggling client wants a payment plan. Should I agree, and how do I set one up?Yes, on three conditions.
- What is the Small Business Commissioner, and can it help me get paid?Yes, for larger customers.
- I'm a freelancer and a client won't pay. What's different for me?Very little.
- Who do I chase at a big company?Three people, in order.
- What do "pending approval" and "it's in the payment run" really mean?Neither is a date.
- My client says they never received my invoice. What do I do?Resend it today.
- Should I send a statement of account, and what goes on it?Yes.
- Is chasing every day harassment? How often is too often?Not by itself.
- Should I phone about a late invoice, and what do I say?Yes, once.
- My client wants me to invoice a different company from the one I worked for. Should I?Only in writing.
- Can I chase an invoice by text or WhatsApp?Yes, at first.
- My client says they've already paid, but I can't see it. What do I check?Check yours first.
- Why do clients pay late, and what do I do about each reason?Four reasons.
- My invoice was rejected by a supplier portal (Coupa, Ariba). What went wrong?Usually a fixable mismatch.
- Should I copy in the director when chasing an unpaid invoice?Sometimes.
- My client asked me to re-date or split my invoice. Should I?Only if it's true.
- Can I see whether a client has opened my invoice?Sometimes.
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