AI by NicheJob 2 of 19ChatGPTGemini
Chase a late payer in three polite steps
Chasing £12 feels petty, so unpaid cleans pile up one at a time until you're owed a few hundred pounds. A ready three-step sequence, friendly then firm then final, means you chase in minutes without it spoiling a relationship you want to keep.
Time: About 15 minutes once, then 1 minute per chaseTool cost: you can start with a free AI tool
Steps
- List who owes you, how much and since when from your round app or notebook. Use first names and house numbers only.
- Decide where you'll stop: a final reminder, a pause on the clean, or letting a small debt go. Write that rule down so you don't decide it in a bad mood.
- Run the prompt below to get the three messages, each short enough for a text.
- Send message one the day after a missed payment, two a week later, and the final one only if you're ready to follow through.
- Record each chase and any reply in your notes, because dates matter if it ever goes further.
The exact prompt
I'm a UK window cleaner. Write three messages to a customer who hasn't paid for a clean. 1. Friendly reminder, 25 words: assume they forgot, give the amount [£], the date cleaned [date] and how to pay [method]. 2. Second reminder, 35 words, a week later: polite but clear that I need payment by [date]. 3. Final message, 45 words: say that I'll stop cleaning until the balance of [£] is paid, and that I'd rather not. No threats, no legal language. Use ONLY these details. Don't mention fees, interest or court.
✓ Check before you send
- The amount and date are right, and the customer really was cleaned that day.
- You haven't named or shamed the customer in a group or on social media.
- You're willing to do what the final message says.
UK notes extra
- If a debt goes beyond messages, the small-claims route in England and Wales is GOV.UK: make a court claim for money. Scotland and Northern Ireland use different processes. Before claiming against an individual you normally have to follow the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims (a formal letter, then a 30-day wait): justice.gov.uk: Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims.
- Customer names and addresses are personal data, so keep your notes private. ICO: advice for small organisations.
Last reviewed Oct 2026. Free tools change. If a screen looks different, the steps still apply.Back to top ↑