Free payment reminder and demand letter
What the law says
From reminder to notice of default
Which letter you send and what you may charge depends on how late the payment is, and whether your client is a business or a consumer. This is general information, not legal advice.
01
Reminder: friendly and free
The first letter after the due date. Often an invoice has simply been forgotten. You state the invoice number, the amount and a new deadline.
02
Demand: more urgent
If payment still does not come, a demand follows, with a new deadline and what happens if your client still does not pay.
03
Notice of default: the final term
A written demand with a reasonable term. If your client does not pay within it, they are in default (article 6:82 Dutch Civil Code). With a fixed due date on the invoice, default usually starts as soon as that date passes (article 6:83).
04
Business client: €40 without a demand
From a business you are owed at least €40 in collection costs, from the day after the due date and without a demand first (article 6:96(4)). Statutory commercial interest runs from that day too (article 6:119a).
05
Consumer: the 14-day letter first
You may only charge a consumer collection costs after a demand that gives 14 days to pay and states which costs follow if payment does not come (article 6:96(6)). With several unpaid invoices, you name them in one letter (6:96(7)).
06
How high the collection costs are
15% of the first €2,500, 10% of the next €2,500, 5% of the next €5,000, 1% of the next €190,000 and 0.5% of the rest. At least €40 and at most €6,775. For a consumer this is the statutory scale. For a business only the €40 is fixed by law, and this scale is customary.
Frequently asked questions about payment reminders
What is the difference between a reminder, a demand and a notice of default?
A reminder is the first, friendly letter after the due date. A demand follows if there is still no payment, and says what happens if payment does not come. A notice of default sets a final reasonable term; if your client does not pay within it, they are in default.
May I charge collection costs?
From a business client you are owed at least €40, from the day after the due date and without a demand. From a consumer only after you have sent a 14-day letter and they have not paid within those 14 days.
How high are the collection costs?
For a consumer they follow the statutory scale: 15% of the first €2,500, falling to 0.5% above that. At least €40, at most €6,775. On an unpaid invoice of €1,000 that is €150. For a business only the €40 minimum is fixed by law (article 6:96(4)); the same scale is customary there.
What is a 14-day letter?
The demand you must send a consumer before you may charge collection costs. It gives 14 days to pay, counted from the day after the demand, and states which costs follow if payment does not come.
May I charge commercial interest as well?
From a business client, statutory commercial interest runs from the day after the due date (article 6:119a Dutch Civil Code). From a consumer you are owed compensation for the time they are in default (article 6:119). This tool does not calculate those amounts for you.
Can GoDutch send reminders for me?
Yes. When you invoice with GoDutch, you get automatic reminders for outstanding invoices. Is an invoice still open past its due date? Then GoDutch chases it for you.
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