How to Chase Unpaid Invoices as a Tradesperson UK (2026)

Every tradesperson has been there. You've done the work, done it well, sent the invoice — and heard nothing. Days pass, then a week, then two. The customer's not responding and the money isn't appearing in your account. What do you do?

This guide walks through the full process — from the friendly reminder on day one through to County Court, enforcement, and when it's simply not worth chasing. But it starts where all of this should start: prevention.

Prevention: the best way to avoid chasing

The most effective debt recovery strategy is not needing one. A few simple habits reduce the risk of non-payment dramatically.

• Take a deposit before you start. 20–30% of the job value as standard. This covers your materials outlay and signals that the customer is genuinely committed. Most serious customers accept a deposit without complaint. Those who push back hard on a reasonable deposit are often the ones who dispute invoices later.
• Use a clear written quote or contract. Agree the scope, price, payment terms, and any variation process in writing before you start. This removes every “I didn't know it would cost that much” objection before it becomes a problem.
• Invoice immediately on job completion. Do not batch invoices at the end of the week or month. Send the invoice the moment the job is done — ideally while you're still on site. Every day between completion and invoice is a day added to your wait.
• Offer card payment on-site. “I'll BACS it over tonight” is where many late payments begin. If you can take card payment the moment the job is finished, the invoice is closed. Stripe, SumUp, and Square all offer card readers for under £50 that pair with your phone.

Day 1–3 after the due date: friendly reminder

The majority of late payments are not deliberate. The customer forgot, their own cash flow is tight, or the invoice slipped into their inbox unnoticed. Start with a friendly, warm message — no accusation, no pressure.

A WhatsApp or text works well at this stage because it's quick, personal, and almost always read:

Keep it warm and solution-focused. You're not accusing them of anything. You're just making it easy for them to pay.

Day 5–7: second reminder by email and phone

If you get no response or payment after the first message, escalate to email and a phone call. Email creates a paper trail — important if this ends up in court. A phone call sometimes prompts action that messages alone don't.

Sample email:

If they answer the phone, be calm and professional. Ask directly: “Can I ask when you're planning to process this? I just need to know so I can update my records.” A specific commitment (“I'll do it Friday”) is something you can follow up on.

Day 10–14: formal written notice (Letter Before Action)

If there's still no payment or meaningful response after two rounds of chasing, it's time to issue a Letter Before Action (LBA). This is the final step before legal proceedings — and it often resolves things without ever going further, because it signals clearly that you're serious.

Send it by email and by post (recorded delivery, so you have proof of receipt). The letter should state:

• The amount owed and the original due date
• That you intend to issue a County Court claim if payment is not received within 7 days
• Your bank details for payment
• A contact number if they want to discuss

Keep the tone formal but not aggressive. You're not threatening — you're informing them of the legal process that will follow if payment isn't made. Most people who receive an LBA pay within the 7 days.

Late payment interest: your legal right

For business-to-business invoices, the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 gives you the automatic right to charge interest on overdue amounts. The statutory rate is 8% above the Bank of England base rate, and you can also add a fixed compensation fee of £40, £70, or £100 depending on the invoice value.

You don't need to include this in your contract for it to apply to B2B debts — it's a statutory right. For domestic (residential) customers, interest charges need to be specified in your terms and conditions to be enforceable.

Include late payment interest terms in your standard quote and invoice template. Even if you never enforce them, they signal that you run a professional operation and are aware of your rights.

Small claims court: how it works

If the LBA produces nothing, your next step is a County Court claim through the small claims track. In England and Wales, this covers debts up to £10,000. You file online at gov.uk using Money Claim Online (MCOL).

The court fee is 5% of the claim value, with a minimum of £35 and a maximum of £455. So a £2,000 debt costs £100 to file, and you can add this fee to the claim — meaning if you win, the defendant pays it.

The process runs like this:

• You file the claim online with details of the debt and supporting evidence (the invoice, your quotes, any written communications)
• The defendant has 14 days to respond
• If they don't respond, you can request a default judgment — the court rules in your favour without a hearing
• If they contest the claim, you'll be given a hearing date (usually a few months away)

A County Court Judgment (CCJ) on their credit record is a significant incentive to pay. For individuals, it affects their ability to get credit, mortgages, and finance. Most defendants settle before a hearing once they realise the claim is proceeding.

Enforcement after a CCJ

If you win a CCJ and the defendant still doesn't pay, you can apply for enforcement. This costs additional court fees but gives you real power. Your options include:

• High Court Enforcement Officers (HCEOs). For debts over £600, you can transfer the CCJ to the High Court and instruct enforcement officers who have the power to visit and seize goods. They can be highly effective — and the fees are paid by the debtor.
• Charging Order. If the debtor owns property, you can apply for a charge against it, meaning the debt must be repaid before the property can be sold. Not immediate cash, but it secures the debt long-term.
• Attachment of Earnings Order. If the debtor is employed, the court can order their employer to deduct regular amounts from their salary until the debt is paid.

Enforcement works best when the debtor has assets or a regular income. If they have neither, it may be difficult to collect even with a CCJ in hand.

Debt collection agencies

An alternative to legal action is selling the debt to a debt collection agency (DCA). They purchase the debt at a discount — typically paying you 20–50% of the face value — and then collect the full amount themselves. You get cash quickly and immediately; they take on the effort and risk.

This is most useful when you want to write off a bad debt and recover something rather than nothing, particularly when the legal route looks expensive or uncertain. It's also worth exploring if you're owed multiple smaller amounts that aren't individually worth pursuing through court.

What not to do

When you're owed money and frustrated, some responses feel satisfying but create legal risk for you.

• Do not threaten a negative review in exchange for payment. Saying “pay me or I'll leave you a bad review” can be construed as blackmail or extortion, even if the review would be truthful. Never link reviews to payment.
• Do not remove work you've completed. Taking back a fitted bathroom suite or ripping out completed wiring creates a separate legal claim against you and is likely to cost you more than the original debt.
• Do not contact them in a way that could be classed as harassment. Multiple messages per day, aggressive language, or contacting family members can expose you to legal action. Keep all communication professional, factual, and documented.

Document everything. Save every text, email, and WhatsApp message. Note the dates and content of any phone calls. If this goes to court, a clear paper trail of professional attempts to recover the debt significantly strengthens your position.

When to write it off

For smaller debts — typically under £200–300 — the time, stress, and cost of the legal route may simply not be worth it. Court fees, time spent preparing evidence, and the likelihood of recovery all factor in.

If you reach that conclusion, write the debt off as a bad debt in your accounts. It's an allowable business expense for tax purposes, which means HMRC effectively subsidises a portion of your loss. Then ask yourself honestly: what could you have done differently? A deposit, a clearer contract, card payment on completion? Use it as information, not just a loss.

Getting paid faster: the practical toolkit

The surest way to reduce the time you spend chasing invoices is to make payment as easy and immediate as possible.

• Accept card payments on-site. Stripe, SumUp, and Square all offer card readers that pair with your phone. Take payment the moment the job is finished — before you pack up and drive away.
• Invoice immediately. Send the invoice while you're still at the job or within the hour. Don't let it wait until the end of the day or the end of the week.
• Send a payment link with the invoice. An invoice with a “Pay now” button reduces friction enormously. Customers can pay by card in 30 seconds without having to find their banking app.
• Automate payment reminders. Trade2Base can send automatic payment reminders before and after the due date — a reminder the day before, another on the due date if unpaid, and a chaser 3 days overdue. You set it up once; the system does the chasing so you don't have to.