Payment reminders

Payment reminder to a client in Albania: 3 English templates

Your business is in Germany or Austria, your client is in Albania, and the invoice is still open? Here are three English reminders ready to copy: payment reminder, second reminder and final notice, with the amount in euros or lek and your bank details for an international transfer.

Wrong country? Pick your client's country here.

Payment reminder to a client in Albania: 3 English templates
Published
Updated
Reading time
4 min read
On this page
  1. Your law, your interest
  2. The three templates
  3. What is different with clients in Albania
  4. How Backbone does it
  5. Frequently asked questions

Your law, your interest

Your contract is usually governed by your German or Austrian law; best to state that in your quote and your terms. For business clients, German law gives you 9 percentage points above the base rate, so 10.52% for the second half of 2026, plus a EUR 40 flat fee. Austrian law gives you 9.2 points, so 10.73%, also with EUR 40. The late-payment interest calculator works out the exact amount.

The three templates

Pick where your business is based, Germany or Austria, above each template: the rate, the law and the flat fee are already filled in. You only replace the bracketed placeholders.

Stage 1: Payment reminder
Subject: Payment reminder — invoice [number]

Dear [Mr/Ms surname],

I hope you are well. This is a friendly reminder that invoice [number] of [invoice date] for [EUR / ALL] [amount] was due on [due date] and is still open on our side.

If the payment is already on its way, please disregard this message. Otherwise, please pay the amount by bank transfer to:

Account holder: [your company]
IBAN: [IBAN]
BIC (SWIFT): [BIC]
Reference: [invoice number]

Kind regards,
[your name]
Stage 2: Second reminder
Subject: Second reminder — invoice [number], now overdue

Dear [Mr/Ms surname],

Despite our reminder of [date], invoice [number] of [invoice date] for [EUR / ALL] [amount] remains unpaid. The payment is now [x] days overdue.

Please settle the outstanding amount by [new date]. Under our terms and German law (§ 288 BGB), default interest of 10.52% per annum applies from [date default began], plus a flat fee of EUR 40 for recovery costs.

IBAN: [IBAN] · BIC (SWIFT): [BIC] · Reference: [invoice number]

If there is a problem with this invoice, please contact me directly so we can sort it out.

Kind regards,
[your name]
Stage 3: Final notice
Subject: Final notice — invoice [number]

Dear [Mr/Ms surname],

Invoice [number] of [invoice date] for [EUR / ALL] [amount] is still outstanding despite two reminders, most recently on [date].

Outstanding amount:                     [EUR / ALL] [amount]
Default interest ([x] days at 10.52%):  [EUR / ALL] [interest]
Flat fee for recovery costs:            EUR 40.00
Total now due:                          [EUR / ALL] [total]

Please transfer the total to IBAN [IBAN] by [date]. If we have not received payment by then, we will hand the claim over for collection, and any further costs will be added to your account.

Kind regards,
[your name]

What is different with clients in Albania

  • New contracts: 30 days, 60 at most. For contracts since the reform in summer 2026, 30 days from receipt of the invoice apply if nothing is agreed. More than 60 days only works if expressly agreed and not grossly unfair to you.
  • Older contracts: the reminder counts. If a contract from before the reform sets no payment date, only your payment demand starts the clock: your client then has 15 days. In that case, send the reminder in writing and keep a copy.
  • Lek or euros. The local currency is the lek (ALL). Albanian law expressly provides for debts in euros. If you invoice in euros, your client handles the exchange and you carry no currency risk.
  • Transfer with IBAN and BIC. Give your IBAN and BIC (SWIFT) and ask for the invoice number as the payment reference. Intermediary banks sometimes deduct fees. Best agree that your client pays them.
  • No German VAT. Services to business clients outside the EU are not taxable in Germany or Austria. That is why the templates leave out the reverse-charge line for EU clients.

Why this one matters to us

My goal is to optimise and automate back-office tasks so that we founders can focus on what matters most.

Automating back-office work with AI agents and AI integrations is the future – that's why I built Backbone!

LucaLucaFounder, Backbone

How Backbone does it

Dunning on autopilot. In the app, or in a chat with ChatGPT, Claude and many more.

  1. Switch on dunning

    Set it once. Runs by itself.

    In the chat

    Switch on dunning: first reminder after 7 days, then 14 and 28.

    Backbone connectorupdate_reminder_settings

    Automatic reminders are on.

    • Payment reminder after 7 days
    • 1st notice after 14 days
    • 2nd notice after 28 days
    In the app

  2. Who's overdue?

    One question, every open invoice.

    In the chat

    Which invoices are overdue?

    Backbone connectorlist_dunning
    Overdue
    3
    Nordlicht GmbH
    RE-2026-0118 · 21 days
    €4,280.00
    Kinetik Studio
    RE-2026-0124 · 9 days
    €1,190.00
    Fernweh Reisen
    RE-2026-0131 · 4 days
    €942.50
    Total€6,412.50

    Nordlicht has been open the longest.

    In the app

  3. Send the reminder

    You approve. Only then does it go out.

    In the chat

    Send Nordlicht the 2nd notice now, not on the 25th.

    Backbone connectorsend_reminder
    Send reminder
    Invoice RE-2026-0118 · Due 27/09/2026
    2nd noticeDE
    To
    Nordlicht GmbH[email protected]
    Outstanding€4,280.00Late interest 10.52% · 21 days€25.91Flat fee€40.00Total€4,345.91
    Expires in 28 min28 min
    In the app
  • Automatic dunningLive
  • ChatGPT, Claude and many moreLive
  • Cards in the chatLive

More on dunning

Frequently asked questions

Can I send a client in Albania a payment reminder in English?

Yes. The official language is Albanian, but if you have been writing to each other in English, an English reminder is the natural choice. What matters is the invoice number, amount, deadline and bank details.

How much interest can I charge?

Under German law 10.52% a year, under Austrian law 10.73%. On top comes a EUR 40 flat fee (as of the second half of 2026). If your contract uses your client's law, their rules apply.

What payment terms are usual in Albania?

For contracts since summer 2026, 30 days from receipt of the invoice apply if nothing is agreed, and more than 60 days only if expressly agreed. For older contracts with no payment date, your client has 15 days from your payment demand.

Should I invoice in euros or lek?

That is your call. In euros your amount stays the same whatever the lek does, and your client takes care of the exchange.

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General information, not legal or tax advice and no review of your case. Details on providers and laws can change. For your case, follow your tax adviser.

Sources: Law No. 48/2014 (late payments) · Law No. 81/2026 (amending Law 48/2014) · § 3a(2) UStG · § 3a(6) UStG 1994 · § 288 BGB · § 456 and § 458 UGB · Deutsche Bundesbank (base rate) · OeNB (base rate) · Directive 2011/7/EU

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