We operate a bespoke service for our clients who are owed money. We deal with business-to-business debt recovery in both disputed and undisputed debt recovery claims from pre-action to enforcement proceedings.
Our team can also assist with debts over £100,000 and can provide a bespoke fee estimate on request.
Debt recovery claims up to £100,000 – Undisputed Debts
When working to recover undisputed debts, there are three main stages:
Stage One: Pre-action
Stage Two: This may involve one of two routes:
- Winding up / bankruptcy proceedings (for certain cases) or
- Court Judgment
Stage Three: Enforcement
The following costs apply where your claim is in relation to an unpaid invoice which is not disputed and follows court judgment above and further if enforcement action is not pursued.
Stage One: Pre-Action
We anticipate that Pre-Action work on your matter will take between one to three hours based on the hourly rates provided below.
The work that we will carry out for you includes:
- Taking your instructions and reviewing documentation
- Undertaking appropriate searches
- Sending a letter before action
- Recovering a payment and sending onto you
Stage Two:
Court Judgment
To progress to the end of Stage Two and secure a judgment in an uncontested matter, the additional fee is likely to be approximately three hours of work at the below hourly rate.
The work that we will carry out for you includes:
- If the debt is not paid, this will involve drafting and issuing claim
- Where no Acknowledgment of Service or Defence is received, applying to the court to enter Judgment in default
- When Judgment in default in received, writing to the other side to request payment
- If payment is not received within the prescribed days, providing you with advice on next steps and likely costs
- Where acknowledgment is filed admitting liability, writing to the court accepting the offer with a view to obtaining judgment on those terms.
Winding up / Bankruptcy Proceedings
To progress to the end of Stage Two via Winding up or Bankruptcy proceedings (for appropriate debts as an alternative to Court Judgment) in an uncontested matter, the additional fee is likely to be between £5,000 and £12,000 of work at the below hourly rate, plus disbursements.
The work that we will carry out for you includes:
- Drafting and service of statutory demand (for bankruptcy matters),
- Drafting and service of petition,
- Complying with relevant statutory provisions for petitions,
- Corresponding with court and counsel for the petition hearing.
Stage Three – Enforcement Proceedings
Where payment has not been made and we need to progress to enforcement proceedings, we can discuss your options at this stage, which are;
- Requests for further information
- 3rd party debt orders
- Charging order proceedings
- Instruction of a High Court Enforcement Officer
- Winding up proceedings based on an abortive execution
- Bankruptcy proceedings based on abortive execution
Any post judgment work will be dealt with separately and our charges and disbursements and your options will be discussed to best suit the demographic of the debtor to maximise the chances of recovery. Typically, our debt recovery work will take 5-10 hours, depending on the complexity and person handling your case, fees will range from £1,675 to £7,100. We will however need to provide a more case specific fee estimates on receipt of each instruction and consideration of the circumstances.
How long will it take?
Matters usually take 3-12 weeks from receipt of instructions from you to receipt of payment from the other side, depending on whether it is necessary to issue a claim. This is on the basis that the other side pays promptly on receipt of Judgment in default.
If enforcement action is needed, the matter will take longer to resolve. However, the time that your case might take will depend on several factors, including:
- Any unexpected Court delays in issuing and serving proceedings
- If there are issues in locating the debtor
- Delay in instructions
Hourly Rates
Our charges will apply on an hourly basis, these rates are set out below:
basis, these rates are set out below:
| Role |
Rate |
| Partner |
£515 - £710 |
| Legal Director |
£480 - £605 |
| Senior Associate |
£445 - £555 |
| Associate |
£390 - £530 |
| Solicitor |
£335 - £415 |
| Trainee Solicitor/Paralegal |
£220 - £270 |
| Apprentice |
£110 - £115 |
*These rates do not include VAT which will be charged at 20%.
Prices are dependent on regional variations.
From the outset, you will be advised who will be handling your case and their related fees. Your file will be managed by a colleague of solicitor-level or senior. We anticipate that the wider team will also work on this matter as the case progresses.
Additional circumstances may arise, which may mean that the work required is more substantial or complex and we may reallocate your file to an alternative colleague. If that happens, we will update you as soon possible about any additional charges that would be required.
Disbursements
Your case may incur additional costs that are not included in your fee estimate, associated disbursements are below:
| Service |
Fee |
| Bankruptcy petition and OR deposit |
£1,802 |
| Winding up petition and OR deposit |
£2,902 |
| Charging Order |
£119 (plus HMLR fees) |
| High Court Enforcement Officer |
£71 - £83 |
| Third Party Debt Order |
£119 |
| Attachment of Earnings |
£119 |
| Order to obtain information |
£75.00 |
| Trace Fees |
£40 - £200 |
| Personal service (petitions or bankruptcy) |
£100 – £200 |
| Counsel fees (per hearing) |
£200 - £1,000 |
| London Gazette advertisement (winding up) |
£79.40 |
*These rates do not include VAT which will be charged on non-Court disbursements at 20%.
Court Fees
The following prescribed Court fees are also not included in the above pricing, save for petition matters listed above. Please note that interest and compensation may take the debt into a higher banding, with a higher cost;
| Debt Value |
Court Fee |
| Up to £300 |
£35 |
| £301 - £500 |
£50 |
| £501 - £1,000 |
£70 |
| £1,001 - £1,500 |
£80 |
| £1,501 - £3,000 |
£115 |
| £3,001 - £5,000 |
£205 |
| £5,001 - £10,000 |
£455 |
| £10,001 – 15,000 |
5% value of the claim |
| £15,001 – £50,000 |
5% value of the claim |
| £50,001 - £100,000 |
5% value of the claim |
* Court Fees are prescribed by HMCTS and are subject to change.
Debt recovery claims up to £100,000 – Disputed Debts
If the other party disputes your claim at any point, we will discuss any further work required and provide you with revised advice about costs on an hourly rate basis if more extensive work is needed.
Other Points to Consider:
- The VAT element of our fee cannot be reclaimed from your debtor.
