As a college instructor and communication expert with extensive nonfiction and educational writing experience, Mary shares tips and advice related to a wide variety of topics.
Updated April 28, 2020
Do you need to write a request for payment letter? While contacting clients and asking them to pay bills are past due is unpleasant, it is something people who own and manage businesses certainly have to do from time to time. To use the letter template provided here, simply click the image below. The document will open as a PDF file that you can then edit, save and print as needed. Use this guide to Adobe printables if you need assistance with how to use this document.
Use this template if you need to write an outstanding balance payment request letter.
Use this template in a situation where a client has contracted with you to provide products or services for which advance payment is required.
PDF_1657268792008|https://cf.ltkcdn.net/business/files/4458-advance-payment-request-letter.pdfUse this sample letter as a starting point for requesting the release of a payment that is being held in escrow pending completion of a transaction.
PDF_1657268819636|https://cf.ltkcdn.net/business/files/4457-request-letter-for-payment-release.pdfWhile you should adjust the information in the template to match your situation, it's important to use an appropriate tone and be sure that the document is professionally formatted.
When sending a letter to a client or customer requesting payment, it's essential to communicate your point as clearly as possible while maintaining a positive, professional tone. Don't send a first or second request that is so negative the client feels attacked. If the tone is too harsh, the client may feel there is no point in trying to continue a relationship with your business. When that happens, there's a risk the client will choose not to pay the bill, since he or she is not concerned with preserving the relationship.
Are you InTheKnow ?Use company letterhead and a standard business letter format if you are sending a payment request letter by mail or fax. Depending on your company's correspondence procedures, it may also be acceptable for you to transmit the letter via email. If so, it's better to include the letter in the body of the email message rather than as an attachment file. It is not necessary to create a letterhead template for an email message, but you should close the communication with your official company email signature.
If you send a payment request letter on a past due account and you do not hear back from the recipient within 30 days, consider placing a follow-up phone call. As with the letter, it's appropriate to maintain a positive tone. Attempt to speak directly to the person responsible for paying the bill and confirm receipt of the letter. If you are able to talk with the responsible party, offer to process credit card payment via telephone or online. If not, ask when you can expect to receive payment. Make a note of the date and follow up with a late payment letter.
If payment is not received as agreed upon, you'll need to escalate the account to the next step in your company's procedure for managing delinquent accounts. If the bill remains unpaid for an extended period of time, the tone of future collections letters will need to be firmer, eventually being turned over to a collection agency if necessary. While there are certainly circumstances under which final collections actions need to be taken, it is not advisable to do so until you have exhausted every possible avenue of resolving the late payment amicably. Until you are actually ready to send the account to collections or take legal action, do not mention such actions in payment request correspondence with people or businesses whose accounts are past due.
