Payment reminder
With a payment reminder, you remind your debtor that there is an outstanding invoice that must be paid. It could be possible that your debtor simply forgot to complete the payment or disagrees with the amount. With a payment reminder, you request your debtor to complete the payment within 10 days.
How many payment reminders should you send?
Send a payment reminder immediately after the due date stated in the invoice. Our advice is to act as soon as possible so that you can act swiftly if additional measures are needed. In most cases, a debtor will make the payment after the initial reminder has been sent.
How many payment reminders should you send before hiring a debt collection agency?
There is no specific regulation regarding how many payment reminders you can send. You can immediately hire a debt collection agency or debt collection lawyer. However, we advise you to contact your debtor first. This way you can maintain your business relationship with your customer. If your debtor fails to respond to your payment reminder, then it is advised to hire a debt collection lawyer.
- Reminds your debtor of any outstanding amounts
- Contains all the details you should request from your debtor
- Easily adjustable according to your debt collection case
How should you address an international debtor?
If you wish to send an international debtor a payment reminder, it is best to draft this in the same language as your debtor. For example, with a German debtor, a payment reminder written in German will be much more effective. Our experience has shown that debtors are more likely to pay if the payment reminder is written in their language. This way you avoid any miscommunication. If you wish to approach your debtor in a certain way, our international debt collection specialist can always keep this in mind when drafting your payment reminder.
What can we do for you?
- Draft payment reminders in the same language as your debtor
- Adjust payment reminders according to your needs
- Draft payment reminders according to your industry
- 95% success rate in the pre-legal debt recovery phase
- We carry legal authority and can take additional measures if necessary
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What should be included in a payment reminder?
A payment reminder often has a neutral tone and mentions the facts relevant to your debt collection case and should always include the following:
Refer to the unpaid invoice
A payment reminder should indicate which outstanding invoice is involved. You should mention which products or services have been delivered, the invoice number, the invoiced amount and the due date of this invoice. The clearer the payment reminder, the more likely it is that your debtor will pay the invoice as soon as possible.
Indicate the account to which the payment should be transferred to
In order to retrieve your payment as soon as possible, it is important to indicate the account to which the payment should be made. This makes it much easier for the debtor to complete the payment.
Specify a concrete payment term
Inform your debtor of the due date of the outstanding amount. It is important to be as concrete as possible. It is therefore always better to indicate a specific date instead of stating "a payment within 7 days". For business claims, we advise a payment term of 5 business days. However, a payment term shorter or longer than 5 days is also customary.
Clearly state the consequences of late payment
In the payment reminder, it is important to state the consequences if the payment has not been made. Most often your debtor is more inclined to pay, especially after knowing that the additional charges will be paid by the debtor. If you have a long-term business relation, you can also indicate in your payment reminder that you will suspend the delivery of your goods or services until the payment has been made.
Is a payment reminder send by e-mail legally valid?
It is always best to have established contact with your debtor first before sending the payment reminder. A payment reminder can also be sent through e-mail. Should legal proceedings be necessary, then you will always have proof of your efforts of contacting your debtor.
What can our international specialists do for you?
Sending a payment reminder is one of the first steps in recovery your debt amicably. Our debt collection specialists can help you draft a payment reminder relevant to your case and industry. Most importantly, our native in-house specialists draft the payment reminder in the same language as your debtor. Since we carry legal authority your debtor will also be more inclined to pay. Contact us today for more information.