Cash Flow

The late payer playbook: getting paid without losing the client

Statutory interest, credit control scripts and when to escalate. A credit controller shares the sequence that works.

Susan WhitlockCredit control specialist·8 July 2026·6 min read

Late payment is a process failure more often than a relationship failure. Fix the invoice first: correct purchase order number, correct contact, correct terms on the face of the document.

Then run a fixed cadence. A polite reminder three days before due, a call on day one overdue, a formal notice at day fourteen.

You are entitled to statutory interest and a fixed recovery cost on commercial debts. Mentioning it calmly at day thirty moves more invoices than a solicitor's letter at day ninety.

What to do next

  • Verify PO and contact details before issuing
  • Run a fixed reminder cadence, not ad hoc chasing
  • Quote statutory interest early and politely

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