The principle
Cash flow problems are usually credit-control problems. The fix isn't aggression — it's consistency.
Before you invoice
- Run a credit check on new B2B clients (Experian, Creditsafe — from £10/check)
- Get terms agreed in writing
- Set the payment terms (7 / 14 / 30 days) on the invoice
- Take a deposit on jobs over £2,000
The chase cadence
| Day | Action |
|---|---|
| Invoice day | Send invoice via email + accounting software |
| Due date − 3 | Soft reminder ("just a heads-up your invoice is due Friday") |
| Due date + 1 | Polite reminder ("the invoice fell due yesterday — has it been scheduled?") |
| Due date + 7 | Phone call to AP contact |
| Due date + 14 | Formal demand citing the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act |
| Due date + 30 | Stop work / put account on hold; consider debt-collection |
Statutory leverage
Under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 you can charge:
- Statutory interest at 8% + Bank of England base rate
- A fixed compensation fee (£40 / £70 / £100 depending on invoice size)
- Reasonable recovery costs above the fixed fee
Even mentioning the Act in a chaser email often unlocks payment.
Use our credit control tracker to see who owes what at a glance.