Payment reminders

Payment reminder to a client abroad: 3 English templates

Your business is in Germany or Austria, your client is in a country without its own page here, and the invoice is still open? Here are three English reminders ready to copy: payment reminder, second reminder and final notice, in the currency of your choice and with your international transfer details in the right place.

Wrong country? Pick your client's country here.

Payment reminder to a client abroad: 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 abroad
  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 / USD / GBP / CHF] [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 / USD / GBP / CHF] [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 / USD / GBP / CHF] [amount] is still outstanding despite two reminders, most recently on [date].

Outstanding amount:                     [EUR / USD / GBP / CHF] [amount]
Default interest ([x] days at 10.52%):  [EUR / USD / GBP / CHF] [interest]
Flat fee for recovery costs (EUR 40):   [EUR / USD / GBP / CHF] [fee]
Total now due:                          [EUR / USD / GBP / CHF] [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 abroad

  • Fix the currency up front. Euros, dollars, pounds or Swiss francs: put the currency in the contract. If you invoice in a foreign currency, you carry the exchange-rate risk until the money arrives. The reminder always uses the currency of the invoice.
  • Allow for international transfers. Outside the SEPA area, every payment is an international transfer with IBAN and BIC. It often takes longer, intermediary banks may deduct fees, and the holidays are different. Allow a few extra days before you send the next stage.
  • No VAT ID, no reverse charge. B2B services to companies outside the EU are usually not taxable in Germany or Austria, so the EU reverse-charge line drops out. One short line on why the invoice shows no VAT saves your client the follow-up question.
  • Monaco, Andorra, San Marino and Vatican City pay in euros. All four use the euro as their official currency but are not EU members. You invoice in euros and send the templates above. For VAT, Monaco counts as France: add your client's FR VAT ID and the reverse-charge line.
  • Russia and Belarus: check sanctions first. EU sanctions can restrict payments and claims. Before any contact, check whether the deal, the client and the payment route are affected, and get advice if in doubt.

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

Which language do I use for a client abroad?

English, unless you agreed on something else. The three templates above work for any country; 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.

Do I charge VAT on invoices to clients outside the EU?

For B2B services, usually not: they are not taxable in Germany or Austria. Supplies of goods follow their own rules.

How long does a transfer from abroad take?

Usually a few business days, longer depending on the country and the intermediary bank. So set the new deadline in the reminder a week later rather than sooner.

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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: § 3a(2) UStG · § 3a(6) UStG 1994 · Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 (Russia sanctions) · § 288 BGB · § 456 and § 458 UGB · Deutsche Bundesbank (base rate) · OeNB (base rate) · Directive 2011/7/EU

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