In brief: A polite chase works when it is specific, easy to act on and part of a sequence the customer can feel. The tone stays warm; the process stays firm. Below are ready to use templates for every stage, from the pre due nudge to the final notice, plus the principles that make them land.
And one honest caveat up front: the politest chase of all is the one you never have to send. We cover that at the end.
The principles behind a chase that works
- Be specific. Invoice number, amount, due date, days overdue. Vague messages invite vague replies.
- Make paying effortless. Attach the invoice again and include the payment route. Never make the customer search.
- Ask a question that needs an answer. "Could you confirm the date payment will be made?" converts a reminder into a commitment.
- Escalate tone by stage, not by mood. Each message is one notch firmer than the last, on a schedule.
- Keep every message short. Three or four sentences. Long emails get deferred.
- Stay professional in writing, always. Every message may be read later by a lawyer, a judge or the customer's boss.
Template 1: the pre due check (3 to 5 days before due)
Subject: Invoice 1042, due Friday 14 August
Hi Sarah, a quick note ahead of Friday. Invoice 1042 for £2,400 is due on 14 August. Could you confirm it has been approved and is scheduled for payment? If anything is missing on our side, tell me now and I will fix it today. Thanks, David.
This one message prevents more late payments than any overdue chase, because it surfaces approval problems while there is still time to solve them.
Template 2: the day after due date
Subject: Invoice 1042, now due
Hi Sarah, invoice 1042 for £2,400 fell due yesterday and has not yet arrived. It may simply be in transit. If not, could you confirm the date payment will be made? Copy attached for ease. Thanks, David.
Warm, factual, zero accusation. Most genuine oversights resolve here.
Template 3: one week overdue
Subject: Invoice 1042, 7 days overdue
Hi Sarah, following my last note, invoice 1042 for £2,400 is now 7 days overdue. Please could you confirm today the exact date payment will reach us, or let me know if there is an issue holding it up. If it is easier, I am happy to take a two minute call. Thanks, David.
The ask hardens from "the date" to "confirm today". Offering a call signals seriousness and often shortcuts the email tennis.
Template 4: two to three weeks overdue
Subject: Invoice 1042, overdue, response required
Hi Sarah, invoice 1042 for £2,400 is now 21 days overdue and I have not had a payment date from you. Please arrange payment within the next 5 working days. I want to flag that late commercial payments accrue statutory interest and compensation under UK law, which I would much rather not apply. If something is wrong with the invoice or the work, tell me now so we can resolve it. Regards, David.
Still courteous, now unambiguous. Naming statutory interest is leverage; applying it is a later decision.
Template 5: the final notice
Subject: Invoice 1042, final notice before escalation
Dear Sarah, despite previous reminders, invoice 1042 for £2,400 remains unpaid at 35 days overdue. Unless full payment is received by 25 September, we will begin formal recovery, including statutory interest, compensation and a letter before action. I would genuinely prefer to resolve this simply. Please treat this as urgent. Regards, David.
Only send this if you will follow through. The escalation routes, including the Small Business Commissioner and court claims, are covered in what to do when a client won't pay.
Timing the sequence
A dependable rhythm: pre due check, due date plus 1, plus 7, plus 14 to 21, plus 30 to 35. Automate the sends from your accounting stack so the sequence never depends on someone remembering, and make sure it stops instantly when payment lands. Chasing a paid invoice undoes months of professionalism in one email.
Phone scripts, briefly
When email stalls, call. Keep it to three beats: state the fact ("invoice 1042, £2,400, three weeks overdue"), ask the question ("what date will payment be made?"), and close the loop ("I will confirm that date by email today"). The written confirmation is the point; a promise on the phone only counts once it is in writing.
The politest chase is no chase
Templates make chasing better. They do not make it unnecessary. For repeat customers, the stronger move is agreeing automatic collection at the start: one Direct Debit mandate, and every future invoice collects on its due date with advance notice. The full system is in how to stop chasing unpaid invoices.
NRTH runs that workflow from Xero, QuickBooks and Sage, which is why our own favourite template is the one that never gets sent.
Frequently asked questions
How soon should I chase an unpaid invoice?
The day after it falls due, politely. Waiting a week teaches customers that your due date has slack built in.
Should I chase by email or phone?
Email first, for the paper trail. Move to phone when two emails have produced no committed date, then confirm the call in writing.
How do I chase without damaging the relationship?
Specificity is kinder than hinting. A clear, short, factual message respects everyone's time, and blaming the process ("our system flags overdue invoices") lets both sides save face.
What if they keep promising and never paying?
Broken promises change the category. Move up the escalation ladder, tighten terms for future work and consider requiring automatic collection before anything new starts.
Good templates buy you time. A good payment process buys you your evenings.
See how NRTH collects invoices without a single reminder, or talk to the team.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: 21 July 2026. Adapt names, amounts and dates. This is general information, not legal advice.
