A statement of account lists the invoices you have sent, what has been paid and what is still owed. Send it with a short email: the total due, which items are overdue and how to pay. Use it when a customer has more than one open invoice.
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| When | Monthly, or whenever more than one invoice is open |
| Body | Total owed, what is overdue, how to pay: 3 to 5 lines |
| Attach | The statement, usually as a PDF |
10 emails you can copy
Ten emails to send with a statement. The overdue ones go from friendly to firm, one step at a time. Replace every [BRACKET] with a real fact.
Jump to: Sending a statementOverdue itemsCredits and differences
- Monthly statementSubject: Statement for [MONTH]Hello [NAME], your statement for [MONTH] is attached. The balance is [TOTAL]. [AMOUNT] is due by [DATE]. To pay: [METHOD]. Reply here if anything looks wrong. [YOUR NAME]
- On requestAs you asked, here is a statement of your account up to [DATE]. It shows [NUMBER] invoices and [NUMBER] payments. The balance is [TOTAL].
- Before a year end or a meetingAhead of [DATE], here is your statement. Could you check it against your records and tell me if anything differs?
More examples, by situation
Overdue items
- One item overdueYour statement is attached. Invoice [NUMBER] for [AMOUNT] was due on [DATE] and is overdue. Everything else is up to date. Please pay by [DATE].
- Several items overdueYour statement is attached. [NUMBER] invoices are overdue: [LIST: NUMBER, AMOUNT, DUE DATE]. The overdue total is [TOTAL]. Please pay by [DATE], or tell me when I can expect it.
- An overdue account reminderYour account is overdue by [TOTAL]. The oldest invoice is [NUMBER], [DAYS] days late. Please pay by [DATE]. If there is a problem with any of them, tell me which.
- A second statementThis is a second statement showing the same overdue balance of [TOTAL]. If I do not hear from you by [DATE], [NEXT STEP, ONLY IF YOU WILL TAKE IT]. I would rather settle it with you.
Credits and differences
- A payment not matchedI have not yet matched a payment of [AMOUNT] from [DATE] to your account. Could you send the date and the reference you used? Then I can find it.
- A credit noteCredit note [NUMBER] for [AMOUNT] is on the statement. It reduces the balance to [TOTAL].
- A balance that differsThank you for checking. My statement shows [TOTAL] and yours shows [TOTAL]. The difference is [AMOUNT]: [INVOICE OR PAYMENT]. Could you check on your side?
Download these examples
The same text as this page, in one file, with the gaps ready to fill in.
What to avoid
- Sending a statement you have not checked against your bank.
- Mixing a dispute into the statement. Ask which line is wrong, in writing.
- Adding interest or fees that are not in your terms. GOV.UK says you cannot claim statutory interest if a contract sets a different rate.
- Jumping from friendly to threatening. Move up one step at a time.
- No payment date.
Official pages. Rules differ by country. Not legal advice: check the rules that apply to you.
- GOV.UK: Late commercial payments: when a payment becomes late. It says: "If you do not agree a payment date, the law says the payment is late 30 days after either: the customer gets the invoice; you deliver the goods or provide the service (if this is later)." Read 5 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: Interest on late commercial payments. It says: "You cannot claim statutory interest if there's a different rate of interest in a contract." Our interest page has the rate and the sums. Read 5 October 2026.
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When it is still unpaid
Both are free.
Late Payment Chaser (UK)
What you give it: The unpaid amount, the invoice date, and the due date if you agreed one.
What you get: What you can claim under UK late-payment law, worked out with a script and shown with official sources, and three reminder emails to send. UK business-to-business debts only. Not legal advice.
Free. It also works as a paste-in text in a chatbot; there the assistant does the arithmetic, so check its working.
Invoice Checker
What you give it: An invoice, yours or one you received, as text. It cannot read a picture or a scan.
What you get: Every line, the subtotal, the discount, the tax and the total worked out again, and every difference listed. It lists common fields that are missing and flags date, currency and rounding problems. No tax advice. Without a code tool it shows the sums by hand and says they need checking.
What is a statement of account?
A list of the invoices you have sent a customer, the payments and credits you have received and the balance still owed. An invoice asks for payment for one job. A statement shows the whole account.
What should I write in an email with a statement of account?
The total due, which items are overdue, how to pay and a date. Attach the statement. Three to five lines is enough.
How often should I send a statement of account?
Monthly is common for customers who buy often. Send one sooner if an invoice is overdue. This is common practice, not a rule.
Is an overdue account reminder the same as a statement?
No. A statement lists everything on the account. A reminder names the one item that is late. Use a statement when more than one invoice is open.
Questions people ask
What do I do with the [BRACKETS]?
Replace each one with a real fact. If you cannot, delete the line. Never leave a bracket in what you send.
Is this legal advice?
Not legal advice. For a large debt, a dispute or court, get advice.
More
Sources
- Late commercial payments: when a payment becomes late, read 5 October 2026
- Interest on late commercial payments, read 5 October 2026