Cork is small enough that tone matters
In Cork and the wider Munster scene, the same client may sit next to you at an event next month. That does not mean you wait forever to get paid. It means your chase stays factual, short, and easy to action.
SortedPay is operated by Lucro Limited. This guide is educational for freelancers in Ireland. It is not legal advice. Contracts and facts differ.
Set the invoice up so finance can pay it
Most “we never got it” loops are plumbing. Fix the PDF before you fix the relationship.
- Euro total, clear due date, and a unique invoice number
- IBAN/BIC on every page finance might print
- PO or job reference if the client uses one
- Your trading name and a reply-to email you actually monitor
A Cork-friendly chase rhythm
Day of due date: stay quiet unless they already asked for a copy. A few days late: polite nudge with amount, number, and pay details. Still unpaid after a second week: firmer note asking for a payment date this week. Only then bring in interest maths if the debt is commercial and the rules fit.
Keep every email under a screenful. Offer a pay link or bank details again. Mark paid the moment money lands so nothing keeps chasing.
When ROI late-payment rules help
For many Republic of Ireland B2B debts, freelancers look to the Late Payment in Commercial Transactions framework, often summarised as an ECB reference rate plus 8 percentage points. Always check the current reference figure before you quote a number.
Use interest as backup, not as your brand. Run the figures in a calculator so you do not invent rates. If the contract is UK-law or GBP, do not paste Irish maths onto it.
Cross-border clients from Cork
Plenty of Cork freelancers bill Dublin agencies, UK brands, and EU startups. Currency and governing law are separate choices. State both on the SOW. When an invoice goes late, chase under the rules you actually agreed — not the city on the client’s LinkedIn.