They loved the bathroom. The invoice is 18 days old. You are writing “sorry to bother you” like you stole their towels. You did the job. The chase is a reminder, not an apology.
Use when
| When | Send | Do not |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice just sent | The invoice. That is enough | “Pay ASAP mate” |
| Due day / +2 days | Did it arrive + amount + ref | A speech about cashflow |
| A week late | Date you need it + what pauses | Daily pings |
| They said Friday | Wait until Friday | Chasing Thursday night |
Copy these
Hi Sam — invoice INV-142 for the bathroom is attached again in case it got buried: £2,472 due 3 May, ref INV-142. Transfer to [name] as on the PDF. Shout if a line looks wrong.
Quick nudge: INV-142 (£2,472) was due 3 May. Can you confirm it’s gone over today or tomorrow? I’ll hold any extra bits until it clears.
INV-142 is now 10 days overdue (£2,472). I need it by Friday or I’ll have to pause any callback and treat this as unpaid. Happy to fix a genuine snag — that’s separate from this invoice.
What people miss
Apologising for asking. You are not collecting a fiver for a pint. You invoiced a job.
Mixing snags into the chase. A dripping tap is a visit. It is not a 50% discount they awarded themselves.
Chasing from a new number. Stay on the job thread so the PDF and the yes still sit there.
Seven “just bumping this.” After two notes, change the action, not the sticker.
Related guides
FAQ
- Call or WhatsApp?
- WhatsApp leaves the figure in writing. A call can come after the second note if they never read it.
- They read it and said nothing.
- That is still unpaid. Send the second note with a Friday. Do not wait for guilt to work.
- Commercial accounts?
- Chase the person who ordered, and copy accounts if you have them. Purchase-order numbers on the invoice save a week.
- Should I offer a discount to get it in?
- Only if you would have taken less on day one. Paying late is not a coupon.
