Second application letters

If a reply to the first application is not received a second application should be sent after about 10 days. This should be firmer in tone but still polite. Nothing must be said to cause annoyance or ill will. Co-operation is required and this will not be achieved by annoying the customer.

Such letters should be addressed to a senior official under 'Confidential' cover and planned as follows:

1. refer to previous application

2. assume that something unusual accounts for the delay in payment

3. suggest tactfully that an explanation would be welcome

4. ask for payment 10 be sent

Specimen second application letters

Second letter, following (a)

Dear Sir/Madam

ACCOUNT NUMBER 6251

As we have not received a reply to our letter of 5 July requesting settlement of the above account, we are writing again to remind you that the amount still owing is £105.67.

No doubt there is some special reason for the delay in payment, and we should welcome an explanation together with your remittance.

Yours faithfully

Second letter, following (b)

Dear Sir/Madam

On 18 February we wrote to remind you that our December .statement sent on 2 January showed a balance of £105.67 outstanding and due for payment by 31 January.

Settlement of this account is now more than a month overdue. Therefore we must ask you either to send us your remittance within the next few days or at least to offer an explanation of the delay in payment.

Your prompt reply will be appreciated.

Yours faithfully

Second letter, following (c)

Dear Sir/Madam

We have not heard from you since we wrote on 10 March about the unpaid balance of £825.62 on your account. In view of your past good record we have-not previously pressed for a settlement.

To regular customers such as you our terms of payment are 3% one month. and we hope you will not withhold payment any longer, otherwise it will be necessary for us to revise these terms.

In the circumstances we look forward to receiving your cheque for the outstanding amount within the next few days.

Yours faithfully

Third application letters

If payment is still not made and if no explanation has been received, a third letter becomes necessary. Such a letter should show that steps will be taken to enforce payment if necessary, such steps depending on individual circum­stances. Third letters should follow this plan:

1. Review earlier efforts to collect payment.

2. Give a final opportunity to pay by stating a reasonable deadline date.

3. State that you wish to be fair and reasonable.

4. State action to be taken if this third request is ignored.

5. Regret the necessity for the letter.

Specimen third application letters

Third letter, following (a)

Dear Sir/Madam

ACCOUNT NUMBER 6251

We do not appear to have received replies to our two previous requests of 5 and 16 July for payment of the sum of £105.67 still owing on this account.

It is with the utmost regret that we have reached the stage when we must press for immediate payment. We have no wish to be unreasonable, but failing payment by 7 August you will leave us no choice but to place the matter in other hands.

We sincerely hope this will not become necessary.

Yours faithfully

Third letter, following (b)

Dear Sir/Madam

It is very difficult to understand why we have not heard from you in reply to our two letters of 18 February and 2 March about the sum of £105.67 due on our December statement. We had hoped that you would at least explain why the account continues to remain unpaid.

I am sure you will agree that we have shown every consideration in the circumstances. Failing any reply to our earlier requests for payment, I am afraid we shall have no choke but to take other steps to recover the amount due.

We are most anxious to avoid doing anything through which your credit and reputation might surfer. Therefore even at this late stage we are prepared to give you a further opportunity to put matters right.

In the circumstances, we propose to give you until the end of this month to clear your account.

Yours faithfully

Third letter, following (c)

Dear Sir/Madam

We are surprised and disappointed not to have heard from you in response to our two letters of 10 and 23 March reminding you of the balance of £825.62 still owing on our February statement.

This failure either to clear your account or even to offer an explanation is all the more disappointing because of our past satisfactory dealings over many years.

In the circumstances we must say that unless we hear from you within 10 days we shall have to consider seriously the further steps we should take to obtain payment.

Yours faithfully