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A good price increase notice states the new amount, the date it starts, and one plain reason, and it goes out well before the first invoice at the new rate. Send recurring customers a written notice with at least a month of lead time, check your contract before you send it to anyone under one, and keep promotions out of the same message.
Key takeaways
- State the new amount and the start date in the first two sentences.
- Give recurring customers written notice before their first invoice at the new rate, and check your contract for a required notice period.
- Customers under a fixed-term contract get the new rate at renewal, not mid-term, unless the contract says otherwise.
- Keep sales offers out of the notice. Under CAN-SPAM, a message's primary purpose decides how it is treated, so a sales pitch can change what the notice is.
- Have a ready reply for the customer who pushes back and for the one who cancels.
Every template below follows the same order: the new amount, the date, one reason, and a way to ask questions. None of them apologize for charging what the work costs, and none of them bury the number. Replace the brackets with your own details, and read two cautions before you send anything. First, this is general information, not legal advice. Notice rules, auto-renewal rules and contract terms vary by state and by contract, so read your service agreement and ask a lawyer about anything that binds you. Second, keep the message about the change itself. The FTC's CAN-SPAM compliance guide lists a notice about a change in the terms or features of a membership, subscription or account as a transactional or relationship message, but says the law views these categories narrowly, that the message's primary purpose decides, and that such a message may not contain false or misleading routing information. Whether a service notice fits is a judgment call, so if you are unsure, include your postal address and an opt-out. Adding a sales pitch can change what the message is. For text messages, the consent basics are in our SMS rules guide. For the pricing reasoning itself, see ways to raise prices without losing customers.
1. Email notice to recurring customers
The standard version, for weekly, biweekly and monthly customers. Send it at least four weeks before the first invoice at the new rate, and sooner if your agreement requires more.
Subject: A change to your service rate starting [date]
Hi [first name],
Starting with your visit on [date], your rate for [service] will be [new amount] per visit. Your current rate is [old amount]. Our costs for labor, fuel and supplies have gone up, and this lets us keep the same crew on your home.
Nothing else about your service changes. If you have a question, reply to this email or call me at (555) 010-3321.
Thank you for being a customer,
[Your name], Example Cleaning Co.
Change: name the real reason. If the crew's pay went up, say so. Do not list reasons you do not have.
2. Short text version
Use this only for customers who agreed to receive texts from you, and send it in addition to a written notice, not instead of it. It fits in one message.
Example Cleaning Co.: starting [date], visits are [new amount]. Details are in your email. Questions? Call (555) 010-3321. Reply STOP to opt out
Note: check that your texting tool can send one message to a list without mixing customers up. If your CRM can merge the amount per customer, use that so each person sees their own number.
3. Printed letter for customers who do not read email
Some long-time customers never open email. Print a half page, sign it, and leave it with the last invoice or put it in the mail.
[Date]
Dear [first name],
Thank you for letting Example Lawn Co. care for your property. Beginning [date], our price for [service] will be [new amount]. This is the first change in [time period]. Please call me at (555) 010-4412 if you want to talk it over.
Sincerely,
[Your name], Owner
Tip: hand-sign it. A signature on paper gets read.
4. Renewal notice for customers under a contract
If a customer signed a fixed term, the rate holds until the term ends unless the contract says you can change it sooner. Send this ahead of the renewal date in the contract.
Subject: Your service agreement renews on [date]
Hi [first name],
Your agreement for [service] renews on [date]. For the next term, the rate will be [new amount] per [visit/month]. Everything else stays the same unless you tell us otherwise.
If you would like to renew, you do not need to do anything. If you would like to change or end the agreement, please tell us by [date] as described in section [number] of your agreement.
[Your name], Example Pest Control
Check: your agreement's notice period for renewal and cancellation. Use those dates in the message, and have a lawyer review the wording if the contract is unusual.
5. Reminder that the current rate holds through the term
When a customer asks whether the rate is going up before their term ends, a short and calm reply helps. It also builds trust.
Hi [first name], your rate of [current amount] stays the same through [end date], as written in your agreement. Before the term ends, I will send you the rate for the next one. Thanks for asking.
When to use: when the question arrives by phone or text and you want a record. Put a copy in the customer's file.
6. Returning one-time customers
A customer who booked you once two years ago will find a different price. Tell them before you quote, not at the invoice.
Hi [first name], good to hear from you. Our rate for [service] is now [new amount], up from [old amount] when we last worked together. I can book you for [date options]. Want me to hold one?
Why it works: the old price is named, so the customer is not surprised, and the question at the end moves toward booking.
7. Expired quote that no longer holds
Quotes go stale. If your estimate had an expiry date and the customer comes back after it, say so kindly and reprice. Put the validity period on every quote so this note is easy to send.
Hi [first name], the quote I sent on [date] was good through [date]. Since then our rates have changed, so the updated amount is [new amount]. Everything in the scope is the same. I'm happy to book you whenever you are ready.
Do not: honor an old quote forever out of guilt. Do honor it when you made the customer wait.
8. Offer to lock the current rate for a longer term
For customers on month-to-month service, you can offer to hold the rate if they commit to a set period. This is an offer, so send it separately from the notice.
Subject: Keep your current rate through [date]
Hi [first name],
Our rates are changing on [date]. If you would like to stay at [current amount] per visit, you can sign a [length]-month agreement before then. Reply "yes" and I will send it over.
[Your name], Example Window Cleaning
Limit: only offer what you can deliver. If your costs may rise mid-term, write in the agreement what happens. A business that loses money on locked customers will have a harder time serving them.
9. Change to your minimum charge
A minimum charge protects short jobs that cost you the same drive time as long ones. Explain it by the trip, not by the customer.
Hi [first name], starting [date], our minimum charge per visit is [amount]. This covers the time and fuel it takes to bring a crew and equipment to your home, which is the same for a small job as for a large one. Your regular service amount is not affected.
Check: only say your regular amount is not affected if that is true for every customer who gets the message.
10. Fuel or materials adjustment, shown as its own line
If a cost you do not control moves a lot, such as fuel or disposal fees, you can show an adjustment as a separate line rather than changing the base price. Only do this if your agreement or invoices allow it, and say how and when you will take it off.
Hi [first name], starting [date], your invoice will show a separate line for [fuel/disposal] of [amount] per visit. We review it every [period] and will lower or remove it when our costs come down. Your base rate stays [amount].
Caution: if you say you will review it, review it, and tell customers when it changes. A line that never moves looks like a price increase with a different name.
11. Letter to commercial accounts and property managers
Business customers want the number, the date and the contract reference, in a form that can go to accounts payable. Send it as a PDF and to the person who signs the agreement.
Subject: Service rate update for [property name], effective [date]
Dear [first name],
This letter confirms that, effective [date], the rate for [service] at [property name] will be [new amount] per [visit/month], per section [number] of our agreement dated [date]. A revised schedule is attached.
Please send any questions to me at (555) 010-5518.
Sincerely,
[Your name], Example Commercial Cleaning
Tip: send it to the contact on the agreement, and copy the manager who approves invoices. Keep a dated copy in the account record.
12. Reminder two weeks before the new rate starts
Some customers will not read the first message. A second notice is part of treating them fairly, and it can cut the number of surprised calls when the invoice arrives.
Hi [first name], a reminder that the new rate of [new amount] per visit starts on [date]. No action is needed. Call or reply with any questions.
Automation: schedule it when you send the first notice, so nobody on your staff has to remember. A CRM that stores each customer's rate and effective date can fire both messages from one list.
13. Reply to a customer who pushes back
Stay calm and short. Say what you can do and what you cannot, and do not argue the cost of your labor.
Hi [first name], I understand, and I appreciate you telling me. The new rate is [new amount] and applies to every customer. If it no longer fits, I can offer [a smaller scope, a different schedule or fewer visits] to bring the monthly cost down. Would you like me to put something together?
Do not: promise a special rate to one person unless you are ready to explain it to the others. Offer a change in scope or frequency, not a secret discount.
14. Reply to a customer who cancels over the increase
Let them go politely, confirm the end date and leave the door open. Some return after trying other options, and how you answer decides whether they do.
Hi [first name], thank you for telling me, and for [number] years of letting us work for you. Your last visit will be on [date], and you will not be charged after that. If you want to come back, call us at (555) 010-3321 and we will find you a spot. Thank you.
Follow-up: mark the account as lapsed, with the reason. Our guide to winning back past customers covers when to reach out again.
15. What the office says on the phone
Whoever answers the phone needs the same words you put in the letter. Write them on a card by the phone and role-play them once.
"Thanks for calling about that. Starting [date], the rate is [new amount] per visit. The last change was [time period] ago, and it covers higher labor and supply costs. I can go over what is included, or look at whether a different schedule would fit your budget better. Which would help?"
Rule: state the amount in the first sentence. A person who hears the number early stops waiting for bad news.
Where to start
You do not need all of these. Start with three:
- Template 1, the email notice, with Template 12, the two-week reminder, scheduled the same day.
- Template 13, the reply to pushback, so you answer the first unhappy customer the same way you answer the last.
- Template 15, the phone script, so your office and your letters match.
Then add the contract and commercial versions when you have accounts that need them. The recurring service billing guide covers how to set up billing so the new rate appears on the right date without anyone editing invoices by hand.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice should I give before a price increase?
Give recurring customers written notice before their first invoice at the new rate, and long enough that they can decide. Your contract or your state's rules may set a minimum, so check them first. Four weeks is a reasonable working target, not a legal rule.
Can I raise the price in the middle of a contract?
Only if the contract lets you. Most fixed-term agreements hold the rate until renewal. Read the clause on price changes, and ask a lawyer before relying on it.
Should I send a price increase by email, text or letter?
Send a written notice by email or mail, which gives the customer a record, and use a text as a reminder for customers who agreed to receive texts. Keep a copy of what you sent and when.
Should I explain my costs in the letter?
Give one honest reason in a sentence. A long list of cost increases invites a debate about each line, and the customer is deciding whether the service is worth the new amount.
General information for service-business owners, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules vary by state; check with a qualified professional for your situation.