Letter before action generator

Build a formal letter before action for an unpaid invoice. It uses the right wording, deadline and rules depending on whether the customer is a private individual, a sole trader or a limited company.

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Everything you enter stays in your browser. Nothing is sent to us or saved on our servers.

Step 1

Who owes you?

This sets the rules the letter follows. Not sure if the customer is a limited company? Check the Companies House register.

A private individualA homeowner or tenant, paying for their own home. Longer rules apply.A sole traderSomeone trading in their own name, for their business. Longer rules apply, and you can still claim interest.A limited companyA registered company, with “Ltd” or “Limited” in its name.

Step 2

The details

Your name or trading name *

Your address *

Your email

Your phone

We suggest filling in at least one of these, or both, so the customer can reach you.

Their company name *

Their address *

Invoice number(s) *

What the work was *

How the work was agreedOptional, but the protocol asks for it when the customer is an individual or sole trader.

Amount outstanding *

Date payment was due *

How they can pay you

Optional. Leave it blank and the letter points them at the details on the original invoice instead.

Date of this letter

Days to respond14 days is commonly treated as reasonable for a company.

Add statutory interest and compensationStatutory interest and a fixed sum under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.

Bank of England base rate

The base rate is fixed twice a year, so we use the one that applied on the last 30 June or 31 December before your invoice fell overdue. Statutory interest runs at 8% above it. Add the due date above and we will fill this in for you.

Statutory interest

£0.00

Fixed compensation

Set automatically from the amount owed: £40 for debts under £1,000, £70 up to £10,000, £100 for £10,000 or more. Override or clear it if you are not claiming it.

Total now owed£0.00

[Your name]
[Your address]

25 August 2026

[Their name]
[Their address]

Dear Sir or Madam

LETTER BEFORE ACTION

Re: Unpaid invoice [invoice number]

I am writing about money owed to me for work I carried out for [Their name].

The work was as follows: [describe the work]. I invoiced this work under [invoice number], and payment of [amount] fell due on [due date]. That amount remains unpaid.

The total now owed is [amount].

I would be grateful if you would pay the amount owed within 14 days of the date of this letter. Payment can be made using the account details on the original invoice, which I can send again on request. If you would like to discuss payment, or to propose paying by instalments, please contact me at the address at the top of this letter.

If I do not receive payment, or hear from you with a proposal to resolve this, within 14 days, I intend to begin court proceedings to recover the debt without further notice. This may add court fees and further interest to the amount you owe.

I would prefer to settle this matter without going to court, and I am willing to discuss it if there is anything you wish to raise.

Yours faithfully

[Your name]

Send by post, ideally recorded or signed-for so you can prove it went, and keep a copy. A provable method is sensible even though a company gives you more freedom over how you send it.

This tool produces a letter from the details you enter. It is not legal advice. If the debt is disputed, large, or you are unsure how to proceed, consider speaking to a solicitor or a free service such as Citizens Advice.

Want to understand the process first?

The full guide covers when to send a letter before action, what changes for individuals and companies, charging interest, and what comes next if it is ignored.

Read the letter before action guide →

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Letter before action generator

Less admin.Get paid.

Less admin.
Get paid.