Client not paying your invoice? What to do, step by step
Send written reminders in a fixed order, then claim the statutory interest and fixed compensation. Each step below links to a free guide with an excerpt.
What to do, in order
- Letter 1: friendly reminder (3 days after the due date)
- Letter 2: firm reminder (7 days after letter 1)
- Letter 3: formal notice (14 days after letter 1)
- Letter 4: final notice (21 days after letter 1)
- Letter 5: payment plan offer (when they say they cannot pay in full)
Before you write
- Check the invoice: number, amount, due date and the client's legal name are right.
- Check the payment terms you agreed. The due date counts from there.
- Check that the money is not on its way: look at your bank account first.
- Keep every message. Dates and wording matter if the claim goes further.
What you can claim after the due date
For business-to-business invoices in the EU and UK, the law adds interest and a fixed compensation. The EU minimum rate is 10,4% per year now, plus EUR 40 per invoice. See the EU rule by country and the UK rule. Private consumers are not covered by these rules.
Do not
- Do not threaten steps you will not take.
- Do not contact the client's staff or customers about the debt.
- Do not skip the written steps. A clear paper trail comes first.
This guide is general information, not legal advice.
Rates and sources as stored on 11 October 2026. Business-to-business debts only. Templates and calculations, not legal advice.