In the Netherlands, the 14-day letter (“aanmaning” or “sommatie” in Dutch) is the last notice a customer receives for a late payment before fees, interest, or escalation can be applied. Dutch law requires this step for individual customers, while late-paying companies are subject to the collection procedure outlined in the general terms and conditions of the business they purchased from.

Below, we’ll explain what a 14-day letter is under Dutch law, how it affects late payment fees and interest, and how businesses can use it to recover payments.

What’s in this article?

• What’s a Dutch 14-day letter?
  
• What must be included in a valid 14-day letter in the Netherlands?
  
• Which types of claims and creditors must issue a 14-day letter?
  
• How does the 14-day letter affect late payment fees, interest, and collection costs?
  
• What common mistakes make a 14-day letter invalid or unenforceable?
  
• How can businesses structure compliant 14-day letter processes to recover payments efficiently and lawfully?
  
• How Stripe Billing can help
  

What’s a Dutch 14-day letter?

A 14-day letter is a legally required final payment notice that creditors in the Netherlands must send to customers before they charge statutory collection costs or escalate a debt. It gives customers one final, clearly defined opportunity to pay without incurring extra costs.

Under Dutch law, a customer cannot be made to pay collection costs unless the following steps have already happened:

• The original payment deadline has passed.

• At least one payment reminder has been sent.

• The customer has received a compliant 14-day letter.

What must be included in a valid 14-day letter in the Netherlands?

A 14-day letter must be unambiguous and transparent. It must clearly refer to the original invoice and earlier reminder(s) so there’s no doubt about what’s being claimed. The letter must also state that statutory collection costs will be charged if payment is not received within 14 days. It must give the debtor at least 14 days to pay, starting the day after receipt of the letter. It’s effective only after the original payment deadline has passed. Sending it before the payment deadline offers no legal protection and doesn’t start the statutory grace period.

If any of these elements is missing or unclear in the letter, the letter may lack legal effect.

Which types of claims and creditors must issue a 14-day letter?

The obligation to send a 14-day letter depends on who owes the money and in what capacity. Dutch law draws a sharp distinction between customer and business debts.

A 14-day letter is mandatory for business-to-consumer (B2C) claims, when the debtor is a person who’s acting outside a business capacity. It isn’t required for business-to-business (B2B) claims. If the purchaser is a freelancer or a sole proprietor, the purpose of the debt matters. If it’s for private use, the debtor is treated as a customer and the 14-day rule applies. If it’s used for business activity, the rule doesn’t apply.

How does the 14-day letter affect late payment fees, interest, and collection costs?

The 14-day letter is the legal gateway to charging collection costs in customer cases. If the letter is missing or defective, statutory collection costs can’t be recovered—even if the underlying debt is undisputed. Creditors can charge costs only after the 14-day period has passed without payment. And they can add only a standard collection fee of €40. Dutch law generally prohibits additional reminder fees, penalties, or contractual late payment charges for customer debts beyond this amount.

Statutory interest might also accrue on overdue amounts independently of collection costs. Customers must be informed that interest will be charged, typically on the invoice or in a payment reminder.

What common mistakes make a 14-day letter invalid or unenforceable?

Many 14-day letters fail due to technical errors. Here are some common mistakes:

• Using vague or incorrect deadline language: An outstanding payment letter used in other countries might not work in the Netherlands. Phrases such as “within 14 days of this letter” and “within 14 days from today” aren’t compliant. The letter must clarify that the debtor has 14 full days starting the day after receipt.

• Failing to state the exact collection cost: The letter must specify the precise euro amount of statutory collection fees. Referring generally to “costs as permitted by law” or miscalculating the fee can invalidate the notice.

• Suggesting fees are already due or accruing: Collection costs must be charged only after the 14-day period has expired. Any language that implies otherwise is misleading and legally incorrect.

• Sending the letter to the wrong recipient or address: If the notice is sent to the wrong person or an outdated address, it might never take legal effect.

• Being unable to prove delivery: Registered mail isn’t mandatory, but creditors should be able to show when and how the letter was sent. If the receipt is credibly disputed and there’s no evidence, the 14-day window might be deemed never to have started.

• Sending the letter before the debt is overdue: A 14-day letter works only after the payment deadline has passed. Sending it too early is legally ineffective.

• Assuming time fixes a defective letter: Waiting longer doesn’t cure an invalid letter. If the notice was flawed, the only solution is to send a new, compliant 14-day letter and restart the clock.

How can businesses structure compliant 14-day letter processes to recover payments efficiently and lawfully?

An effective 14-day letter process is about consistency and precision. It should also be easy to run at scale without legal risk.

Use the following steps to develop a compliant process:

• Position the letter correctly in the reminder flow: Start with informal reminders, then follow up with a formal payment reminder. The 14-day letter should be the final step before collection costs apply.

• Use a standardized, legally vetted template: Fixed templates reduce risk. Limit customization to factual details such as invoice numbers, amounts, and dates.

• Automate for accuracy: Billing systems can be configured to automatically send compliant 14-day letters when an invoice becomes overdue. This can minimize manual errors and missed deadlines.

• Plan for delivery and keep proof: Send the letter by post or email and log the send date, delivery method, and deadline so timing can be demonstrated if challenged.

• Act promptly after the deadline: Once the 14-day period expires without payment, apply collection costs and proceed. Delayed action weakens both the urgency and credibility.

• Document everything: Keep copies of invoices, reminders, letters, and delivery records. Clean documentation is often the difference between a straightforward recovery and a bad debt.

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