How do you politely chase an overdue invoice?

Keep it short, keep it factual, and reference the invoice number, job name, amount and due date. Avoid blame. Ask a direct question — usually 'can you confirm when payment will be made?' — so the client has to reply with a date instead of a vague acknowledgement.

When should I send the first overdue payment reminder?

The day after the invoice goes overdue. Waiting a week trains clients that your due dates are soft. A short, friendly note one day late is the single highest-leverage thing a contractor can do for cash flow.

What's the best way to track unpaid invoices?

One place that shows every invoice with its status (sent, due, overdue, paid) and the date of the last follow-up. Spreadsheets work at small scale; once you have more than a handful of clients running at once, you need a system that flags overdue invoices automatically so nothing relies on memory.

Should I charge late fees on overdue invoices?

You can, but in most cases consistent follow-up does more for cash flow than late fees. If you do charge them, state the policy clearly on the invoice itself before the work starts — never as a surprise on a follow-up email.

5 Late Payment Email Templates That Get Contractors Paid Faster

By Lee Stephens · Founder, Contractor Revenue Hub

Late payments are one of the biggest cash-flow problems contractors deal with. Materials are already paid for. Labour is already on the ground. Subcontractors still need to be paid on time. And the invoice that should have closed the job out is sitting unread in a client's inbox.

Most contractors do good work. The bit that breaks down is what happens *after* the invoice is sent. Without a clear follow-up system, invoices get forgotten the moment the next job starts.

More guides on the Contractor Revenue Hub blog.