Why gardeners get paid late
- Regular clients run up several months before paying.
How to get paid: advice for gardeners
- Invoice maintenance monthly with a short due date, and stop visits after one missed payment.
- Most of your clients are consumers, so there is no statutory interest — rely on deposits and short terms instead.
A chasing timeline that works
- 3 days before due: a friendly heads-up.
- 1 day overdue: a polite reminder — a text often works well with private clients (write one).
- 7–14 days overdue: a firm reminder and a phone call.
- 30 days overdue: a final notice with a deadline.
- Still unpaid: a letter before action, then a small claim if needed.
Your legal options
Most of your clients are private individuals, so statutory late payment interest doesn't apply. You can only charge interest or late fees if your terms said so before they agreed, and the charges are fair. That makes deposits, upfront payment and short terms your best protection. If you do go to court, you can claim court interest and must follow the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims (30 days' notice).