Credit control. It sounds like something a big company has a whole department for. Spreadsheets, aged debtor reports, letters from accounts receivable. None of that feels relevant when you're a plumber working out of a van.
But here's the thing: if you've ever finished a job, sent an invoice, and then spent the next three weeks wondering when you're actually going to get paid — you already have a credit control problem. You just don't call it that.
What Credit Control Actually Means for a One-Person Business
Strip away the jargon and credit control is dead simple. It means: making sure the money you're owed actually arrives in your bank account, on time.
That involves three things:
- Setting clear terms— so your customer knows exactly when and how to pay you.
- Invoicing promptly— so there's no delay between finishing the work and asking for the money.
- Following up consistently— so late payments don't slip through the cracks.
That's it. No accounting degree required. If you can do those three things, your cash flow will improve overnight.
Step 1: Set Your Payment Terms Before You Start the Job
Most tradespeople never mention payment until they've finished the work. Then it's awkward. You're standing in someone's kitchen trying to bring up money while they're admiring the new tap.
Set your terms upfront, in writing. Before you start the job, make sure the customer knows:
- When payment is due.“Payment within 7 days of completion” is standard for domestic work. For bigger jobs, “14 days from invoice date” is reasonable.
- How to pay. Bank transfer is fastest. Include your bank details on every invoice.
- Whether you take a deposit.For jobs over £500, a 25-50% deposit is completely normal and protects you if the customer cancels.
Put this on your quote. Not buried in small print — right there in the main text. Something like: “50% deposit to confirm booking. Balance due within 7 days of completion via bank transfer.”
This one change eliminates most payment arguments before they start.
Tired of doing this manually? mNudge handles it on WhatsApp.
Step 2: Invoice the Same Day You Finish
Every day you wait to send your invoice is a day your payment gets pushed back. If you finish a job on Tuesday and invoice on Friday, you've already lost three days. And the customer's memory of the work fades too — which makes them less likely to pay quickly.
The best time to invoice is the moment you finish the job. Ideally while you're still on site, or at least the same evening.
Your invoice needs to include the basics: your name and business details, the customer's name and address, what you did, the amount, your bank details, and the payment due date. If you're VAT registered, add the VAT number and breakdown.
The format doesn't matter as much as the timing. A clean PDF sent within an hour beats a beautifully designed invoice that arrives a week later.
Step 3: Chase Systematically, Not Randomly
This is where most sole traders fall down. You send the invoice, then... nothing. Maybe you chase after a couple of weeks. Maybe you forget. Maybe you feel awkward about asking.
A proper chase schedule takes the emotion out of it. Here's a simple one that works:
- Due date:A friendly “just a reminder” message.
- 3 days late:A polite follow-up. “I notice this is still outstanding — could you let me know when to expect payment?”
- 7 days late: Slightly firmer. Reference the original payment terms.
- 14 days late:Direct. Mention that late payment interest may apply (it's your legal right under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act).
- 21 days late: Final notice before escalation.
The key word is systematically. Same schedule, every customer, every time. No exceptions. No “I'll chase them tomorrow.” Tomorrow never comes.
Step 4: Take Deposits on Bigger Jobs
Deposits aren't just for big building projects. If you're buying materials, blocking out your diary, or spending more than half a day on a job, a deposit is perfectly reasonable.
Common structures that work well for tradespeople:
- Small jobs (under £500): No deposit, full payment on completion.
- Medium jobs (£500-£2,000): 25-50% deposit upfront, balance on completion.
- Large jobs (over £2,000): 30% deposit, staged payments at milestones, final balance on completion.
Customers rarely push back on deposits. If they do, that's often a warning sign about whether they'll pay the balance.
Step 5: Keep a Record of Everything
You don't need accounting software for this (though it helps). At minimum, you need to know at any given moment:
- Who owes you money
- How much
- When it was due
- When you last chased
A spreadsheet works. A notebook works. What doesn't work is trying to remember it all in your head while you're underneath someone's boiler.
How mNudge Does All of This Automatically
We built mNudge because we kept hearing the same thing from tradespeople: “I know I should chase. I just don't have time.”
So mNudge handles your credit control for you. Here's how it works:
- You send a WhatsApp message or voice note describing the job. mNudge creates the invoice and sends it to your client.
- Your client gets a professional PDF with a one-tap payment link. They pay directly from their bank — no card details needed.
- If they don't pay, mNudge automatically chases with progressively firmer messages over 21 days. You don't have to lift a finger.
- You get notified when they pay. Money goes straight to your bank account via Faster Payments.
No app to download. No dashboard to log into. No spreadsheet to maintain. Just WhatsApp.
Credit control for a sole trader doesn't need to be complicated. It just needs to happen consistently. And if you can't guarantee you'll chase every invoice on schedule, let something else do it for you.