A dispute is not the same as a refusal to pay. Handle it calmly and in writing, and most of them end with the money in your account.
27 October 2026 · 6 min read
The invoice goes out and the reply comes back: "That is not what we agreed", or "I am not paying until the leak is sorted". Your first instinct is to fire something back. Do not. A disputed invoice is a problem to solve, not a fight to win, and the way you handle the first 48 hours usually decides whether you get paid.
Ask the customer, politely and in writing, what specifically they think is wrong. Is it the price, a particular line, the quality of the work, or something left unfinished? "I am sorry you are not happy. Can you tell me exactly which part you are querying so I can look into it?" A vague complaint often shrinks to one line once you ask, and you now have it in writing.
Go back to the quote, any acceptance message, the messages about extras, and photos of the work. If the quote said £1,200.00 and the invoice says £1,450.00, can you show where the extra £250.00 was agreed? This is where a written quote and written variations earn their keep. If the extras were only ever agreed verbally on site, see handling extras and variations for next time.
Most disputes are about part of a bill, not all of it. If the customer is querying one £180.00 line on a £2,000.00 invoice, ask them to pay the amount that is not in question now, while you sort out the rest. It is a reasonable request, it shows good faith, and it means most of your money is not stuck behind one argument.
For work done for a householder, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 says a service must be carried out with reasonable care and skill. If the complaint is about the quality of the work, the customer is entitled to ask you to put it right, and in some cases to a price reduction. Offering to come back and fix a genuine snag is usually cheaper than arguing, and it removes their reason to withhold payment. If you believe the work is fine, say so calmly and offer to show them why.
If you agree a change, do not just knock money off by text. Issue a corrected invoice or a credit note with its own number so your records stay clean and in sequence. The invoice numbering guide explains why. Confirm the new amount and due date in writing.
Keep every message, photo and document. Do not let automatic reminders keep firing at someone who has raised a genuine complaint; deal with the complaint first. If you have done all of the above and the customer still will not pay what is fairly owed, follow the escalation ladder, and if it comes to it, the small claims court.
They can withhold payment while a genuine dispute is resolved, but that does not cancel the debt. Ask them to pay any part that is not in dispute, deal with the specific complaint, and keep everything in writing. If the dispute is not genuine, the normal steps for unpaid invoices apply.
Only if part of the complaint is fair, or if the time and stress of arguing is worth more than the amount in question. If you agree a reduction, issue a credit note or corrected invoice rather than just accepting less, so your records stay accurate.
The written quote, the customer’s acceptance, any messages agreeing extras or changes, photos of the work before and after, and the invoice itself. The more of this is in writing, the quicker most disputes end.
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