1. How fast should I invoice?
Send it before you leave site, while the job is fresh and the customer's happy — a week's delay is a week the lead goes cold. Your invoice needs to be a proper tax invoice if you're GST-registered (business name, ABN, GST shown). No app yet? Use the free generator below.
2. What's the easiest way for a customer to pay me?
Put a one-tap payment option right on the invoice — every extra step is a reason to put it off. PayID is the standout for tradies: the customer pays from their banking app in seconds, it's free to receive, and there's no BSB to mistype.
3. How do I protect myself before the job starts?
Take a deposit on bigger jobs so you're never fully out of pocket, and set clear payment terms like "due in 7 days" so you've got an actual date to chase from. Spell the terms out before you start, including any late fee. That's what makes them stick.
4. What do I do when a customer pays late?
Chase it calmly and keep chasing it. A scheduled set of reminders works a lot better than weeks of awkward silence followed by a blow-up. The key is consistency, not pressure.
Let the app do the boring bits
Doing all of this by hand — remembering who's overdue, what to say and when to follow up — is exactly the admin that falls through the cracks on a busy week. Yamate invoices in a tap with your PayID built in, then chases overdue invoices automatically by text and stops the moment they pay.
Get paid faster with Yamate — invoicing + auto-chasing built in →Common questions about getting paid
Why do customers pay late?
Usually two reasons: there's no date on the invoice to chase from, and paying takes more than one tap. Set terms of "due in 7 days" and put a PayID on the invoice, and most of it stops happening.
How soon should I chase an overdue invoice?
The day after it's due. A polite reminder that early reads as admin, not a confrontation — most people simply forgot. The full chasing schedule is here.
Can I ask for a deposit before I start?
Yes, and on bigger jobs you should. Some states cap what you can ask for on residential building work, so check the limit for your state before you quote.
Free tools to help you get paid
General information for Australian businesses, not legal or financial advice.