How To Write A Debt Recovery Letter To a Customer

How To Write A Debt Recovery Letter To a Customer

When a customer refuses to pay, you should naturally take steps to recover the money. One such step is to send reminder letters to prompt the debtor to pay, this includes a debt recovery letter.

For many people, taking legal action themselves is not an option. This is due to the high cost and length of time court action can take. Instead, many people are now turn to a professional debt collections agency for assistance in this area.

As soon as overdue invoices start to occur, you should take action as soon as possible.

Frontline Collections is one such agency, and since our opening in 2005 we have helped small businesses and those that are self-employed recover money that is owed to them.

In this article, we list the key points an effective recovery letter to customer should have.

Writing a Payment Reminder Letter – What Should Be Included?

A payment reminder letter is a good way to begin a basic debt recovery process. It is common for businesses to send up to three letters that request payment before sending a final notice. This is more commonly known as a “Letter Before Action”, and often threatens legal action if an outstanding payment is not made.

Writing a debt recovery letter is a straightforward action, but even so, you must always ensure that you format it properly.

Professional and Clear Tone

Firstly, you should only ever use professional and polite language in your recovery letters. Having said that, you should also make sure that you clearly state what you need to say as well.

You should never use language that could be interpreted as aggressive or confrontational. You should professionally state the facts of the case.

Include All Required Information

Your recovery letter should always have information that directly relates to the overdue payments. For example, it is a good idea to include the original invoice in the letter, as well as how many days overdue the payment is. If you can not supply this, you can quote the invoice number instead.

As well as this, if you have payment terms that the customer has agreed to, you should include any information relating to this and their commitment.

Your letter should also include information on how the payment can be made in case the debtor has lost this information.

Sending Schedule

You should never send your letter too often, nor should you send it too infrequently. Instead, you should stick to a schedule for every recovery letter.

A good schedule to use is to send one letter within 14 days of the invoice due date. If this is unsuccessful, you should send another between 15 and 30 days.

If you have not received payment, then you can send a letter before action from 30 days since the original due date.

Recovery Letter to Customer – Hire a Debt Collection Agency

If your payment letter template has not been successful, it is more beneficial to hire a professional than to continue an internal process. A leading Business to consumer debt collection solution that has collected millions.

Frontline Collections is one such professional and has recovered millions of pounds worth of unpaid debt.

Speak to one of our friendly debt collection experts today for more information on how we can help.

Recovery Letter To Customer – Frequently Asked Questions

What does a debt recovery letter include?

There are several key factors a recovery letter should include. At the bare minimum, you should include the original invoice date and amount, as well as how to pay the amount and who to pay it to.

When can I send a debt recovery letter?

You should take care not to send a reminder letter too often. It is appropriate to send the first letter within the first 14 days of the due date if payment has not been made.

How should I send a debt recovery letter?

You should send a recovery letter in a way that can be recorded. For example, using tracked postage is a good choice, as is including a read receipt on any emails sent.

What should I do if my recovery letter is ignored?

If your customer is ignoring your letters, it is often better to hire a professional debt collection agency.

Can a professional debt collector send a recovery letter on my behalf?

Yes, this is a service offered by many professionals. For more information on the best way to recover your debt, speak to one of our friendly debt collection experts now.