The visible cost is not the real cost
The amount on the invoice is only the starting point. What comes after is what really matters, and that’s what many entrepreneurs underestimate.
You send a first reminder. Then a second. You call. You email. You consult your accountant. All of this takes time, time you’re not spending on customers who do pay.
Research shows that the administrative follow-up of a single late payer can quickly amount to €100 to €500 in internal costs. And that’s before taking any legal action.
Then come the collection costs
If friendly reminders don’t work, you escalate. A collection agency, a lawyer, a bailiff, each step comes with a price tag.
If you take legal action through the courts, costs can quickly rise to hundreds or even thousands of euros. And if the invoice ultimately proves uncollectible? You will bear a significant part of those costs yourself.
In Belgium, you are allowed to charge late payment interest and fixed compensation to your customer, but not without limits, and only after a first free reminder. The law protects consumers and even debtors against excessive costs.
What does this mean in practice? That you, as the creditor, carry a substantial part of the risk.
With the RUD procedure, the process used by Unpaid, this works differently.
The hidden costs are the biggest
Cash flow pressure is often underestimated, until it’s too late. A large unpaid invoice can mean less room for investment, difficulty paying salaries, interest on overdrafts, and additional financing costs.
This affects both large and small businesses. According to the Exact SME Barometer, 14% of invoices are paid late and 6% remain completely unpaid. Other studies show that most businesses will face this at some point.
Late payment is not an exception, it is a structural part of doing business in Belgium.
And then there is something harder to quantify: the mental burden. Unpaid invoices create stress and drain energy you would rather invest elsewhere.
What if your customer goes bankrupt?
Your invoice is almost certainly lost, along with the time and costs you have already invested. Your loss is no longer just the invoice amount, but the invoice amount plus everything you spent trying to recover it.
Acting quickly is therefore crucial. It is the only way to keep your chances realistic. Read more about what happens if your customer goes bankrupt.
What does this mean in practice?
An unpaid invoice of €1,000 can realistically cost you between €1,300 and €2,500 or more, especially if the process drags on or the customer turns out to be insolvent.
The real cost is not just the invoice amount. It lies in the follow-up, the legal steps, and the risk you carry yourself.
It also directly impacts your bottom line. An unpaid invoice significantly reduces your company’s profitability.
What can you do?
Acting quickly and correctly from a legal standpoint is the only way to limit these additional costs.
With Unpaid, you submit your case digitally. We check whether your invoice meets the legal requirements for the RUD procedure, the Belgian recovery route for undisputed B2B invoices.
If everything is in order, a bailiff visits your customer within five working days.
No lawyer. No court. No open-ended costs.
You pay a fixed upfront fee when starting your case, which is also the maximum amount you risk.
Want to know what your invoice really costs if you do nothing? Submit your case today at unpaid.be.