Having a payment reminder drafted: costs and process

Having a payment reminder drafted by a specialized SME lawyer typically costs between 75 and 250 euros for a custom-made letter or a set of standard letters, and considerably less if you use a ready-made template. You are primarily paying for certainty: a letter that is legally sound, complies with the fourteen-day notice requirement of Art. 6:96, paragraphs 5 and 6 of the Dutch Civil Code for consumers, and correctly announces interest and collection costs. Outsourcing is usually not necessary for a simple invoice, but for disputed or large claims, it quickly pays for itself.

The short answer

• Having a standalone memorial drafted costs approximately 75 to 250 euros, depending on the customization.
• A set of standard letters or a template is cheaper and often sufficient for recurring use.
• You pay for legal accuracy: correct time limit, interest, and collection costs, plus the fourteen-day notice for consumers.
• For a simple, undisputed invoice, a good template usually suffices.
• For disputed claims, large sums, or a difficult client, professional drafting pays off.

Have a payment reminder drafted: what do you get?

Anyone who has a reminder drafted receives more than just a polite message. A legal expert ensures that the letter suits the situation: consumer or business client, a final or open payment deadline, and the correct notification of interest and costs. Often, you do not deliver just one letter, but a series: a friendly first reminder, a formal demand letter, and, for consumers, a conclusive fourteen-day notice. This way, you can be certain that every step is legally sound and that you will not run into formal errors later on.

In addition, a legal expert checks whether the claim is due and payable and whether the account holder's name is correct. Sending a reminder to the wrong party or regarding an invoice that has not yet fallen due undermines your position. This upfront check is exactly what you are paying for.

The costs in focus

The price depends on what you need:

• Ready-made model: the cheapest, suitable for recurring standard invoices.
• Custom standalone letter: typically 75 to 250 euros, depending on complexity.
• Set of standard letters: a reminder plus a demand letter plus a fourteen-day notice; often more economical as a package than individual letters.
• Advice on disputes: hourly rate, when the client challenges the claim on the merits.

Compare those costs against what you receive back. For consumers, you may recover collection costs if a proper demand letter is served, with a minimum of 40 euros per claim in accordance with the Decree on Compensation for Extrajudicial Collection Costs. For business clients, you may also charge commercial interest (Art. 6:119a BW). For a larger claim, those costs and interest can easily exceed the cost of drafting the letter itself.

When outsourcing pays off

Outsourcing is particularly useful in a number of situations. If the customer disputes the content of the invoice, the wording of your demand letter is important to avoid weakening your position. If a large amount is involved, every error in the interest or cost calculation carries significant weight. And if you work with many consumers, you will want a template that is guaranteed to comply with the fourteen-day notice period, so that you do not run the risk of forfeiting your right to collection costs for each customer.

A practical example: a webshop with many consumer orders had a set of standard letters drafted on a one-off basis. The investment was a few hundred euros. Because the fourteen-day notice is now accurate, the webshop can recover collection costs from every defaulter. With dozens of cases per year, this more than pays for itself.

The process step by step

1. Intake: you provide the invoice, the agreement, and the customer details.
2. Assessment: the lawyer checks enforceability, registration, and the type of client.
3. Drafting: the letter or set is written with the correct term, interest, and notice of costs.
4. Deliverable: you receive an editable document that you can reuse yourself.
5. Next steps: in the event of non-payment, the lawyer advises on a formal demand for payment, debt collection, or legal action.

The turnaround time is short. A single letter is often ready within a few working days, while a set of standard letters takes slightly more time because the variants need to align.

Do it yourself or have it done?

The assessment is realistic. Doing it yourself is fine for a single, undisputed invoice with a clear payment term. Having it done professionally pays off as soon as something unusual is involved: a dispute, a large amount, many customer files, or unclear agreements regarding interest. An intermediate option is a template drawn up once that you continue to use yourself. This way, you pay once for legal accuracy and benefit from it structurally thereafter.

Honest recommendation

For a standard overdue invoice, you do not need to have anything drafted. A good template plus, for consumers, a correct fourteen-day notice will suffice yourself. As long as the claim is not disputed and the amounts are clear, outsourcing is a waste of money.

Do have someone review or draft the letter when the customer disputes the invoice, when a substantial amount is involved, or when you work with consumers on a regular basis and want to be certain that your template is correct. In those cases, the investment is small compared to the risk of missing out on interest and collection costs.

You can find more in-depth information at what is a payment reminder and at drafting a payment reminder. You can have a document created via the payment reminderpage.

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