Late payment from a major customer is one of the most common reasons a perfectly healthy company suddenly cannot cover an outgoing. The work is done, the invoice is out, but the money has not arrived and a loan payment is due in the meantime.
What to do straight away
Tell us as soon as you can see the gap coming, ideally before the payment date. A timing problem caused by a delayed receipt is exactly the kind of short, defined gap that a brief arrangement is built for.
- Let us know the expected date the customer payment will land.
- Ask about a short payment holiday to bridge the gap.
- Confirm whether the receipt is delayed or genuinely at risk, as that changes the right plan.
Bridging a defined gap
If you can show that the money is coming and just running late, we can often align a short pause or adjustment to the date you expect it. The aim is to get you over the gap without it turning into arrears. We will set out any effect on your balance and the rate shown in your offer first.
If the receipt is at risk
If the customer payment might not come at all, that is a bigger issue than timing, and it is worth seeking advice on recovering the debt and protecting your company's cash flow. Talk to us either way so we can plan around the real situation rather than the hoped-for one.
See also: Can I pause payments if my company hits a cash-flow gap?, What can my company do when customers pay late? and Funding payroll between customer payments.