Getting paid on time: a sole trader’s playbook

You did the job well, the client was happy, and three weeks later you’re still waiting. It’s rarely malice. Usually the invoice got buried, or the terms were vague, or nobody asked. Almost all of that is fixable before you even pick up the tools.

Start before the job: deposits and terms

The easiest invoice to get paid is the one where most of the money has already arrived. For anything with real materials cost, ask for a deposit when the client accepts the quote. It covers your outlay and it turns “maybe” into “booked”.

Then write your payment terms on the quote itself, not just the invoice:

• When the balance is due. On completion, or within 7 days, for example.
• How to pay. Bank details, or a card payment link if you take cards.
• What happens with extras. Agreed in writing first, then added to the final invoice.

Invoice the same day

An invoice sent from the driveway gets paid faster than one written up on Sunday night. The job is fresh, the client is pleased, and the amount matches what they remember agreeing. Include the quote reference, what you did, any extras the client approved, your payment details and the due date.

A reminder rhythm that stays friendly

Most late payers aren’t avoiding you. They just need a nudge, at the right time, in the right tone. Set the rhythm once and stick to it:

When	Tone	Example
Due date	Friendly	“Just a reminder that invoice INV-0002 for £281.23 is due today. Thanks again!”
7 days late	Clear	“INV-0002 is now a week overdue. Could you let me know when it’ll be paid?”
14 days late	Firm	“INV-0002 is two weeks overdue. Please pay by Friday or call me to agree a date.”
30 days late	Final	Final notice, saying what you’ll do next and by when.

Business clients: the law is on your side

When your client is another business (a letting agent, a landlord’s company or a main contractor), the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 applies. If you didn’t agree a payment date, payment is late 30 days after the client gets your invoice or you finish the work, whichever is later.¹

Once a business payment is late you can claim statutory interest at 8% plus the Bank of England base rate.¹³ You can also add a fixed sum for the cost of recovering the debt:²

Size of the debt	Fixed sum you can claim
Up to £999.99	£40
£1,000 to £9,999.99	£70
£10,000 or more	£100

Keep records HMRC will want anyway

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is now here for sole traders and landlords. It applies from April 2026 if your qualifying income (self-employment plus property) was over £50,000, from April 2027 if it was over £30,000, and from April 2028 if it was over £20,000.⁴ Under it you keep digital records and send HMRC quarterly updates through compatible software.

Accepto isn’t tax software, but having every quote, extra and invoice in one place, with dates and amounts, makes the bookkeeping side much lighter, whoever does it.

How Accepto helps

When a client accepts a quote, Accepto raises the deposit invoice on its own. When the job is done, you invoice from the job screen, and approved extras are already on it. Overdue invoices and quotes with no answer show up under Needs you on your home screen, and you chase them with one tap. When the money arrives, mark it paid by bank, card or cash, and the Money tab shows what’s still to collect.