Written consent before a fee change: 2 rules

Why a changed fee needs more than a nod

Before billing a changed fee, get the client's informed written approval of the new amount and when it starts. A client who agreed to an old price has not agreed to a new one.

You quoted a price earlier in the year. Since then, your costs may have moved, the job may have grown, or the client may have added a service that was not in the original plan. So you want to bill a new number.

Many small-business owners and bookkeepers treat this as a formality. A quick "sounds fine" in a text thread, or a phone call that never got written down, feels like enough. Often it is, until the client disputes an invoice, a bank asks about a payment, or a new bookkeeper inherits the file and finds no written agreement. At that point the question is not whether you did the work. It is whether the client clearly said yes to the new fee.

This post covers two rules that keep a fee change on solid ground. They are practical habits, not legal advice, and they suit most service businesses. Licensed professions have their own rules, which we cover further down.

First rule: get the yes in writing before the new fee applies

Do not bill the changed fee until the client has agreed to it in writing. "In writing" can mean an email reply, a signed change order, or a message through your client portal. What matters is that the agreement exists somewhere you can find it later, and that it came from the client. A vague promise to "pass it along" from someone else does not count.

Why writing, and not a verbal yes? A verbal yes is hard to prove. Memory fades, and two people often remember the same conversation differently. An agreement made with a manager who has since left the company becomes an argument about what was said. A written message gives both of you the same words to look at.

Writing also forces precision. When you have to type out the change, you have to say exactly what it is, and that catches mistakes before they reach an invoice.

A few habits make this work:

• Send the change request as its own message, not buried in a long thread about something else.
• Ask for a reply that clearly accepts the change, such as "Yes, I approve the new rate."
• Do not count silence as approval unless your signed agreement says so. An unanswered email is not a yes.

If the client replies with a question or a counteroffer, that is not consent yet. Answer the question, then ask for a fresh yes on the final terms.

Second rule: make sure the yes is informed

A reply that says "fine, go ahead" is weak if the client did not know what they were approving. Consent is only as good as the information behind it. The client needs enough detail to make a real decision.

Your written request should cover at least these points:

• The current fee and the new fee, stated as plain amounts rather than a percentage the client has to work out.
• The date the new fee starts, and whether it applies to work already done or only to future work.
• What the new fee covers. If the scope changed too, say what was added or removed.
• Any other costs that change alongside the fee, such as software, materials, or hours.
• What happens if the client says no. Will you continue at the old rate, pause the work, or end the arrangement?

That last point matters more than most people expect. Consent is not meaningful if the client feels they have no real choice. Name the alternatives. If you are willing to keep the old terms for a while, or to scale back the service, say so.

Be specific about reasons, too. "Our software costs rose, and the scope now includes a monthly payroll review" helps a client judge whether the change is fair. "Market conditions" makes people suspicious and invites questions later.

A simple test helps. Imagine the client reads your message months from now, with no memory of the call. Would they know exactly what they agreed to? If not, add the missing detail before you send it.

Phrase the request so a clear answer is easy

The wording of your request shapes the reply you get. "Are you okay with some changes to our pricing?" invites a vague answer. A message that names the change and asks for a specific yes gives the client a clear choice.

Here is one way to write it, with details to replace in brackets:

> Subject: Proposed fee change, effective with the next billing cycle > > Hi [client name], > > Our monthly bookkeeping fee is currently [current fee]. Because the second storefront adds roughly the same volume of transactions as the first, I am proposing a new monthly fee of [new fee], starting with the next billing cycle. The increase covers the extra reconciliations and the added vendor payments. > > If you prefer, we can keep the original scope at [current fee] and handle the second location as a separate project, quoted on its own. > > Please reply "Approved" to confirm the new fee, or let me know which option you prefer. I will not change the billing until I hear from you. > > Thanks, > [your name]

The message states the old and new amounts, names the start point, offers a real alternative, and asks for a reply that is easy to quote later.

Compare a weak request with a strong one:

Pick the right moment to raise it

Timing shapes how a client hears the request. A fee change that arrives with the invoice feels like a surprise. One raised before the next billing cycle feels like planning. Give the client time to read the request, ask questions, and reply before the new rate applies.

Avoid raising it in the middle of a crisis, such as a missed deadline or a tax problem. A reply given under pressure is weaker consent. Wait for a calmer moment, but do not let the timing drift so far that you end up billing retroactively without approval.

If the change is tied to a larger review, such as an annual contract renewal, raise it during that review and still send a separate written note. Bundling the fee into a long renewal packet is one of the easiest ways for it to be missed.

Put the two rules into a simple process

Here is how the rules fit into your normal workflow.

1. Decide the change and calculate the new fee before you speak to the client.
2. Write a short change notice that covers the points above.
3. Send it, and give the client a clear way to reply.
4. Wait for a written acceptance. If there is no reply, follow up once, then decide whether to pause or end the work.
5. When the yes arrives, update your invoicing system with the new rate and start date. Then check the first invoice against the approved terms and fix any mismatch before the client sees it.

Step five is where errors creep in. A common mistake is to get a good approval and then bill the wrong rate because the system was never updated. Use an invoice approval checklist for that final check.

Common mistakes to avoid

Several mistakes come up again and again.

Billing first and asking later. Some owners send the new invoice and then request approval as a formality. That is backwards. If the client refuses, you have already created a dispute, and you may have to issue a credit.

Relying on a phone call. Calls are easy, and fee changes often come up on them. If you agree on the phone, send a written summary the same day and ask the client to confirm it.

Applying the change to the wrong work. State whether the new fee covers work already in progress. If the client thinks the change applies only to future work and you bill for completed work, you will have a dispute.

Assuming the person you email can approve it. In some businesses, the day-to-day contact cannot approve a price change. Ask who signs off, and get approval from that person when it matters.

Letting the paperwork fall out of step. If your original agreement says changes need a signed amendment, a casual email may not be enough. Reread the terms you already signed before you rely on an email alone.

Update the agreement, not just the invoice

A written yes to a new fee works best alongside your underlying agreement. If your engagement letter or service contract lists the fee, the payment schedule, or how changes are handled, that document still describes the arrangement the client originally signed. An email approval can change the number without updating the rest of the paperwork.

Not every change needs the same level of paperwork. Use these illustrative choices as a starting point, subject to your agreement:

Decide in advance which kinds of changes need an amendment and which need only written approval, then apply that rule to every client. An amendment should state the new fee, the start date, the scope, and the date it was signed. Ask the client to sign it or confirm it by reply, and attach it to the original agreement.

Professional rules can be stricter than common practice. The rules below apply to lawyers rather than most businesses, but they show how carefully some regulators treat written consent.

One set of bar association rules requires that the basis or rate of a fee be communicated to a client in writing, before or within a reasonable time after the representation starts, when the lawyer has not regularly represented that client ( bar association fee rules). Texas fee rules say that consent to a referral to or association with other counsel, without knowledge of the information specified in subparagraph (f)(2), is insufficient client confirmation ( Texas Center for Legal Ethics). The Texas conflict-of-interest rules say that material changes to an existing fee arrangement during representation must also satisfy the rule requiring informed written consent to the transaction and the lawyer's role ( ethics rules on prohibited transactions). Pennsylvania Rule 1.8(a) requires a client's consent to certain transactions to be in a writing signed by the client ( disciplinary board rules). Those rules also require lawyers, subject to specified exceptions, to follow clients' decisions about representation goals and consult them about how to pursue those goals.

If your business is regulated by a licensing body, or a fee dispute is already under way, consult a professional who knows the rules in your jurisdiction before you rely on email alone.

What to do when a client says no

Sometimes the answer is no. That is not a failure. It is information. Before you respond, make sure you understand the objection. Is the price too high? Is the scope unclear? Does the client have a budget limit? A short clarification often solves the problem.

The client decides whether to accept the change. Your job is to make that choice clear and fair.

If the client still refuses, you have options. You can keep the existing fee and scope. You can offer a smaller change, such as a lower increase phased in later. You can change the service so the new fee matches a different deliverable. Or you can end the engagement on clear terms. Whatever you choose, put the decision in writing.

Do not bill the new fee while the question is open. Doing so undercuts the whole process and can damage the relationship. If you need to pause work until the terms are settled, say so in writing too.

Keep records that hold up

Good records make fee changes easy to defend. For each change, keep:

• The original agreement, or the last approved fee.
• The change notice you sent, with its date.
• The client's written reply, including any follow-up questions.
• The first invoice that applied the new rate.
• Any side agreements, such as a discount or a temporary arrangement.

Store these in one place, ideally alongside the rest of the client file. If you use accounting software, attach the approval to the customer or job record. Name approval files clearly, such as "Fee change approved, spring," so you can find them in seconds. A colleague who takes over the account should be able to see the full history without asking you. The format matters less than doing it the same way every time. See electronic invoice records for related record checks.

A short example

Imagine a bookkeeper who has handled monthly reconciliation for a small retail client at a fixed monthly fee. The client has added a second storefront, and the work has roughly doubled. The bookkeeper decides the old fee no longer fits.

Instead of raising the fee on the next invoice, the bookkeeper writes a short email. It states the current fee and the proposed new fee. It says the new fee begins with the next billing cycle, not retroactively. It explains that the second storefront adds transactions to reconcile each month. It also offers the option to keep the original scope at the original fee, with the second location handled separately. It asks the client to reply to confirm.

The client replies the next morning with a yes and a question about how the second location's records will be filed. The bookkeeper answers the question and asks for a fresh written yes on the final terms. After the client confirms those terms in writing, the bookkeeper keeps the email thread and updates the billing system with the approved fee and start date. The next invoice matches the approved terms, and the client does not question it.

Final checklist

Before you bill a changed fee, confirm:

• The client has replied in writing, with clear acceptance.
• The notice stated the old fee, the new fee, the start date, and the scope.
• The notice explained the reason and the alternatives.
• The approval came from someone with authority to agree.
• The billing system reflects the approved rate and start date.

If any item is missing, pause. A few extra minutes now protect you from a longer argument later.

Fee changes are a normal part of running a business. Costs rise, work grows, and services change. Clients generally accept fair changes when they receive clear communication and a real choice.

Related guides: Written fee terms: 4 items to give a client before work · Month-end client balances: 4 checks before you chase · Advance fee refunds in Minnesota: 5 rules to know first.