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Private & Commercial Debt Collection
Private & Commercial Debt Collection
Whether you are a business suffering from unpaid invoices or an individual who is owed money, bad debts spell bad news to everyone. Not only is bad debt an inconvenience but a situation which can have a long term damaging effect on both your cash-flow and your peace of mind. Curtis Parkinson has helped individuals and organisations across Nottingham and the wider area recover what is due to them.
Things to remember…
Where people are late payers, the law provides you with the right to apply an enhanced interest rate. With a company this means that you have the right to charge 8% above base rate on the period between the due date for payment and actual payment – hence stating on invoices that they are payable ‘on demand’ will stop you losing out if you allow 30 days credit.
For individuals who are owed money by other individuals or companies, you have the option of using a mediation service, making a claim online (if the debt is less than £100,000 and owed by no more than 2 people or 2 organisations) or make an official demand for the money you’re owed.
How Curtis Parkinson can help
We aim to recover monies owed to you in a quick, efficient and cost effective manner.
Our debt recovery team is able to offer a bespoke service which ranges from action to recover a one off debt to bulk debt processing and defended actions.
Nobody likes a bad payer but life sometimes makes this inevitable, so let our specialist team help you get what you’re owed as quickly as possible.
Our experience
Para-legals, Denise Clarke and Lorraine Johnson have 18 years combined experience of handling debt collecting matters. They are supervised by Roger Pitts, a partner and solicitor with 35 years’ experience. Together, the team handles hundreds of cases every year. As you can see, we receive excellent client reviews.
Our Fees – Debt Recovery for an Undisputed Debt
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 if more extensive work is needed.
Sole traders are not a Business for these purposes but are deemed to be individuals under the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims and different costs apply.
These costs apply where your claim is in relation to an unpaid invoice owed to a business by another business which is not disputed and enforcement action is not needed to obtain payment and the amount of the debt falls within the bands specified below. If the debt is larger than £25,000 you will need to contact us.
A business wishing to proceed with a claim for an unpaid invoice should note that:
- If the debt is less than £10,000 the court awards fixed costs no matter what the costs are of the legal action.
- If you are registered for VAT and the debt is more than £10,000 there are different rules on costs in which case the VAT element of our fee may not be reclaimable from your debtor.
- Interest and compensation may take the debt into a higher banding, with a higher cost, although you can limit your claim to a particular band.
- The costs quoted are not for a matter where there is any dispute including dealing with any issue in connection with payment or enforcement of a judgment, such as the instruction of the bailiff to collect your debt.
- The costs are in relation to debts up to £25,000. Larger debts may a fixed fee or be required to be paid by on an hourly rate.
Our fee includes:
- Receiving a copy of the undisputed invoice and your instructions to issue a letter before action.
- It does not include any consideration of your right to make the claim or consider whether there may be a defence or check to up on the debtor company. This will fall outside our fixed fee.
- Drafting and sending a letter before action with instructions to the debtor to pay you direct.
- Receiving instructions if payment is not received to issue proceedings. To include drafting and issuing the claim.
- Where no Acknowledgment of Service or Defence is received, applying to the court to enter Judgement in default
Matters usually take 2-6 weeks from receipt of instructions from you to receipt of payment from the other side, depending on whether or not it is necessary to issue a claim. This is on the basis that the other side pays promptly on receipt of Judgement in default.
Cost of our Services (inclusive of VAT)
For the Recovery of an Undisputed Debt up to £5,000
For each Letter Before Action – £10.00
For the issue of County Court Proceedings for the recovery of an undisputed Debt up to £5,000 – £144.00
For the entry of Judgment – £55.00
The fee to be paid to the Court to Issue the claim – up to £205.00
Total: £414.00*
For the Recovery of an Undisputed Debt up to £10,000
For each Letter Before Action – £10.00
For the issue of County Court Proceedings for the recovery of an undisputed Debt up to £10,000 – £144.00
For the entry of Judgment where undisputed – £70.00
The Court fee to be paid to the Court to Issue the claim – up to £455.00
Total: £679.00*
For the Recovery of an Undisputed Debt between £10,001 and £25,000
For each Letter Before Action – £25.00
For the issue of County Court Proceedings for the recovery of an undisputed Debt between £10,001 and £25,000 – £288.00
For the entry of Judgment – £70.00
Total: £383.00 plus the Court fee to be paid to the Court to Issue the claim – up to 5% of the claim*
For the Recovery of an Undisputed Debt over £25,000 up to £100,000
For each Letter Before Action – £200.00
For the issue of County Court Proceedings for the recovery of an undisputed Debt between £10,001 and £25,000 – £512.00
For the entry of Judgment – £70.00
Total: £782.00 plus the Court fee to be paid to the Court to Issue the claim – up to 5% of the claim*
*The above costs and expenses do not include the cost of taking enforcement action for the recovery of the debt after judgement if not paid upon service of the judgement. The cost and expense involved in taking enforcement action depend upon the amount of the judgement and the method(s) used to enforce the judgement.
For recovery from an individual or sole trader under the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims and different costs apply.
These costs apply where your claim is in relation to an unpaid invoice owed to a business by an individual which is not disputed and enforcement action is not needed to obtain payment and the amount of the debt falls within the bands specified below. If the debt is larger than £25,000 you will need to contact us.
A business wishing to proceed with a claim for an unpaid invoice should note that:
- If the debt is less than £10,000 the court awards fixed costs no matter what the costs are of the legal action.
- If you are registered for VAT and the debt is more than £10,000 there are different rules on costs in which case the VAT element of our fee may not be reclaimable from your debtor.
- Interest and compensation may take the debt into a higher banding, with a higher cost, although you can limit your claim to a particular band.
- The costs quoted are not for a matter where there is any dispute including dealing with any issue in connection with payment or enforcement of a judgment, such as the instruction of the bailiff to collect your debt.
- The costs are in relation to debts up to £25,000. Larger debts may a fixed fee or be required to be paid by on an hourly rate.
Our fee includes:
- Receiving a copy of the undisputed invoice and your instructions to issue a letter before action.
- It does not include any consideration of your right to make the claim the debt or consider whether there may be a defence or check to up on the debtor company. This will fall outside our fixed fee.
- Drafting and sending a letter before action with instructions to the debtor to pay you direct.
- Receiving instructions if payment is not received to issue proceedings. To include drafting and issuing the claim.
- Where no Acknowledgment of Service or Defence is received, applying to the court to enter Judgement in default
Matters usually take 5-10 weeks from receipt of instructions from you to receipt of payment from the other side, depending on whether or not it is necessary to issue a claim. This is on the basis that the other side pays promptly on receipt of Judgement in default.
Cost of our Services (inclusive of VAT)
For the Recovery of an Undisputed Debt up to £5,000
For each Letter Before Action – £35.00
For the issue of County Court Proceedings for the recovery of an undisputed Debt up to £5,000 – £144.00
For the entry of Judgment – £55.00
The fee to be paid to the Court to Issue the claim – up to £205.00
Total: £439*
For the Recovery of an Undisputed Debt up to £10,000
For each Letter Before Action – £35.00
For the issue of County Court Proceedings for the recovery of an undisputed Debt up to £10,000 – £144.00
For the entry of Judgment where undisputed – £70.00
The fee to be paid to the Court to Issue the claim – up to £455.00
Total: £704*
For the Recovery of an Undisputed Debt between £10,001 and £25,000
For each Letter Before Action – £45.00
For the issue of County Court Proceedings for the recovery of an undisputed Debt between £10,001 and £25,000 – £288.00
For the entry of Judgment – £70.00
The fee to be paid to the Court to Issue the claim – up to 5% of the claim
Total: £679.00* plus the fee to be paid to the Court to Issue the claim – up to 5% of the claim
For the Recovery of an Undisputed Debt between £25,000 up to £100,000
For each Letter Before Action – £245.00
For the issue of County Court Proceedings for the recovery of an undisputed Debt between £10,001 and £25,000 – £512.00
For the entry of Judgment – £70.00
The fee to be paid to the Court to Issue the claim – up to 5% of the claim
Total: £782.00* plus the fee to be paid to the Court to Issue the claim – up to 5% of the claim
*The above costs do not include either:
- The cost of dealing with a dispute of the amount claimed in the pre-action protocol phase. Such costs will be charged at the hourly rates of: –
Paralegals £175.20 per hour
Solicitor £336 per hour - The cost of taking enforcement action for the recovery of the debt after judgement if not paid upon service of the judgement. The cost and expense involved in taking enforcement action depend upon the amount of the judgement and the method(s) used to enforce the judgement.
“Excellent service. Very professional and courteous. I would highly recommend Curtis Parkinson for all your legal needs.”
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