Payment reminder message examples for the UAE that get invoices paid

Before tone, get the facts in. A reminder that says “please settle our outstanding invoices” forces the customer’s AP clerk to go looking, and most will not. Give them everything they need to approve the payment without replying.

Our view: never send a reminder without the invoice attached or linked. Half of all “we never received it” replies disappear when the PDF is right there.

• Invoice number and date
• Amount due in AED, including VAT
• Original due date
• How to pay: IBAN, payment link or cheque instructions
• A named person to contact with questions

Three days before due, by email: “Hi Rashid, a quick note that invoice INV-1043 for AED 18,900 (incl. VAT) is due on Thursday 15 October. The invoice is attached and our bank details are on page one. Thank you, and do let me know if anything is missing for your approval.”

On the due date, by WhatsApp: “Good morning Rashid, invoice INV-1043 for AED 18,900 is due today. You can pay by transfer to the IBAN on the invoice or use this link. Many thanks.” The WhatsApp version is shorter because it is read on a phone.

At 7 days overdue: “Hi Rashid, we have not yet received payment for INV-1043 (AED 18,900), which was due on 15 October. Could you let me know when it is scheduled? If there is an issue with the invoice, I am happy to fix it today.” The offer to fix problems is deliberate; it surfaces disputes early.

At 21 days overdue, copying the finance manager: “Dear Ms Fatima, INV-1043 for AED 18,900 is now three weeks overdue. Please confirm a payment date by Sunday. Our terms allow us to pause further deliveries on overdue accounts, which we would much prefer to avoid.” Firm, factual, and it states a consequence you are actually prepared to apply.

At 45 to 60 days, a formal letter on letterhead, addressed to the authorised signatory: it lists every overdue invoice with amounts, the total due, a date for payment, and what you will do next. Do not threaten legal action unless you mean to take it, and speak to a lawyer before you do.

Write reminders in English and Arabic for customers who prefer it. A short Arabic line, such as a greeting and the amount, shows respect and often gets a faster reply from owner-managed businesses.

Avoid sarcasm, capital letters and group WhatsApp chats where the customer’s staff can see the reminder. Do not send a reminder for an invoice the customer has already disputed without first answering the dispute. And never send the same message five times; escalate the tone and the recipient instead.

HelloBooks sends reminders by email and WhatsApp on the schedule you choose, filling in invoice number, amount, due date and payment details automatically. You can edit the wording for each stage, or ask the AI agent to draft a version for a specific customer, such as “a polite reminder in Arabic and English for Al Fajr Trading”. Reminders stop the moment a matched payment closes the invoice. Businesses that want custom reminder templates or stages can request them by emailing hello@hellobooks.ai.