# Customer won't pay for work done? What a UK tradesperson can do, step by step > From the first reminder to a county court claim: the steps, the letters, the court fees in pounds, and whether you can hold back the certificate. - Page to cite: https://aeolookup.com/trades/customer-wont-pay-for-work-done-uk/ - Publisher: AEO Lookup (https://aeolookup.com/) - Section: Trades and building firms, Getting paid - Published 1 October 2026 - Key fact: We priced the route for a £2,400 unpaid invoice: the county court fee is £115, and against a business customer 60 days late you can add £46.36 interest and a £70 fixed fee, so the claim is worth more than it costs to bring. - Sources: GOV.UK "Make a court claim for money: court fees", the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims (justice.gov.uk), the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, and regulation 20 of the Building Regulations 2010 as explained in local authority Part P guidance, all read 2026-10-01; our sums are saved in tests/gaffer/tools-check.txt. The job is done, the invoice has gone, and the money has not come. It is the most common money problem on trade forums: one thread on ElectriciansForums.net titled "I have not been paid, what shall I do" has around 30,000 views and 130 replies. Here is the route most owners end up taking, in order, with what each step costs. ## First: is there a real complaint? Before chasing hard, ask the customer straight out if anything is wrong with the work. A lot of late payment is a snag nobody mentioned: a cracked tile, a socket in the wrong place, a missing certificate. If there is one, fix it or agree a reduction in writing, then invoice for the rest. A court will look at whether you acted reasonably, and a customer with a genuine complaint you ignored is the claim you lose. If there is nothing wrong, carry on. ## Step 1: the reminder (day 1 to 7 overdue) A short, friendly message the day after the due date, by the channel the customer actually reads. For most trades firms that is WhatsApp or text, then email. Attach the invoice again. Most late payers pay at this point; they forgot. ## Step 2: the firm letter (day 14 or so) If nothing comes, send a firmer letter or email. Give a date. If the customer is a business, say that you are entitled to statutory interest and a fixed recovery fee under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, and say what it comes to. Use the [late payment interest calculator](https://aeolookup.com/trades/late-payment-interest-calculator-uk/) to get the figure. You cannot add statutory interest to a householder's bill. Our [three chasing letters for builders](https://aeolookup.com/trades/chase-unpaid-invoice-letter-template-builders/) give the wording for this step and the next. ## Step 3: the letter before action This is the last letter before court, and the rules depend on who owes you. **If the customer is an individual or a sole trader** (a householder, or a one-person firm), you must follow the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims. Your letter has to set out the debt and include the protocol's information sheet and reply form. The customer then has 30 days to reply. If they do not, you can issue a claim. Skipping the protocol can cost you: a court can penalise you on costs or interest even if you win. **If the customer is a limited company,** the protocol does not apply, but you should still send a clear letter giving a reasonable deadline. Fourteen days is common. ## Step 4: the court claim In England and Wales you claim through the county court, online through Money Claim Online or on paper. Claims up to £10,000 normally go to the small claims track, where you do not need a solicitor and the losing side does not usually pay the other's legal costs. Swansea, Cardiff and the rest of Wales use the same system. Scotland has its own simple procedure for claims up to £5,000, and Northern Ireland its own small claims court. The court fee depends on the amount you claim, including interest: | Claim | Court fee | |---|---| | £500.01 to £1,000 | £70 | | £1,000.01 to £1,500 | £80 | | £1,500.01 to £3,000 | £115 | | £3,000.01 to £5,000 | £205 | | £5,000.01 to £10,000 | £455 | If you win, the fee is added to what the other side has to pay. On our example £2,400 invoice to a business customer, 60 days late, the claim is £2,516.36 with interest and the fixed fee, and the fee to bring it is £115. Many customers pay as soon as the claim form arrives, because a judgment against them affects their credit. If they defend it, the court may send you both to mediation first. ## Can I hold back the certificate until I'm paid? This splits forums down the middle. One ElectriciansForums.net thread on it has over 8,000 views and no agreement. Here is what the rules say. If you are in a competent person scheme and the work is notifiable under Part P, the Building Regulations require the compliance certificate to go to the occupier, and the work to be notified to building control, within 30 days of finishing. Your scheme usually does the notifying once you register the job. That is a legal duty, and it does not depend on whether you have been paid. Holding it back puts you in breach, not the customer. The electrical installation certificate under BS 7671 is a separate document. Withholding it is a common tactic, and some electricians swear by it. Be aware that a customer can argue the job is not complete without it, which gives them a reason not to pay and weakens your claim. Most advice on the forums settles on this: issue the paperwork, keep chasing the money, and let the law on debt do the work. ## Stop it happening next time Most of this can be avoided at the quote stage. Get a deposit on larger jobs, put your payment terms and due date on the invoice (our [invoice maker for trades](https://aeolookup.com/trades/invoice-template-electricians-builders-uk/) does this), and chase on a schedule rather than when you remember. The firms that get paid fastest are not the toughest; they are the ones that never let an invoice go quiet. This is general information, not legal advice. For large sums, or where the customer disputes the work, speak to a solicitor or your trade body's legal helpline. ## Short answers from this page **What can I do if a customer will not pay for work I have done?** Send a reminder, then a letter before claim giving a deadline (30 days for an individual under the debt pre-action protocol), then claim through Money Claim Online. The court fee on a £2,400 claim is £115. Against a business customer 60 days late you can add £46.36 interest and a £70 fixed fee, so the claim is worth more than it costs to bring. --- ![](https://aeolookup.com/img/d/owner-line.png) General information for UK small firms, not legal, tax or financial advice.