Guide · updated November 2026

Getting paid: guides for small businesses

• Letter of demand for an unpaid invoice: what to include
  How to write a letter of demand that gets paid: the debtor's legal name, the amount, a clear deadline, and the next step. With a template structure.
• Unpaid invoice reminder emails that actually get paid
  The three-email sequence that gets overdue invoices paid: what to say at day 1, day 7 and day 14 overdue.
• Recovering an unpaid invoice in NSW
  NSW debt recovery: statement of claim in the Local Court Small Claims Division (up to $20,000), the pre-trial review, costs and the 6-year time limit.
• Recovering an unpaid invoice in Victoria
  Victorian debt recovery: claims up to $100,000 in the Magistrates' Court, when VCAT applies, and the 6-year time limit.
• QCAT minor debt claims for unpaid invoices
  Queensland: apply to QCAT for a minor debt (Form 3) for claims up to $25,000. The respondent has 28 days to respond, and recoverable costs are limited.
• Can you charge interest on late invoices?
  When you can add interest or collection costs to an overdue invoice, how to calculate it, and how to set late-payment terms for next time.
• Payment plan agreements for overdue invoices
  Agree a payment plan without losing your rights: acknowledgement of the debt, instalments, and what happens if a payment is missed.
• Statutory demands: a cautious explainer
  What a creditor's statutory demand is, when it can be used against a company, and why to get legal advice first.

More: Letter of demand for an unpaid invoice: what to include · Unpaid invoice reminder emails that actually get paid · Recovering an unpaid invoice in NSW · Recovering an unpaid invoice in Victoria · QCAT minor debt claims for unpaid invoices · Can you charge interest on late invoices? · Payment plan agreements for overdue invoices · Statutory demands: a cautious explainer