Guide
Handle a late or non-paying customer
A calm, staged approach to chasing money that's overdue, without burning the relationship.
Send a friendly reminder right after the due date
Assume it was missed by accident. A short, polite nudge referencing the invoice number is often all it takes.
Follow up with a firmer note a week later
If there's no response, a second message restating the amount, due date, and asking for a specific payment date moves things along.
Pick up the phone
A call is harder to ignore than an email and often surfaces the real reason for the delay, which changes how you handle it.
Pause further work until it's resolved
If a client is significantly overdue, it's reasonable to hold new work until the outstanding balance is settled.
Know when to involve a professional
For invoices that stay unpaid despite repeated contact, a formal demand letter or a debt collection service may be the next step, worth a conversation with an advisor at that point.
That’s the whole thing.
Keep going
What to read next
- 01
Invoicing & Getting Paid
Send your first professional invoice
Put together an invoice that looks credible and gets paid without back-and-forth.
- 02
Invoicing & Getting Paid
Get paid faster with better payment terms
Structure how and when you ask for money so cash arrives sooner, not later.
- 03
Invoicing & Getting Paid
Choose the right payment methods to accept
Offer enough ways to pay that nothing gets in the way of the money actually arriving.