REQUEST FOR PAYMENT

a. First request

Dear Mr. …

I am writing to ask why you have not settled our invoice No. H931 for £919.63, a copy of
which is enclosed.

I know that since we began trading you have cleared your accounts regularly on the due
dates. That is why I wondered if any problems have arisen which I might be able to help you
with. Please let me know if I can be of assistance.

Yours sincerely

Comprehension questions

1. What is enclosed with the letter? A copy of No. H931

2. Why is the writer so surprised when the buyer delayed in payment? The buyer has always
cleared their accounts regularly on the due dates in the past.

b. Reply to the first request

Dear Mr. ...

I was surprised to receive your letter of the 20th November in which you said you had not
received payment for invoice No. H931.

I instructed my bank, The Welsh Co-operative Bank, Swansea, to credit your account in
Barnley’s Bank, Cardiff, with the £919.63 some time ago.

As my bank statement showed the money had been debited to my account, I assumed that it
had been credited to your account as well. It is possible that your bank has not advised you
yet. Could you please check this with Barnley's, and if there are any problems let me know,
so that I can make enquiries here?

Yours sincerely

Comprehension questions

1. Why was the writer surprised to receive the supplier’s letter?

- The writer had already instructed their bank to pay the invoice amount, and their bank
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 statement showed the money was debited from their account.

2. What may the problem be here?

- The supplier's bank (Barnley's Bank) may not have credited the payment to their
account yet, or there may be a delay in advising the supplier about the payment.

3. What does he suggest the supplier should do?

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c. Second request

Dear Mr. ...

We wrote to you on 10 August and enclosed copy invoices which made up your June
statement, the balance of which still remains outstanding.

Having dealt with you for some time, we were disappointed in neither receiving your
remittance nor any explanation as to why the balance has not been cleared. Please would
you either send us a reply or cheque to clear the account within the next seven days? Thank
you.

Yours sincerely

Comprehension questions

1. How did the writer feel when writing this letter?

The writer felt disappointed. They had dealt with the buyer for some time, and they had
received neither payment nor any explanation as to why the balance had not been cleared.

2. What does the writer ask the buyer to do?

The writer asks the buyer to either send a reply or a check to clear the account within the
next seven days.

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d. Reply to the second request

Dear Mr. Costello

First let me apologize for not having cleared your June statement or replying to your letter
of 10 August. However, I am surprised that you did not receive our circular letter informing
all our suppliers that we were moving from Milano to Torino. I have checked our postbook,
and find that a letter was sent to you on June 30.

As you will see from the copy enclosed, we warned suppliers that during the move, there
might be some delay in clearing accounts and replying to correspondence, as the move
would involve replacing more than half our staff with new people who needed time to get
used to our accounts and filing systems.

You will be pleased to hear that we have now settled into our new offices and will have a
fully trained staff by the end of next month. Meanwhile, I am enclosing a cheque for
$300,000 on account, and will send a full settlement of your June statement within the next
few days.
Could you please note our new address, which is on the heading of this letter, for future

reference? Yours sincerely (signed) Accountant

Enc. Bank Draft No. 427322 for $300,000

Comprehension questions

1. Why hadn’t the writer’s company cleared their June statement?

- The writer's company was in the process of moving from Milano to Torino and replacing
more than half of their staff. This caused delays in clearing accounts and responding to
correspondence

2. What has the writer done about the outstanding account and what will he do in the near
future?

The writer has sent a check for $300,000 as a partial payment on the account. He will
send a full settlement of the June statement within the next few days.

3. What is the value of the cheque enclosed?

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 The value of the check enclosed is $300,000.

4. What has he asked Mr. Costello to do to ensure that letters get to him?

He has asked Mr. Costello to note their new address, which is on the heading of the letter,
for future reference.

e. Third request

Dear Mr. …
Account No. TY G 996 14

I wrote to you on two occasions, 21 October and 14 November, concerning the above
account which now has an outstanding balance of £1541.46 and is made up of the copy
invoices enclosed.

I have waited three months for either a reply to explain why the balance has not been
cleared, or a remittance, but have received neither.

Although I am reluctant to take legal action to recover the amount, you leave me no
alternative. Therefore, unless I receive your remittance within the next ten days, my
solicitors will be instructed to start proceedings to recover the debt.

Yours sincerely
(signed)

Accountant

Encl. invoice copies

Comprehension questions

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1. What is enclosed with the letter?

2. How long has the balance remained unpaid?

3. Does the writer plan to take legal action?

4. What phrase is used which has a similar meaning to “take legal action”?

PART II. Exercises

I. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words in this letter requesting payment.

1.

Dear Sirs

Your invoice No. 527 dated 20 July for $1516 is due for (1).................. at the end of this
month.

Unfortunately a fire broke out in our Despatch Department last week and (2).....................
a large part of a valuable consignment due for (3).................... to a cash customer. Our
(4)......................is now with the insurance company but it is unlikely to be met for another
3 or 4 weeks. Until then we are (5).................... with a difficult (6)....................problem.

I am therefore writing for (7).......................to defer payment of your invoice until the end
of September.

As you are aware, my accounts with you have always been (8)...................promptly, and it
is with (9)................... that I am now forced to make this (10).................. I hope that you
will find it possible to grant it.

Yours faithfully

Dear Sirs
Your invoice No. 527 dated 20 July for $1516 is due for (1) payment at the end of this month.
Unfortunately a fire broke out in our Despatch Department last week and (2) destroyed a
large part of a valuable consignment due for (3) delivery to a cash customer. Our (4) claim is
now with the insurance company but it is unlikely to be met for another 3 or 4 weeks. Until
then we are (5) faced with a difficult (6) cash flow problem.
I am therefore writing for (7) permission to defer payment of your invoice until the end of
September.
As you are aware, my accounts with you have always 1 been (8) settled promptly, and it is with
(9) regret that I am now forced to make this (10) request. I hope that you will find it possible
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to grant it.

2.

Dear Mr. Janssen

Account No. VS 3019

We wrote to you on 25 March concerning the above (1).................for $2,700.00 which has
now been (2).................. for three months. When we agreed to offer you credit
(3)................... we pointed out that it was essential to (4).......................accounts
(5)................. the exact date, particularly as we generally do not (6).....................credit

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 terms.

As you realized, delayed payment can create problems for us (7).................... our own
suppliers, therefore we would appreciate it if you could either let us know why the
(8).................. has not been paid, or let us have a remittance (9)................ the next ten
days.

We would be grateful if this could receive your immediate (10)............

Yours sincerely

3.

Dear Sir

We are writing (1).................. the February balance of $567 on your account, which is
(2)................ for three months. We have written to you twice and did not receive a
(3)....................., which surprised us as you have been our regular customer for years.

We would like to (4)............... you that the credit was given on the (5).................that
balance would be cleared on due (6) ..........; failure to do so will create
(7)........................for us with our suppliers.

We are prepared to (8)................... you further ten days to clear the balance or explain
why you can not do so, (9)................... we will, reluctantly, have to take legal
(10)....................

Yours faithfully

Dear Sir We are writing (1) about the February balance of $567 on your account,
which is (2) overdue for three months. We have written to you twice and did not
receive a (3) reply, which surprised us as you have been our regular customer for
years.
We would like to (4) remind you that the credit was given on the (5)
understanding/basis that the balance would be cleared on due (6) date/dates; failure
to do so will create (7) problems/difficulties for us with our suppliers.
We are prepared to (8) allow/give you further ten days to clear the balance or explain
why you can not do so, (9) otherwise/or else we will, reluctantly, have to take legal
(10) action.
Yours faithfully

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II. Translation
A. English – Vietnamese Translation

1. A warehouse flood destroyed the majority of the components that were to be fitted
into Zenith 900. We are waiting for our insurance company to settle our claim so
that we can renew our stock and pay our suppliers.

o Lũ lụt kho hàng đã phá hủy phần lớn các linh kiện được lắp ráp vào Zenith 900.
Chúng tôi đang chờ công ty bảo hiểm giải quyết yêu cầu bồi thường để có thể
bổ sung hàng tồn kho và thanh toán cho nhà cung cấp.

2. When we allowed open account terms, we emphasized this was only on the
condition that balances were cleared promptly on due dates as credit facilities put
a strain on out own cash low situation. Because of this we cannot extend the
credit by another two months.

o Khi chúng tôi chấp nhận điều khoản tài khoản mở, chúng tôi đã nhấn mạnh
rằng điều này chỉ với điều kiện số dư được thanh toán kịp thời vào ngày đến
hạn vì các tiện ích tín dụng gây áp lực lên tình hình dòng tiền của chúng tôi. Vì
lý do này, chúng tôi không thể gia hạn tín dụng thêm hai tháng nữa.

3. As you are usually prompt in settling your accounts, we wonder whether there is
any special reason why we have not received payment of this account, which is
already a month overdue.

o Vì bạn thường thanh toán các khoản đúng hạn, chúng tôi tự hỏi liệu có lý do
đặc biệt nào khiến chúng tôi chưa nhận được thanh toán cho khoản này, vốn đã
quá hạn một tháng.

4. To regular customers such as yourself our terms of payment are 3% one month,
and we hope you will not withhold payment any longer, otherwise it will be
necessary for us to revise these terms.

o Đối với những khách hàng thường xuyên như bạn, điều khoản thanh toán của
chúng tôi là chiết khấu 3% trong vòng một tháng, và chúng tôi hy vọng bạn sẽ
không giữ lại khoản thanh toán nữa, nếu không chúng tôi sẽ cần phải xem xét
lại các điều khoản này.

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5. We were disappointed that you did not bother to reply to either of our letters
asking you to clear your account, and you have left us no alternative but to take
legal action.

o Chúng tôi thất vọng vì bạn không buồn trả lời bất kỳ lá thư nào của chúng tôi
yêu cầu bạn thanh toán tài khoản, và bạn đã khiến chúng tôi không còn lựa
chọn nào khác ngoài việc thực hiện hành động pháp lý.

6. It is with the utmost regret that we have reached the stage when we must press for
immediate payment. Failing payment by 7 August you will leave us no choice but
to put the matter into the hand of our solicitor.

o Chúng tôi vô cùng tiếc nuối khi phải đi đến giai đoạn mà chúng tôi phải yêu cầu
thanh toán ngay lập tức. Nếu không thanh toán trước ngày 7 tháng 8, bạn sẽ
khiến chúng tôi không còn lựa chọn nào khác ngoài việc chuyển vấn đề cho luật
sư của chúng tôi.

7. It was in consideration of the present economic climate that we allowed you a two-
month period to settle, and while we would like to offer you more time to clear
the balance, our own financial position makes this impossible. Therefore we must
ask you to settle the account within the next fortnight.

o Chính vì xem xét tình hình kinh tế hiện tại mà chúng tôi đã cho phép bạn thời
hạn hai tháng để thanh toán, và mặc dù chúng tôi muốn cho bạn thêm thời gian
để thanh toán số dư, tình hình tài chính của chúng tôi khiến điều này là không
thể. Do đó, chúng tôi phải yêu cầu bạn thanh toán tài khoản trong vòng hai tuần
tới.

8. When we arranged payment terms we offered you payment against monthly

statements, yet it has been three months since you promised the account would be
cleared.

o Khi chúng tôi sắp xếp các điều khoản thanh toán, chúng tôi đã đề nghị bạn
thanh toán theo sao kê hàng tháng, nhưng đã ba tháng kể từ khi bạn hứa tài
khoản sẽ được thanh toán.

9. As we have traded for some time, we have not pressed for payment. However, we
must now insist that either you settle the account or offer a reasonable

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 explanation for not doing so.

o Vì chúng ta đã giao dịch được một thời gian, chúng tôi đã không thúc ép thanh
toán. Tuy nhiên, bây giờ chúng tôi phải nhấn mạnh rằng bạn phải thanh toán tài
khoản hoặc đưa ra lời giải thích hợp lý cho việc không thanh toán.

10. The failure either to clear your account or even to offer an explanation is all
disappointing because of our past satisfactory dealings over many years.

o Việc không thanh toán tài khoản hoặc thậm chí không đưa ra lời giải thích đều
gây thất vọng vì các giao dịch thành công của chúng ta trong nhiều năm qua.

A. Vietnamese – English Translation

1. Chúng tôi muốn nhắc quý ngài rằng chúng tôi đã chào bán cho quý ngài giá thấp
trên cơ sở thanh toán tiền sớm.
o We would like to remind you that we offered you a low price on the basis of
early payment.
2. Chúng tôi rất mong quý ngài không cho rằng việc chúng tôi không thanh toán nợ
đúng hạn là cố ý.
o We sincerely hope that you do not think our failure to pay our debt on time was
intentional.
3. Chúng tôi rất thông cảm với vấn đề quý ngài gặp phải trong việc thanh toán số nợ
còn lại và sẵn sàng gia hạn nợ thêm 6 tuần nữa.
o We are very sympathetic to the problems you are having in paying the
outstanding debt and are willing to extend the debt by another 6 weeks.
4. Từ khi chúng tôi viết thư cho quý ngài ngày... về khoản nợ còn lại chưa được
thanh toán trị giá ..., chúng tôi vẫn chưa nhận được thư trả lời. Xét thấy quý ngài
đã ủng hộ chúng tôi trong thời gian qua, nên trước đây, chúng tôi đã không hối
thúc quý ngài thanh toán.
o Since we wrote to you on... about the outstanding debt of ..., we have not
received a reply. Considering your support for us in the past, we have not urged
you to pay.
5. Cảm ơn quý ngài đã viết thư và giải thích cho chúng tôi biết tại sao số nợ trong
tháng 5 vẫn chưa được thanh toán. Tuy nhiên, chúng tôi không thể gia hạn nợ
thêm nữa vì chúng tôi cho hưởng mức chiết khấu cao đổi lại việc thanh toán đúng
hạn.
o Thank you for your letter and for explaining why the May debt has not been
paid. However, we cannot extend the debt any further because we offered a high
discount in exchange for timely payment.
6. Chúng tôi sẽ cho quý ngài thêm 7 ngày nữa để gửi tiền cho chúng tôi, sau thời gian
này vấn đề sẽ được chuyển cho luật sư chúng tôi giải quyết.
o We will give you another 7 days to send us the money, after which the matter
will be turned over to our lawyer.
7. Chúng tôi cảm thấy đã đủ kiên nhẫn và đã xem xét rất kỹ lưỡng. Tuy nhiên, bây
giờ chúng tôi rất tiếc phải thực hiện các biện pháp để thu hồi nợ theo luật.
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 o We feel we have been patient enough and have given the matter careful
consideration. However, we now regret that we must take legal action to recover
the debt.
8. Xét thấy quý ngài đã ủng hộ chúng tôi trong thời gian qua, chúng tôi sẵn sàng cho
phép quý ngài thanh toán một nửa số nợ bằng cách gửi chúng tôi hối phiếu trả
ngay và thanh toán phần còn lại bằng cách chấp nhận hối phiếu đính kèm ký phát
thời hạn 30 ngày.
o Considering your past support for us, we are willing to allow you to pay half of
the debt by sending us a sight draft and pay the remainder by accepting the
attached draft payable in 30 days.
9. Bởi vì chính sách của chúng tôi là kinh doanh dựa trên lợi nhuận thấp nên chúng
tôi tiếc là chúng tôi không thể cho quý ngài hưởng điều kiện tín dụng dài hạn
được.
o Because our policy is to do business on low profits, we regret that we cannot
offer you long-term credit terms.
10. Chúng tôi rất ngạc nhiên và thất vọng vì không nhận được thư trả lời của quý ngài
cho 2 lá thư của chúng tôi ngày... nhắc quý ngài về khoản nợ còn lại trị giá...
o We are very surprised and disappointed not to receive a reply from you to our
two letters dated... reminding you of the outstanding debt of ...

III. Letter-writing

1. Công ty anh/chị đã nhận được lô hàng từ công ty Glaston Potteries cùng với hóa đơn đề
ngày... Tuy nhiên, công ty không thể thanh toán như thời hạn ghi trong hóa đơn. Anh/ chị
hãy viết thư gửi ông John Merton, giám đốc kinh doanh của Glaston để xin lỗi và yêu cầu
cho thêm thời gian để thanh toán với những gợi ý sau:

- Kho hàng bị lụt, nhiều hàng hóa bị hư hỏng

- Chúng ta chỉ có thể thanh toán khi công ty bảo hiểm bồi thường cho chúng ta trong
vòng 4 tuần tới.

- Cam kết chúng ta sẽ thanh toán đầy đủ khi nhận được bồi thường và mong đối tác
thông cảm.

Anh/ chị có thể thêm bớt bất kỳ thông tin nào để thư được hoàn thiện.

Bắt đầu thư bằng “Dear Mr. …”

Dear Mr. Merton,

We are writing to express our sincere apologies for our inability to meet the payment
deadline on your invoice dated... for the recent shipment we received from Glaston
Potteries.
Unfortunately, last week our warehouse experienced a severe flood, which resulted in
significant damage to a substantial portion of our inventory. This unexpected incident has
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 placed a considerable strain on our financial resources.
We have filed a claim with our insurance company, and we anticipate receiving
compensation within the next four weeks. As soon as the funds are released, we assure you
that we will make the full payment without delay.
We value our business relationship with Glaston Potteries and sincerely regret any
inconvenience this delay may cause. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation
during this challenging time.
Thank you for your patience.
Sincerely,

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2. Your company has received a letter dated 28 April from UK Cycles Ltd concerning your
outstanding account for $2,700.00 for three months, in which they asked you to pay within
the next ten days. Write a reply to this letter, using the following prompts:

- Thank them for their letter (please quote dates)

- Explain about the fire at Head Office. Say that it destroyed a lot of computer data
which has disrupted all correspondence with suppliers and customers, and we need
time to get back to our normal routine.

- Request a further 30 days to settle as politely as possible.

- Say your insurer will release compensation with the coming month, so we can pay the
outstanding account in full.

- Start with “Dear Mr. …”

Dear Mr.
Thank you for your letter of April 28th regarding our outstanding account of $2,700.00.
We sincerely apologize for the delay in payment. We recently experienced a fire at our Head
Office which unfortunately destroyed a significant amount of our computer data. This has
severely disrupted our correspondence with both suppliers and customers, and we are still
in the process of restoring our systems to normal operation.
We respectfully request an extension of 30 days to settle the outstanding balance. Our
insurance company has assured us that compensation will be released within the coming
month, at which point we will be able to pay the account in full.
We value our relationship with UK Cycles Ltd and appreciate your understanding during this
difficult time.
Sincerely,

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