You received a demand for payment
A demand for payment is designed to make you act quickly. The useful thing to do first is slower: check that the amount is right, and that whoever is asking is entitled to ask.
What this letter usually is
A demand for payment states that money is owed, how much, and by when. It commonly names what the debt is for and says what the sender intends to do if it is not paid. It may come from the original creditor or from someone who has taken the debt over.
What it usually asks for
Payment of a stated amount by a stated date, usually with a way to pay. Some letters offer an instalment arrangement if you ask. Almost all of them will provide a breakdown of the amount if you request one in writing.
The deadlines that commonly apply
Demand letters commonly give somewhere between seven and thirty days. Yours states its own. A deadline in a letter is the sender saying what they intend, not a statement of what any law requires.
Three ways to respond
- 1Ask in writing for a full breakdown of the amount and proof of the debt.
- 2Dispute it in writing, setting out why you believe the amount is wrong or not owed.
- 3Propose a payment arrangement in writing, with the amounts and dates you can manage.
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Frequently asked questions
CraftMyLetter writes and delivers letters. It is not legal advice, we are not a law firm, and nothing here is a statement of what any law requires.