An unpaid invoice? Organise your claim first

1. 01The obligation
2. 02What was delivered
3. 03What remains due

When payment is delayed, the story is often scattered across agreements, invoices, messages and bank records. Organising those materials makes the matter easier to assess and discuss. A tidy file does not prove a claim, but it can expose missing information and reduce uncertainty before action is taken.

01Separate events from interpretation

Create a brief chronology covering agreement, delivery, invoicing, the due date and subsequent requests and replies. Record events that can be connected to a document. Keep interpretations and unresolved questions in a separate column. “The work was sent on this date” is more useful than an unqualified accusation of delay.

Identify the parties and the roles of the people involved. Several employees or project managers may have exchanged messages. Note who approved work, who raised a concern and who only handled administration.

02Gather the basis of the payment request

Group the agreement, accepted proposal, purchase orders and amendments. Add evidence of performance, such as work records, handover documents and relevant approvals. Do not assume an invoice explains the entire relationship, or that the absence of a signed agreement automatically settles the matter.

Look at the conditions attached to payment. Approval may be required, a document may be missing or part of the work may be disputed. Recording these points fairly helps explain both positions and avoids a claim built on incomplete information.

03Reconcile the amount

Prepare a schedule showing the basis of each amount, payments already received, the balance and the due date relied on. Distinguish agreed items from contested ones. Support earlier payments with records rather than memory.

Resolve discrepancies between your calculation and the invoices before sending another request. Do not simply add penalties, compensation or fees because you would like to recover them. Every requested amount needs a basis that can be assessed in the relevant context.

04Keep complete, retrievable correspondence

Preserve original messages, attachments and the relevant sequence, including source and date information. A cropped screenshot may omit important context. Good organisation helps explain a document; it does not replace an assessment of its evidential value or the requirements for submitting it.

The Evidence Law addresses digital evidence. Preserve original material without altering its contents, and distinguish records received at the time from explanations written later. Seek advice if obtaining or preserving material raises privacy or access concerns.

05Make the request precise

Explain the transaction, amount and supporting records, and state what you are asking for. Keep your correspondence and evidence of transmission or response. Avoid inflammatory wording or irrelevant personal details. Sometimes one point about delivery or reconciliation is the practical obstacle to payment.

If a settlement or instalment schedule is proposed, understand any acknowledgement, release or new obligation before agreeing. A negotiated total alone does not explain when payment is due or what happens if the schedule is not followed.

06Know when to seek advice

Seek advice early if the disagreement continues, a potentially relevant deadline approaches or the correct route is unclear. The competent authority, requirements and timing depend on the relationship and documents. Someone else’s experience may not apply to your circumstances.

A useful starting file contains a one-page summary, payment schedule, chronology and numbered supporting records. That allows a discussion to focus on the position and available options rather than on searching for scattered messages.