Late payment reminders for freelancers

Why late payments pile up at year-end

November and December are when unpaid invoices hurt most. Clients close their books, approvals slow down before the holidays, the person who signs payments is away, and your own January starts with less cash than planned. Meanwhile, chasing money feels awkward, so reminders get pushed to "next week".

The fix is not a better speech; it is a routine. When every invoice gets the same reminders on the same days, chasing stops being personal. You are not "bothering" anyone; you are following your process.

A simple reminder rhythm

Adapt the days to your payment terms, but keep the steps:

A few days before the due date: a friendly heads-up with the invoice attached. Many late payments are simply invoices nobody forwarded to accounting.
The day after the due date: a short, neutral reminder. "Our invoice of 1 800 € was due yesterday; could you let me know when it is scheduled?"
One week late: a second reminder, by email and a phone call if you have a contact. Ask who handles payments and whether anything is blocking.
Two to three weeks late: a firmer email that mentions the late-payment terms on your invoice.
One month late or more: a formal notice (mise en demeure in France) by registered letter, then decide whether to escalate.

Every message should include the invoice number, amount, due date and how to pay. Make paying the easiest thing to do after reading the email.

Know your rights (France)

Between professionals in France, Service Public's page on payment terms sets out the main rules:

Payment terms: 30 days after delivery or the end of the service by default; longer terms can be agreed, within legal limits (for example 60 days from the invoice date).
Late-payment penalties run from the day after the due date, without any reminder being needed. The minimum rate is three times the legal interest rate, and they must appear in your terms and conditions.
A fixed 40 € recovery fee is due for each invoice paid late. It must be mentioned in your terms and on your invoices.

These rules apply between businesses; different rules cover consumers and some sectors. Check that your invoices carry the required mentions before you need them. For a specific dispute, ask an accountant or a lawyer. If you are also preparing for e-invoicing, see the e-invoicing checklist.

Set it up in Tasks

Tasks has no invoicing feature, and doesn't need one for this: the point is that no reminder is ever forgotten.

Create a flag such as "To be paid" on the Flags page, so every payment task can be filtered in one click.
When you send an invoice, add a task like "Check payment: invoice 2026-118, Acme, 1 800 €" and put the due date and the client's contact in its description.
Each morning, filter by "To be paid". When a due date has passed and no payment has arrived, send the next reminder from the rhythm above, note it in the task's description ("Reminder 1 sent on 12/11"), and move on.
Add a weekly recurring task, "Review unpaid invoices", so the list is checked even in a busy week. It reschedules itself each time you complete it.
Turn on the daily task report in your Profile to get the day's reminders by email.

New to recurrence and flags? The Tasks guide covers both, and payment checks fit nicely into a weekly review.

Keep your reminder emails in Documents

On the Pro plan, write each reminder once in Documents ("Payment reminder 1 – friendly", "Payment reminder 3 – firm") and copy it when needed. You will write calmer emails from a template than from scratch at the end of a long day, and anyone covering for you during the holidays can send the same messages. Add a "payments" flag so the templates are one filter away.

Tips

Invoice on time. The clock only starts when the invoice is sent; invoice the day the work is delivered.
Send invoices to the right person, often the accounts department rather than your day-to-day contact.
Stay factual and polite. Most late payers will be clients again.
Ask for a deposit on large or new projects, especially before the year-end slowdown.
Close the loop. When a payment arrives, complete the task so your list only shows what is still open.

FAQ

When should I send the first payment reminder?

A friendly heads-up a few days before the due date prevents many late payments. The first real reminder goes out the day after the due date.

Do I have to send a reminder before charging late-payment penalties in France?

Between professionals, penalties and the 40 € recovery fee are due from the day after the due date without a prior reminder, provided they appear in your terms. Many freelancers still remind first, to keep the relationship good.