Free resource
Invoice-chasing checklist for UK trades
For owner-operated plumbing, electrical, joinery and maintenance firms with 1 to 20 staff.
Print this page or keep it open every Friday afternoon. Twelve steps in total. Once your templates are written, a weekly run takes about 30 minutes.
Before you start chasing
Three quick moves before any message goes out, so you chase the right people in the right tone.
- Pull every invoice that is 5 or more days past its due date from Xero, QuickBooks or FreeAgent.
- Split the list into three groups: trusted accounts you have invoiced 3 or more times, standard accounts you have invoiced once or twice, and new accounts on a first invoice.
- Flag any invoice over 60 days old as a separate pile. These need an owner decision, not a reminder.
Three message tones
Write each one once, in your own voice, then reuse it. Match the tone to the customer, not your mood that day.
- Tone A, friendly, for trusted accounts. 60 to 80 words. Open with the first name only, mention the invoice number and the amount, and close with no-rush language and a soft confirmation ask.
- Tone B, neutral, for standard accounts. 50 to 70 words. State the days overdue, ask for a payment date, and skip the apology language.
- Tone C, firm, for repeat late payers and any account past day 28. 40 to 60 words. State the days overdue, the amount, and the next step if there is no response within 7 days. Always read it yourself before it sends.
The escalation ladder
A fixed sequence so nothing slips and nobody gets chased twice in a week.
- Day 5 overdue: tone A or B, depending on the customer.
- Day 14 overdue: tone B for standard accounts, tone C for repeat late payers.
- Day 28 overdue: tone C with final-notice wording, always paused for owner approval.
- Day 45 and beyond: no further automated chase. You make a phone call or decide on next steps.
The owner sign-off rule
What can go out on its own, and what always waits for you.
- Tone A and tone B can send automatically once you have approved the template once.
- Tone C, the final-notice email, and anything past day 28 always wait for owner approval before sending.
- Anything tagged disputed, anything for a top-5 customer by revenue, and anything for a customer who has called you in the past 7 days always pauses for human review.
Weekly Friday review
Open the chase log once a week and check three numbers.
- How many reminders went out this week.
- How many customers paid within 3 days of receiving a reminder.
- How many escalations reached tone C. If tone C is firing more than twice a month, the problem is your customer mix or credit terms, not the chasing.
Want a hand setting it up
We can wire this up so it runs itself
On a free 20-minute fit call we will look at your invoicing pattern, your accounting tool and your customer mix, then tell you which of the steps above to automate first. No technical knowledge needed from you.
Book a free fit call