BadCop › Templates › Late fee applied email template

How to tell a client a late fee has been applied

When to send it

The first email after your grace period ends, usually the 14-day final notice.

The email

Subject: Invoice {invoice_id}: late fee applied per our terms, {currency} {total_due} now dueHi {client_name}, As invoice {invoice_id} ({currency} {amount}, due {due_date}) is now {days_overdue} days overdue, the late fee set out in our terms has been applied: {currency} {late_fee}. The balance due is {currency} {total_due}. Pay online: {pay_link} If payment was sent in the last few days, reply with the date and we will reverse the fee. 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

Wording matters: 'in line with our agreed terms' frames the fee as something the client already signed up for, which it is. 'We are charging you' frames it as a decision you made today.

Tips

Offer to reverse the fee if payment crossed in the post. It costs nothing and removes the main objection.
Show the calculation in your terms, not in the email. The email states the number.
Never apply a fee your contract does not allow. It is unenforceable and it damages trust.

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