BadCop › Templates › Final notice invoice email with late fee (14 days overdue)

Final notice: the email that applies the late fee

When to send it

Fourteen days after the due date. Your contract's grace period has passed and the fee is now a line item, not a threat.

The email

Subject: Final notice: invoice {invoice_id}, {currency} {total_due} now dueHi {client_name}, This is a final notice for invoice {invoice_id}, originally {currency} {amount}, due on {due_date} and now {days_overdue} days overdue. In line with our agreed terms a late fee of {currency} {late_fee} has been applied, bringing the balance to {currency} {total_due}. Pay online: {pay_link} Please settle the balance within 7 days. If there is a problem with this invoice, reply to this email and we will sort it out quickly. Regards, {sender_name}

Placeholders in braces are filled in per invoice. Replace them by hand, or run badcop preview INV-1 --step final to render this template for a real invoice.

Why it works

The balance goes up. That single fact moves more slow payers than any wording. It also creates the paper trail you need if this ends in a demand letter or small claims.

Tips

State the original amount, the fee, and the new total separately. Ambiguity invites argument.
Offer the dispute route ('if there is a problem, reply'). It is fair, and it flushes out the real reason for non-payment.
Do not threaten collections or legal action here unless you will actually do it.

Automate it

This is the final step in BadCop's default ladder, sent at T+14 days from the due date. Put your invoices in a CSV, run one command a day, and every open invoice gets the right email at the right time, once.

pip install badcop
badcop init && badcop run --dry-run