Get paid faster: invoicing and chasing overdue payments in Ireland

4 min read · Last reviewed July 2026 · Always confirm current rates on revenue.ie

The job's done, the customer's happy — and you're still waiting on the money three weeks later. Cash flow, not profit, is what sinks small trades businesses. Here's how to get paid sooner.

Invoice the day you finish

The single biggest lever is speed. An invoice sent the day the job finishes gets paid far faster than one sent at the weekend when you finally sit down to the paperwork. Send it from the van before you start the engine.

Set clear payment terms

Put the terms on the quote and the invoice — for example "payment due within 14 days". People pay to a deadline; a vague "thanks" gets ignored. For bigger jobs, take a deposit up front and stage payments against milestones so you're never carrying the whole cost.

Chase early and consistently

Most late payment isn't refusal — it's drift. A polite reminder the day an invoice goes overdue, then a firmer one a week later, clears the vast majority. The trick is doing it every time, not just when cash is tight.

You're entitled to charge interest on late payment

For business-to-business debts, Irish and EU late-payment law entitles you to statutory interest plus a fixed compensation amount when a customer pays late — you don't have to have it in your contract. Many tradespeople never use this, but simply mentioning the right on your invoice can be enough to move a slow payer.

Make it easy to pay

• Put your bank details (IBAN) on every invoice
• Send the invoice by whatever the customer actually reads — WhatsApp, email or text
• Give one clear total and due date, not a wall of numbers
• Follow up the same way you sent it