Payment Demand Letter: 2026 Template (Ready to Use)

What must a payment demand letter include?

A payment demand letter is an official document you send to a contractor before escalating the matter to court or a debt collection agency. While there is no single mandatory template, it should contain several key elements to be effective and to serve as evidence in legal proceedings.

A valid payment demand letter must include:

• Your details: company name, address, tax ID (NIP), contact information
• Debtor's details: full legal name, registered address
• Amount owed: the exact sum broken down into principal and interest
• Legal basis: invoice numbers, issue dates, and payment due dates
• Payment deadline: a specific date (usually 7–14 days from receipt)
• Bank transfer details: account number, payee name, payment reference
• Consequences of non-payment: information about next steps (debt collection, legal proceedings)
• Signature and date: legible signature of the authorised person

It is also worth including a note about statutory interest for late payment. Under Polish law, you are entitled to it automatically, even if it was not specified in the contract or on the invoice.

How to send a demand letter?

You have several options: email (fastest and cheapest, send as PDF attachment), registered post with return receipt (most formal, irrefutable proof of delivery), or SMS with a link to the PDF. For automated sending, Terminovo sends reminders automatically from as little as PLN 1 per reminder.

What if the client does not respond?

If the deadline has passed and the client still hasn't paid, you can pursue amicable debt recovery, hand the case to a debt collection agency, or start legal proceedings. In most cases, automated amicable debt recovery works best. Statistics show that 70–80% of overdue invoices can be recovered without going to court.