Pay up!

The Law Society Gazette of 6 April contains some practical advice to solicitors for getting prompt payment of bills. They include: concentrate on the biggest debts first; find out exactly what information the client’s accounts department needs to be included on your invoice; state the actual date by which payment is due – not just ‘payable within 30 days’; do not make it obvious that a reminder letter is part of a standard procedure – if you say it is the ‘first reminder’, the client will wait for the ‘second reminder’; and offer the client debit and credit card facilities, taking advantage of the reduced transaction charges the Law Society has negotiated with the NatWest Streamline, (see below)