Chase in stages: a reminder before the due date, follow-ups and a phone call after it, a statement showing what's owed, and for business customers, statutory interest and compensation added to the balance. If that doesn't work, send a final demand giving a short deadline, usually 7 days, which Citizens Information describes as usual practice before legal proceedings though not always a legal requirement. Only then choose a court by amount, since an unpaid invoice can't go through the Small Claims procedure.
In this article
The short version
- Chase in stages, from a pre-due reminder to a final demand.
- A 7-day demand letter before proceedings is usual practice.
- Unpaid invoices can't go through the Small Claims procedure.
- The District Court hears claims up to €15,000.
- Business customers owe interest and compensation without a reminder.
A chasing sequence from due date to final demand
Getting paid takes a while for many Irish small businesses. ISME's survey of SME owners for the first quarter of 2026, with 80 respondents, put the average wait at 44 days. Court is a long way down the line, and a steady sequence of contact tends to do more than one angry email.
The timings below are a starting point, not a legal requirement. Adjust them to your terms and to how well you know the customer.
- A few days before the due date, send a short reminder with the amount, the date and a way to pay.
- On the due date or the day after, send a second reminder saying the invoice is now due.
- About a week after the due date, follow up on a different channel, such as SMS or WhatsApp if your emails haven't been answered.
- Around two weeks overdue, phone the person who approves payments and ask whether anything is holding the invoice up.
- Once the invoice is a few weeks overdue, send a statement listing every open invoice for that customer, with any interest and compensation shown separately.
- When reminders and calls have stopped working, send a final demand.
If the customer is a business or a public body, statutory late payment interest runs from the day after the payment date without any reminder, at 10.4% a year from 1 July 2026, reset every 1 January and 1 July. Fixed compensation of €40, €70 or €100, depending on the amount, is due on top. Neither applies to consumers, so leave both off invoices for individuals.
On the free Essential level, Adfin sends reminders by email, SMS and WhatsApp with no limit on how many, builds customer statements, and keeps an aged debtors view in which each overdue account gets an owner and a next step. With Enhanced credit control, at 0.3% per paid invoice and only when you use it, Adfin's collection agents decide when to send each reminder, on which channel and how firmly, inside rules you approve, and statutory interest is added to overdue business invoices automatically.
What to check before a final demand
A final demand is the last step before you spend money on recovery, so it pays to get the facts straight first. Work through this list for each invoice you're about to escalate.
- The invoice is correct, and the customer received it along with the goods or services.
- You know the payment date. If none was agreed with a business customer, it was 30 calendar days after the later of the invoice arriving or delivery.
- The customer hasn't raised a dispute or a query you haven't answered. If one is open, resolve it before you escalate.
- You have the customer's full legal name and correct address, which you'll need if the claim goes to court.
- You can show the contract or terms, proof of delivery, and the reminders you've already sent.
- For business customers, you've worked out the interest to date and the fixed compensation band for the amount.
- You've decided whether you'd accept a payment plan, and on what terms, before the customer asks.
The final demand itself should state the amount owed, how it's made up, the deadline for payment and what you'll do if it isn't met. Citizens Information describes a 7-day demand letter as the usual practice before legal proceedings, while noting it isn't always a legal requirement. Keep a copy and a record of how you sent it.
If a solicitor sends the letter or you use a debt collection agency, keep the invoices. For business customers, the late payment rules let you claim reasonable recovery costs above the fixed compensation, and those can include a lawyer's or an agency's fees.
Which court hears an unpaid invoice
For an unpaid invoice, the Small Claims procedure isn't an option. It covers claims of €2,000 or less, but the Courts Service and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission both say debts, including unpaid invoices, are excluded.
| Amount claimed | Court | How proceedings usually start |
|---|---|---|
| Up to €15,000 | District Court | A claim notice, served by registered post or by hand |
| Over €15,000, up to €75,000 | Circuit Court | An ordinary civil bill |
| Above €75,000 | High Court | Generally a summary summons |
The Circuit Court can hear a claim above €75,000 if all the parties consent. Court rules, forms and fees change, and a contested claim can take time, so take advice from a solicitor before you issue proceedings, particularly for larger amounts or a customer who disputes the debt.
Common questions
Do I have to send a letter before suing for an unpaid invoice? Citizens Information describes a 7-day demand letter as the usual practice before legal proceedings, though not always a legal requirement. Sending one also gives the customer a last clear chance to pay.
Can I use the Small Claims procedure for an unpaid invoice? Small Claims can't take an unpaid invoice, because debts are excluded from it. A claim up to €15,000 goes to the District Court instead.
Which court hears an unpaid invoice of €20,000? The Circuit Court, which hears claims up to €75,000. The District Court's limit is €15,000.
Can I add interest and costs before going to court? For a business or public body customer, statutory interest and fixed compensation of €40, €70 or €100 are due without a reminder, plus reasonable recovery costs above that. They don't apply to consumers.
Can I recover the cost of a debt collection agency? Between businesses, reasonable recovery costs above the fixed compensation can be claimed, and the late payment rules name a debt collection agency's fees as one example.
What should I do if the customer disputes the invoice? Pause the reminders for that invoice and deal with the dispute first. If only part of it is disputed, ask the customer to pay the rest while you resolve the difference.
Sources
- Citizens Information - Court proceedings for recovering debts (accurate as of November 2026) https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money-and-tax/personal-finance/debt/court-procedures/
- Courts Service - About small claims (accurate as of November 2026) https://courts.ie/guides/about-small-claim
- Competition and Consumer Protection Commission - Small claims procedure for businesses (accurate as of November 2026) https://www.ccpc.ie/business/help-for-business/guidelines-for-business/small-claims/
- Irish Statute Book - S.I. No. 580/2012, European Communities (Late Payment in Commercial Transactions) Regulations 2012 (accurate as of November 2026) https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2012/si/580/made/en/print
- ISME - Prompt Payments Report Q1 2026 (accurate as of November 2026) https://isme.ie/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Q1-2026-Prompt-Payments.pdf
