Reminder Letter Templates: Three Reminders That Work
Three ready-made templates for a payment reminder, a reminder and a final reminder, with the Danish rules on fees and deadlines you must follow under the Interest Act.
The rules for reminders
Before you write your reminders to Danish customers, you need to know the rules on fees and deadlines:
- You may charge at most DKK 100 in reminder fees per reminder, for no more than 3 reminders, with at least 10 days between the reminders you charge for (section 9 b of the Danish Interest Act).
- If the customer is a business, you can also claim fixed compensation of DKK 310 (section 9 a). This does not apply to consumers.
- Late-payment interest runs from the due date if the due date is fixed, for example on the invoice.
- Before the case is sent to debt collection, the customer must receive a debt collection notice with a deadline of at least 10 days.
The templates below follow a typical sequence: a friendly reminder, a reminder and a final reminder that also serves as the debt collection notice. If your customer is Danish, send the letters in Danish: the Danish version of this article has the templates in Danish.
1. Friendly payment reminder (no fee)
Subject: Reminder about invoice no. [number]
Dear [name]
We can see that invoice no. [number] for DKK [amount], which fell due on [date], has not yet been paid. Perhaps it has simply been overlooked.
We would appreciate it if you could pay the amount to [payment details] as soon as possible. If you have already paid, please disregard this reminder. If you have any questions about the invoice, you are welcome to contact us.
Kind regards
[Name, company, contact details]
Expert tip: Send the reminder quickly
A friendly reminder a few days after the due date resolves many cases before they become a problem. Many accounting programs can send it automatically.
2. Reminder (with fee)
Subject: Reminder, invoice no. [number]
Dear [name]
We have not yet received payment for invoice no. [number] dated [invoice date], which fell due on [date].
- Principal: DKK [amount]
- Reminder fee: DKK 100
- [Business customers only:] Fixed compensation: DKK 310
- Late-payment interest from the due date under the Interest Act
Please pay DKK [amount] no later than [date] to [payment details]. If you disagree with the claim, please contact us before the deadline.
Kind regards
[Name, company, contact details]
3. Final reminder and debt collection notice
Subject: Final reminder and debt collection notice, invoice no. [number]
Dear [name]
Despite our previous reminder of [date], we have not received payment for invoice no. [number] dated [invoice date] for [short description].
- Principal: DKK [amount]
- Reminder fees: [number] × DKK 100
- [Business customers only:] Fixed compensation: DKK 310
- Late-payment interest from [due date] to [date]: DKK [amount]
- Total: DKK [amount]
Please pay DKK [amount] no later than [date, at least 10 days after sending] to [payment details].
If the amount is not paid by the deadline, the case will be handed over to debt collection, which will result in further costs for you. If you have questions or would like an instalment plan, contact us on [phone / email] before the deadline.
Kind regards
[Name, company, contact details]
Expert tip: Check the dates
There must be at least 10 days between the reminders you charge for, and the deadline in the debt collection notice must be at least 10 days from sending. Write specific dates in the letters, and keep a copy of everything you send.
Adjust the tone
The templates are deliberately factual and polite. An accommodating tone often gets faster payment than threats, especially in the first letters. Read more about the psychology of the reminder letter. If the customer gets in touch and wants to pay in instalments, an instalment plan can be a good solution.
When the customer does not pay
If the deadline in the debt collection notice expires without payment, you can hand the case to a debt collection agency or lawyer, or file a payment order yourself if the claim is undisputed. If the customer disputes the claim, read about how to handle objections.
Through InkassoHurtig you can get no-obligation quotes from police-authorised debt collection agencies and lawyers. This content is general information and not legal advice.