Inform a Customer of an Incorrect Payment Amount and Ask For the Balance • Example Letters, Guides and Samples
Guides
This brief but important letter tells your customer about the error and suggests a way that he or she can correct it. Remember, the customer has most likely made an honest mistake, and so you must write the letter as if that were the case.
How to write this credit letter:
- Call attention to the incorrect payment and state the amount still owed.
- Suggest a way for the customer to correct the error.
- Offer additional service.
Example Letter #1
Through an apparent oversight, your February payment was for $120.00 instead of $220.00, as indicated on the invoice. We have added the $100.00 difference to your March bill. If you wish to handle this differently, please contact our office at 555-5555. We value your business. If you have any questions, please let us know.
Example Letter #2
We appreciate your recent payment of $50.00 on your account; however, the balance due was $75.00. Please correct this error by sending a check for the remaining amount of $25.00.
The Doe Corporation appreciates your business and your promptness in taking care of this matter. If you have questions about your account, please call Customer Service at 555-5555.
Example Letter #3
I received your rent check for $675.00. You may have forgotten that as of this month the rent in your building was increased to $700. I certainly understand how this oversight might have occurred, so there will be no penalty if you send a check for the remaining $25.00 by December 15. Thank you.
Example Letter #4
I received your payment of $55.00 for lawn services for the month of June. The $55.00 amount is indeed the usual charge, but on Saturday, June 9, I sprayed the front and back lawns for weeds, per your request, for an additional charge of $20.00. Unless you specify otherwise, I will simply add this $20.00 charge onto next month's billing. Please call me at 555-5555 if you have any questions about my billing.
Write Your Letter Step-by-Step
1 Call attention to the incorrect payment and state the amount still owed.
Sample Sentences for Step 1
- The payment we received on 14 July in the amount of $60.89 leaves a balance due of $20.00.
- We recently received your check #719 for $130.00. If you will carefully review your copy of the June 13 invoice, you will see that the amount you owed was $180.00, not $130.00.
- We regret to inform you that your payment received on 9 March for February services was $200.00 less than it should have been.
- This letter is to notify you that you paid $59.99 instead of $69.99, the total amount due.
- Thank you for your prompt payment of $560.00. Although our invoice did show that amount for the products ordered, you forgot to include the shipping costs and sales tax.
- We appreciate your payment of $199.00; however, it leaves a balance of $21.00. You may have calculated the payment for your order with an old catalog.
Sample Phrases for Step 1
- according to our records
- appreciate receiving your payment
- failed to include
- have mistakenly paid
- have a balance due of
- if you will carefully review your
- less than the amount due
- may have overlooked the
- miscalculated the payment
- need to notify you that
- omitted the charges for
- our billing records show that
- our records show that
- overlooked the charge for
- received your check
- regret to inform you that
- the payment you sent on
- the amount owed was
- your prompt payment of
2 Suggest a way for the customer to correct the error.
Sample Sentences for Step 2
- If you send the remaining $22.50 within the next ten days, we can update your account and disregard any late fees.
- Please send us the remaining $100.00 now.
- You may either pay the balance now, or we can add the amount to your next bill.
- We know you plan to close for the holidays, so we request that you send the extra $73.00 now, rather than with your next payment.
- Enclosed is your corrected statement. Please remit $32.75 within the next ten business days.
- We have added $97.91 to your next billing statement. If for some reason you wish to handle this payment differently, please call 555-5555.
- Please add $19.00 to your next payment.
Sample Phrases for Step 2
- add the balance to
- add the amount to
- as soon as possible
- can add the amount to
- disregard the late fee
- do one of the following
- enclosed is your corrected statement
- in the enclosed envelope
- keep payments up to date
- no need to pay the balance now
- no need to pay this separately
- pay the balance now
- please add the balance to
- reflecting the amount still owed
- request that you send
- send the remaining
- the amount will be reflected on
- to avoid finance charges
- to avoid the late fee
- will send another statement
- will be a late fee of
- your next payment to us
- your next billing statement
3 Offer additional service.
Sample Sentences for Step 3
- If you feel we have made an error in our calculations, please call 555-5555.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please call. We are always pleased to serve you.
- If we can assist you in this matter, please call 555-5555.
- We appreciate your cooperation in this matter. Let us know if we can make the payment process easier for you in the future.
- Thank you for your prompt and consistent payments. Please tell me if you need more help or information to correct this error.
- We value your account. Please feel free to call us if you have any questions or concerns.
- If we can be of further assistance to you, please call our office at 555-5555 or write to the address below.
- I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about our billing procedures.
Sample Phrases for Step 3
- always a pleasure to
- any questions you may have
- anything we can do
- appreciate your business
- appreciate your cooperation
- are a valued customer
- feel free to call
- for your patronage
- if you need more information
- if you feel that we have made an error
- if you have any questions
- if you have any difficulty with
- let us know if
- make it easier for you
- thank you for
- to answer your questions
- to correct this error
- value your account
- would be happy to
- write to the address below
