Debt Recovery Cash flow is vital but even the most cautious business will suffer occasional bad debts. We handle bulk debt recovery and one-off debts. We can also review your terms of business, credit control procedures and train your staff to reduce bad debts and facilitate debt recovery.

Procedure

Very often a strong demand letter will result in payment but if not, we can start Court proceedings. If judgment is obtained in your favour, there are various enforcement options:

• Instructing a bailiff to seize goods under a warrant of execution
• Deductions from the debtor’s wages under an attachment of earnings order
• Ordering the debtor to attend Court for questioning
• A Charging Order over property owned by the debtor
• Bankruptcy or liquidation
• Obtaining payment direct from a third party eg the debtor’s bank

Occasionally, there may be a genuine dispute about the debt. Our Dispute Resolution Team specialists handle a range of commercial disputes from breach of contract cases to professional negligence claims.

Reducing bad debts

Prevention is better than cure. Don't let that lucrative deal turn into a massive liability. Researching a customer's ability to pay at the outset can save a lot of effort and expense later. Take out a credit reference before you agree to supply a new customer or offer a higher level of credit than you would normally. We can advise your credit control staff on developing and implementing clear and effective policies and give them tips on how best to chase debts in the initial stages. Ensuring that you have well-drafted Commercial Contracts including standard terms and conditions can aid debt recovery and reduce the scope for disputes.

Flexible funding options

We know that cost is important to your business. There is no point running up a bill of £1,000 over a £500 debt. On the other hand, £100,000 of legal costs to recover £5m of outstanding debts is value for money especially if you also recover the bulk of your legal costs from the other side. As well as traditional hourly rates, we offer a range of alternative charging structures in appropriate cases, including:-

• Fixed fees for specific tasks or stages of work
• ‘No Win, No Fee’ arrangements
• We are willing to discuss preferential terms for bulk debt recovery

Above all, we prefer to charge for results. Professional debt collection can cost less than you might expect. Whatever your needs, we will respond quickly and efficiently, leaving you free to concentrate on developing your business.