An overdue invoice reminder should name the invoice, amount, original due date and the action you need from the customer. Start factual; become firmer only when the delay continues.
These 2026 email templates are written for UK trades dealing with homeowners, agents and main contractors.
One day overdue
Subject: Invoice [number] was due [date]
Hi [name],
Invoice [number] for [job or site] was due on [date]. The outstanding amount is £[amount].
I have attached it again. Please let me know if payment has already been made or if anything is stopping approval.
Payment reference: [invoice number]
Thanks,
[your name]
Use this first when a good customer has simply missed the date. It states the facts without accusing them.
Seven days overdue
Subject: Payment reminder, invoice [number], 7 days overdue
Hi [name],
Invoice [number] for £[amount] remains unpaid 7 days after its due date of [date]. Please arrange payment by [new requested date] or tell me today if there is a query.
The invoice and [supporting document] are attached again.
Regards,
[your name]
[business]
A requested date is clearer than “as soon as possible”. Keep the original due date visible as well.
Fourteen days overdue
Subject: Action required, invoice [number], 14 days overdue
Hi [name],
Payment of £[amount] for invoice [number] has not arrived. It fell due on [date] and is now 14 days overdue.
Please confirm the payment date by [date]. If the invoice is disputed, send the exact query and the undisputed amount that will be paid.
Regards,
[your name]
This separates a real dispute from silence. Do not threaten action you are not prepared or entitled to take.
Thirty days overdue
Subject: Final payment request, invoice [number]
Hi [name],
Invoice [number] for £[amount] remains outstanding 30 days after the due date. Previous reminders were sent on [dates].
Please pay by [date] or contact me by [date] with a firm proposal. If I do not hear from you, I will review the next recovery step available under our agreement and applicable law.
Regards,
[your name]
Check the contract and customer type before referring to interest, compensation, suspension or recovery action.
Main contractor reminder
Subject: [Site], invoice [number], payment status required
Hi [name],
Please confirm the status of invoice [number] for [package] at [site].
Net amount due: £[amount]
Original due date: [date]
PO: [number]
Valuation: [reference]
The invoice, valuation and [other documents] are attached. If it has missed the current run, please confirm the reason and the next payment date.
Regards,
[your name]
Use the net amount after any CIS deduction. The subcontractor invoice template sets out the document pack accounts needs.
Homeowner reminder
Subject: Reminder for invoice [number], [job address]
Hi [name],
A quick reminder that invoice [number] for £[amount] was due on [date]. It covers [short description] at [address].
The invoice is attached again. Please use [number] as the payment reference, or let me know if you need anything checked.
Thanks,
[your name]
Keep the first domestic reminder short. A long legal paragraph on day one can turn an oversight into an argument.
Letting agent reminder
Subject: [Property], overdue invoice [number]
Hi [name],
Invoice [number] for work at [property address] is outstanding at £[amount]. It was due on [date].
Property reference: [ ]
Work order: [ ]
Certificate/report: [ ]
Please confirm whether it is approved for payment and the expected payment date.
Regards,
[your name]
Property and work-order references matter more than a general “invoice attached” subject line.
Reminder after a promised payment date
Subject: Invoice [number], agreed payment date passed
Hi [name],
Following our call on [date], payment of £[amount] was due on [promised date]. It has not reached the account.
Please confirm today when the payment was sent, or provide a replacement date.
Regards,
[your name]
Record the agreed date. Do not restart the whole history in every email.
Disputed invoice follow-up
Subject: Invoice [number], query needed to resolve payment
Hi [name],
You advised that invoice [number] is on hold, but I do not yet have the detail needed to resolve it.
Please send the disputed line, reason and supporting reference by [date]. The total invoice is £[amount]; please also confirm whether any undisputed amount will be paid now.
Regards,
[your name]
A dispute needs a specific line or issue. “On hold” is a status, not an explanation.
Before sending any reminder
Check:
- the invoice was actually sent
- the legal customer and email address are correct
- the due date follows the agreed term
- the bank feed or payment record has been checked
- credits, refunds and CIS deductions are already applied
- the customer has not raised an unresolved query
- promised documents were supplied
An incorrect reminder damages trust faster than a late payment.
Set a reminder sequence
A practical 2026 sequence is:
- polite reminder on or just after the due date
- clear follow-up at the next chosen interval
- firmer request with a response deadline
- manual review before any final notice or recovery step
The timing should match the customer and contract. Do not automate an aggressive final email without reviewing the account.
Sendinvo’s invoice reminders count from the due date and stop when an invoice is paid, paused or voided.
Late commercial payment rights
For qualifying business-to-business debts, statutory interest and fixed recovery compensation can apply. Government guidance in 2026 states statutory interest is 8% plus the Bank of England base rate unless a contract sets a different rate.
Check the current late commercial payment rules before adding a figure or issuing a separate interest invoice. Consumer debts and construction contracts can require different handling.
Covering email versus overdue reminder
The first email sends the invoice. The overdue reminder follows after the due date.
Use the invoice email templates for the initial send. Keep overdue wording in a separate reminder policy so a new customer is not greeted like a late payer.
Final reminder check for 2026
- Is the amount still outstanding?
- Is the original due date correct?
- Does the email identify the invoice and job?
- Is the requested action clear?
- Is the tone suitable for the delay?
- Are statements about interest or recovery accurate?
- Is the invoice attached again?
- Does the reply route reach someone who can resolve a query?
Start a free Sendinvo account to set the due date and let reminders stop automatically when the invoice is paid.