According to another survey by Freelancing Support in 2024, 71% of freelancers had to chase late payments. You’re not alone, but it doesn’t mean it’s OK. Especially if your sole income is from your freelancing business, this can cause serious financial anxiety.
Managing late payments effectively will help you avoid such stress. Ruul resells your professional services to your clients and handles billing & payment collection so you don't have to.
Still, you need to know how to write a late payment email to deal with overdue payments. So, how to ask for overdue payments from customers in a professional manner?
Keep reading to see a comprehensive guide that includes tips, tricks, and 5 overdue payment email samples you can use. You’re welcome.
Don’t be shy about chasing payments
Invoicing and managing payments by yourself is time-consuming and stressful enough. You wouldn’t want to deal with late payment issues on top of all that. This is why “chasing payments” might be an integral part of your business as an independent.
Worried that pushing too hard might strain your client relationship? Don’t be.
Your financial security matters way more than a little discomfort. Late payments aren’t just an inconvenience—they’re a threat to your independence.
So don’t hesitate to ask your clients for overdue payments—follow up, stand your ground, and get paid what you’re owed.
A note: To make all of this a lot easier, it’s necessary to use a smart and comprehensive third-party invoicing service.
This way, you can
- send invoices to your clients,
- track due dates,
- automatically send reminder emails,
- manage your collected fees, and more–all from one place.
Learn more about our invoicing solutions and payment collection features to see how much Ruul can help you.
Create a schedule for unpaid invoice reminders
If you aren’t a user of comprehensive invoicing and payment collection services like Ruul, you’ll have to send your unpaid invoice reminder notices and emails manually.
This will undoubtedly add more workload to your freelance business management, but needs to be done nonetheless.
Managing late payments requires consistency. The best way to go about this is to have a steady schedule for sending out these messages, so you can keep track of them more easily. When dealing with late payments, having a structured approach can make a significant difference.
The first step is easy–all you need to do is write a short, friendly message to remind your client about the upcoming due date. This is crucial since it can help you avoid getting a late payment altogether.
Who knows, maybe your customer really did forget that the due date was that very day.
An example of a payment delay letter to a client
Subject: Upcoming payment for [Invoice#123]
“Hi [Client],
Hope you’ve been doing well since we last spoke!
This is a friendly reminder that [Invoice#123] for [service] is due [next Tuesday]. I’ve attached the original invoice to this email.
Additionally, here’s a quick link I’ve created so you can add the due date to your calendar: [Link
]It would be great if you could confirm with me when the payment is made. Please let me know if you have any problems or questions.
Thank you in advance,
[Name]”
Payment reminder sample to use on the due date
From our list, you’ll notice the importance of starting to send your overdue payment reminders on the payment date to avoid any miscommunication issues.
By learning how to ask for payment politely with an overdue payment reminder email, you can prevent future complications and present a final warning before you apply the additional late payment fee.
A sample letter of request for delayed payment
Subject: [Invoice#123] - Payment due today
“Hi [Client],
Hope this email finds you well. This is a friendly reminder that [Invoice#123] for [service], which I sent to you on [invoicing date], is due today.
Please find the original invoice attached to this email. You can send the payment via [method] like we originally discussed.
Let me know if you have any other problems or questions. I’ll be awaiting your response.
All the best, [Name]”
Polite overdue payment request email sample
If your initial payment notice doesn’t work, your following overdue invoice email can be sent 1 week after the initial due date. This email should have more urgency, and remind your client of the terms of your contract.
Here is also a reasonable place to send a payment request email and mention that you’ll be implementing the late payment fee from this point forward.
A payment request email sample
Subject: [Invoice#123] Past due notice
“Hello [Client],
Hope you’re doing well.
It seems that I’ve yet to receive payment for [Invoice#123], which was due [date]. I would appreciate it if you could inform me about any changes regarding your payment schedule.
I would additionally like to remind you of my late payment penalty policy, which will be taking effect on [date], and bring the total amount up to [amount]. I’m hoping this can be avoided, as long as you respond at your earliest convenience.
I’m not aware of any issue or reason why the transaction hasn’t been completed. If that is the case, let me know so we can work out any complications.
Hope to hear from you soon,
[Name]”
Second reminder email sample for unpaid fees
Subject: Second overdue payment reminder for [Invoice#123]
“Hello [Client],
I would like to respectfully request that you finalize the payment for [Invoice#123]. Since your payment is [days] overdue, the total amount is now [amount] including the late payment fee, as was specified in my contract.
Please confirm that you’ll be completing the payment at your earliest convenience.
Regards,
[Name]”
Urgent reminder email templates for late payments
For your fourth -and final- overdue payment notice, you have the leeway to adopt a much firmer tone. This is where you’ll make clear that you’re willing to take legal action without hopefully having to do so.
The last step after sending this final notice is to reach out to outside sources. This is usually conducted as a two-step process:
Firstly, you can try hiring a collection agency to add authority to your request. If that also doesn’t convince your client, then it’s finally time to take legal action and actually take the matter to court.
It’s best if you look into your local laws and consult field professionals before you decide to do this.
Subject: URGENT - Final notice for [Invoice#123]
“Hello [Client],
This will be my last notice regarding [Invoice#123] which was originally due on [date]. As your payment is now [days] late, the updated amount with the applied late payment fee equals [amount].
Both the original and the updated invoice are attached to this email.
I request your immediate action to resolve this issue as soon as possible. If the invoice is not paid within one week [or your requested date] after this notice, I will be forced to take legal action soon.
Please confirm your payment details with me if you have any further questions.
Best,
[Name]”
Prevent further late payment issues with service agreements
Here are a few additional steps you can take to minimize the effects of late payments and prevent further issues:
- Have a clear-cut contract that details the desired payment deadlines, process, etc.
- Keep track of all your communication records in the case of a future dispute
- Use a secure payment system
- Include late payment fees in your work contract
- Draw legal and compliant service agreements to secure payments
With our MoR structure, you can easily handle all this. Send payment requests to your customers, backed by custom contracts tailored to your services.
Late payments are easier to manage with invoicing services
Dealing with delayed payments is one of the most challenging things for a freelancer. Managing late payments effectively is crucial to maintaining your financial stability.
Even if you haven’t had to deal with them yet, you can see now how stressful and disruptive these processes can be.
No matter how useful a good and detailed unpaid invoice reminder is, it’ll still be easier to handle all of your invoicing and payment processes through an invoicing platform.
Learning how to write a late payment letter and dealing with late payments professionally can significantly improve your business operations.
Keep following our blog for more tips on managing your finances as a freelancer.
FAQ
How to ask for payment professionally in a message?
It is important to be polite but firm with late payment requests. Firstly, you should provide a friendly reminder that the invoice is overdue and request information about the payment process. For a professional approach, use clear language to remind them of the payment method and deadline.
How to ask clients to pay overdue invoices?
The follow-up process for unpaid invoices should proceed in stages. Start with a friendly reminder, including the due date and outstanding amount. If the payment is still delayed, you can mention the invoice late payment fee wording stated in your terms and kindly request an update on the payment status.
How to ask for payment in an email?
Emails requesting late payment should be clear, concise, and professional. Firstly, you should specify the payment date and invoice details, then ask for information about the payment process with a friendly reminder. If the delay continues, you should use more formal language and state that you will follow the process.
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