Chasing an overdue invoice feels awkward, so most people do it inconsistently, which is exactly why it fails. Done as a method, it is neither awkward nor confrontational: a set sequence, the right channel, and a clear escalation point before the debt gets too old to recover. This guide covers all three, with the data on what actually works.
The short answer
Chase on a fixed sequence rather than improvising: confirm the invoice was received and is correct, send a reminder on the due date, follow up firmly within a week, add the late fee at two to three weeks, and issue a final notice at 30 days. Match the approach to the debtor, use the channel that gets a reply (email plus SMS gets 73% paid within two weeks, against 49% for email alone), and escalate by 90 days, because the chance of collecting falls to roughly a third past 90 to 120 days overdue. The biggest lever is simply chasing every invoice, every time.
- Check the invoice is correct and was received.
- Run a fixed reminder sequence, firmer over time.
- Add the late fee at two to three weeks.
- Match the approach to the kind of debtor.
- Escalate by 90 days, while recovery is still likely.
Check the basics before you chase
Before the first reminder, rule out the two reasons a customer has a legitimate excuse to delay: the invoice was wrong, or they never received it. Confirm it went to the right person, that the purchase-order number and amount are correct, and that your payment details are on it. A surprising share of late invoices are not refusals at all, just invoices stuck in the wrong inbox or queued behind a missing PO number. Clearing those first means every chase after it is on solid ground.
The chase sequence that works
A chase sequence that escalates on a schedule instead of by mood.
A predictable sequence beats a perfectly worded one-off. A reminder on the due date, a polite follow-up within a few days, a firmer note at one to two weeks that mentions your right to statutory interest, the late fee applied at two to three weeks, and a final notice at 30 days. Keep the tone warm early and factual late, and always state the single next step you want. For the actual wording at each stage, our overdue invoice email templates give you five you can copy.
The reason a sequence works is consistency, not cleverness. Businesses that follow up on every overdue invoice are 76% more likely to be paid within a week than those that let some slide, and about a third of businesses leave some invoices unchased every month. Chasing everything is the cheapest performance gain in credit control.
Match the approach to the debtor
Not every late payer is the same, and treating them the same wastes effort. Four types cover almost all of them:
- The forgetful payer, who simply missed it. A reminder and a payment link usually does it; do not escalate.
- The cash-strapped payer, who wants to pay but cannot right now. Offer a short payment plan rather than threats; a partial recovery on terms beats a standoff.
- The won't-pay payer, who is using you as free credit. Here firmness and the late fee matter, applied consistently and early.
- The gone-quiet account, where contact has broken down. Switch channel, find the right person, and move to formal notice faster.
Identifying which one you are dealing with, usually after the second contact, tells you whether to soften or to firm up. Most businesses apply one tone to all four and get the worst of both.
Why the age of the invoice is everything
A widely cited collections rule of thumb. Your numbers will vary, but the direction is universal: older debt is harder to recover, so chase early.
The single most important fact in chasing is that a debt gets harder to collect the older it gets, and faster than most people expect. Practitioner data on collectibility by age tells a clear story.
| How overdue | Likelihood of collecting |
|---|---|
| 0 to 30 days | Around 95% |
| 31 to 60 days | 80 to 90% |
| 61 to 90 days | 60 to 75% |
| 91 to 120 days | Around 30 to 40% |
| 180+ days | Under 20%, often a write-off |
Indicative collectibility by invoice age, from commercial collection practitioners (Leib Solutions, 2026). Figures vary with how actively the debt has been chased.
The lesson is to front-load the effort. The energy you spend in the first 60 days is worth far more than the same effort at 120, when the odds have already collapsed.
Pick the channel that gets a reply
Passive chasing
- Email only
- Same template each time
- No call, ever
- Easy for the payer to ignore
Assertive chasing
- Email, then SMS, then a call
- Tone rises at each step
- A real person at day 14
- Harder to keep ignoring
Why the channel you chase on matters as much as the words.
Email is the default and it works, but it is not the strongest tool on its own. Combining email and SMS gets about 73% of invoices paid within two weeks, against roughly 49% for email alone, and a phone call is rated the most effective lever of all, especially on higher-value invoices. Sending from your own domain rather than a shared address also helps, both for deliverability and because it reads as you. The practical rule: start with email, add SMS for anything that goes a week overdue, and pick up the phone for larger or stuck accounts.
Escalate before it is too late
Because collectibility falls off a cliff past 90 to 120 days, your escalation has to come earlier than instinct suggests. Issue a formal notice, with letter-before-action language, at around 30 days, and have a firm trigger to escalate by about 90. At that point you can apply statutory interest at the current 11.75% and the fixed recovery fee, and prepare to hand the debt on. Waiting until an invoice is six months old to get serious is the most common, and most expensive, chasing mistake.
When to bring in a third party
If a debt is genuinely owed, undisputed, and still unpaid at around 90 days despite a full chase, it is time to consider outside help. A debt-collection agency typically works on a fee or a percentage of what it recovers, and acting in the 90 to 120 day window gives it the best chance. For larger sums, a solicitor's letter before action or a county court claim may be more appropriate. Either way, the decision should be made on a schedule, not on a bad day, and the costs of recovery can usually be added to the debt under the late payment rules.
Frequently asked questions
How do I chase an overdue invoice without damaging the relationship?
Use a set sequence that starts warm and only firms up over time, and assume the best early on, most late invoices are oversights, not refusals. The relationship-safe move on the late fee is to state it, then offer to waive it if the invoice is paid promptly. Consistency, not aggression, is what gets you paid.
How many times should I chase before escalating?
Run a full sequence, roughly five steps from a due-date reminder to a 30-day final notice, then escalate. Because the chance of collecting drops sharply after 90 to 120 days, you should have escalated to formal action or a collection agency by about 90 days, not left it for six months.
What is the best way to chase, email, phone or SMS?
A combination. Email plus SMS gets about 73% of invoices paid within two weeks against 49% for email alone, and a phone call is the most effective single lever, especially for higher-value invoices. Start with email, add SMS at a week overdue, and call for larger or stuck accounts.
When should I send an invoice to a debt collector?
Around 90 days overdue, if the debt is undisputed and a full chase has not worked. Collectibility is still around 30 to 40% in the 90 to 120 day window but falls away sharply afterwards, so acting then gives an agency or solicitor the best chance. You can usually add the cost of recovery to the debt.
The bottom line
Chasing overdue invoices is a method: clear the basics, run a consistent sequence that firms up over time, match the approach to the kind of debtor, use the channel that gets a reply, and escalate by 90 days while the debt is still collectable. The businesses that get paid fastest are not the most aggressive; they are the ones who chase every invoice, every time, and act before the odds turn against them.
Sources and further reading
- Chaser: 2026 Accounts Receivable Report
- Leib Solutions: accounts receivable collectibility by age
- GOV.UK: late commercial payments and debt recovery
Figures cited are from the sources listed and current as of 2026; collectibility varies with how actively a debt is chased. This guide is published by Accounting.Events, powered by Paidnice.
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