When a Client Pays Late

Collect the documents that connect the work to the payment: the accepted quotation or contract, relevant changes, delivery evidence, invoice and messages about approval. A record that the work was sent is different from a record that the recipient accepted it. Neither should be silently substituted for the other. Preserve original versions and write a separate chronology rather than editing old documents to match your current understanding.

Read the payment term as written. It may depend on an invoice date, receipt, approval, milestone or another event. Record the words and the event you believe started the period. If the term is ambiguous, label it as a question. Do not choose the interpretation that produces the most overdue days and present it as settled law. A qualified local adviser may need to assess the agreement.

Separate the amount invoiced, any amount paid and the amount still outstanding. Check whether a credit, refund or agreed adjustment exists. If fees were deducted, record who deducted them and what the agreement says rather than automatically calling every deduction non-payment. Currency differences also need their own line.

A factual opening might be: invoice 42, issued on a named date, for an agreed service, with 500 currency units still outstanding according to your record. This is more useful than 'they never pay properly.' You can feel frustrated while keeping the file precise. If the documents are incomplete, the first task is to identify what is missing, not to invent a contract from memory.