It depends on the message. Routine ones, such as a note before the due date, a first or second reminder and a statement of what's owed, can come from software, sent in your name from your own email address. A reply to a dispute, a conversation about hardship and a final notice are better coming from you, because each needs a judgement about the person on the other end.
In this article
The short version
- Notes before the due date, first and second reminders and statements can come from software sent in your name.
- Replies to disputes, hardship conversations and final notices are better written by you.
- A reminder feels personal when it knows the client's account and a reply reaches a named person.
- Tell clients once what reminders to expect and who to reply to.
- No UK rule requires you to say a reminder was AI-drafted; practices may mention AI use in engagement letters.
Which messages can come from software
Sorting by message gets you to a usable answer faster than arguing the principle. Most of what you send while chasing states what's owed and how to pay it, and your client gains little from you typing it personally.
| Message | Who it should come from |
|---|---|
| A note a few days before the due date | Software, on a rule you set |
| First reminder after the due date | Software, reviewed if you'd like |
| Second and third reminders | Software, with you keeping an eye on the account |
| A statement listing everything outstanding | Software, when an account goes quiet |
| Reply to a dispute, or a query that needs a decision | You |
| Instalment or hardship conversation | You, ideally by phone |
| Final notice or letter before action | You, with the figures checked |
The line falls where a message stops being about the invoice and starts being about the relationship. Above it, the job is to arrive on time with the right amount and a way to pay. Below it, you're making a call about someone's circumstances, or putting your name to a consequence you're prepared to follow through on.
Many businesses find the routine group bigger than they expected. The messages that need you usually involve a handful of accounts at any one time.
The messages worth writing yourself
The messages that need you tend to be short, and having a few lines ready makes them quicker to send. You can adapt these:
- "Just checking on invoice 2031 for £850, which fell due last Tuesday. Is there anything you need from us to get it paid?"
- "I know cash can be tight at this time of year. Would it help to pay this in two or three instalments? I'm happy to set that up."
- "Thanks for confirming it'll go out on the 20th. I'll look out for it and give you a call if it hasn't come through."
For a client you end up chasing every month for the same fee, a better reminder probably isn't the answer. Asking them to pay by direct debit is likely to save you both the trouble: "You're on our books for the same fee every month, so shall we set up a direct debit and stop us both doing this?"
Your largest clients are worth keeping in this group at every stage. With them you're managing a relationship and a receivable together, and a reminder that misses the context can cost more than the invoice.
How to keep automated reminders personal
When people say they want chasing to feel personal, they usually mean one of two things. Sometimes they mean that they typed it themselves. Your client usually can't tell, and there's no published research on how customers react to a reminder drafted by software compared with one written by hand.
More often they mean that the message knows the client's account. It uses the invoice number they'd recognise, it doesn't ask for an invoice they paid last week, and a reply reaches someone who can answer. That version survives being sent by software, and it's the one clients are likely to notice. In practice it needs three things: your ledger kept up to date, reminders sent from your own address, and a named person in the sign-off.
It also helps to tell clients once what to expect, before scheduled reminders start:
- "From this month you'll get a reminder the day after an invoice is due, and another a week later if it's still open. If anything looks wrong, just reply and it comes straight to me."
And in the sign-off of every automated reminder:
- "Any questions on this, reply to this email or call me on [number] and I'll pick it up."
Adfin's collection agents send reminders from your own email domain, so replies land with you, and they write in your firm's own tone. They can also pick the timing and channel for each client from that client's own history, and you choose whether to review each message before it goes or let the routine ones run.
Do you have to tell clients a reminder was written by AI?
No UK rule requires a business to say that a payment reminder was drafted by software. Data protection law asks you to be open about how you use people's personal data, not about who drafted a message.
Accountancy and tax practices have extra guidance from their professional bodies. Under the PCRT guidance on using AI tools, issued in January 2026, members are encouraged to include a statement in their engagement letter about the possible use of AI, and they stay accountable for anything produced with it. The guidance also suggests treating AI output as if a less experienced junior colleague had prepared it. That works for any business, practice or not. You'd let a junior send a standard reminder, you'd check their draft of anything mentioning a fee or a legal step, and you'd take the awkward call yourself.
Common questions
Should invoice reminders come from a person or an AI? Routine reminders and statements can come from software sent in your name. Replies to disputes, hardship conversations and final notices are better from you.
Do you have to tell customers a reminder was written by AI? No UK law requires it. Accountancy and tax practices are encouraged by their professional bodies to mention possible AI use in their engagement letters.
Whose name should go on an automated reminder? Your firm's name, with a named contact and a reply address that reaches a real person. A reminder signed by someone who can't answer a reply is likely to annoy a client.
Which messages should you always write yourself? Replies to queries and disputes, anything about instalments or hardship, any message quoting a specific interest or fee figure, and final notices.
Will clients mind getting reminders from software? There's no published research on how clients react to software-drafted reminders compared with handwritten ones. Clients are more likely to notice whether the message is accurate about their account and whether a reply reaches someone.
How do I make automated chasing feel personal? Send it from your own email address, use the client's invoice details, sign it with a named contact, and tell clients once what reminders to expect and who to reply to.
Sources
- ICAEW - Topical guidance: application of PCRT to ethical use of artificial intelligence tools (accurate as of October 2026) https://www.icaew.com/technical/tax/working-in-tax/pcrt/topical-guidance-application-of-pcrt-to-ethical-use-of-artificial-intelligence-tools
- ICO - Right to be informed (accurate as of October 2026) https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/individual-rights/individual-rights/right-to-be-informed/
- Adfin - Credit control (accurate as of October 2026) https://www.adfin.com/credit-control
