Chasing money from people whose children you teach is uncomfortable, which is why most teachers do it late, apologetically and by hand. The fix is a fixed sequence: three messages, sent on a schedule, in a tone that gets firmer without ever getting personal. Once the sequence exists, sending it is not a decision, so it stops being awkward.
When to send each one
| Message | When | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| Email 1 | On the due date | Friendly; assumes they forgot |
| Email 2 | 7 days overdue | Clear; says overdue, gives a date |
| Email 3 | 14 days overdue | Firm; states what happens next |
Every message includes the invoice number, the amount, and a way to pay in one tap. Never send a reminder without a pay link or bank details in it; making someone go and find the original invoice is how reminders get ignored. If a parent replies to say they have paid by bank transfer, stop the sequence and check your account.
Email 1: the gentle reminder
Subject: Reminder: invoice INV-0042 for £64.00 is due today Hi [Parent's name], A quick reminder that invoice INV-0042 for £64.00 ([Student]'s lessons in September) is due today. You can pay by card here: [pay link] Or by bank transfer to [Account name], sort code 00-00-00, account 00000000, reference INV-0042. If you've already paid, thank you and please ignore this. Best wishes, [Your name]
Email 2: overdue
Subject: Overdue: invoice INV-0042 for £64.00 Hi [Parent's name], Invoice INV-0042 for £64.00 was due on [due date] and is now a week overdue. Could you settle it by [date, 3 days from now]? Pay by card: [pay link] Bank transfer: [Account name], sort code 00-00-00, account 00000000, reference INV-0042. If there's a problem with the invoice, or you'd like to pay in parts, just reply and we'll sort it out. Thanks, [Your name]
Email 3: final notice
Subject: Final reminder: invoice INV-0042 for £64.00, two weeks overdue Hi [Parent's name], I haven't received payment for invoice INV-0042 (£64.00), which was due on [due date], and I haven't heard from you about it. Please pay by [date, 3 days from now]. If it isn't paid by then, I'll need to pause [Student]'s lessons until the balance is cleared, which I'd much rather not do. Pay by card: [pay link] Bank transfer: [Account name], sort code 00-00-00, account 00000000, reference INV-0042. If something has happened that makes this difficult, please tell me; I'm happy to agree a plan. [Your name]
Notice what the final notice does not do: it does not threaten debt collectors, interest or the small claims court. For a £64 lesson invoice those are empty threats, and parents know it. Pausing lessons is the consequence you actually control, and it is the one that works.
The text-message versions
Text messages get read; emails get filed. If you have a mobile number, send the same three steps as texts, shorter:
Day 0: [Your name]: a reminder that invoice INV-0042 for £64.00 is due today. Pay here: [pay link] Day 7: [Your name]: invoice INV-0042 (£64.00) is now a week overdue. Please pay by [date]: [pay link] Day 14: [Your name]: final reminder, invoice INV-0042 (£64.00) is 2 weeks overdue. Please pay by [date] or lessons will pause: [pay link]
Letting the reminders send themselves
My Studio Tracker sends this exact sequence for you. Every invoice carries a pay link, reminders go by email and SMS on the days you choose (the default is the due date, then 7 and 14 days later), and each one is logged on the invoice so you can see what was sent when. If a parent reports a bank transfer from the pay page, the reminders pause until you confirm it; if they pay by card, they stop. You can also send a one-off reminder with one tap when you want to nudge sooner.