When someone owes you money and does not pay, it can quickly affect cash flow, business planning and peace of mind.
Debt recovery is not just about chasing payment. It is about taking the right steps at the right time, preserving your position and choosing the most practical route to recovery.
Havard Law Solicitors helps businesses, landlords, professionals and individuals recover unpaid debts in a clear and structured way. This may involve sending a formal letter before action, negotiating payment, issuing court proceedings or enforcing a judgment where payment is still not made.
What is debt recovery?
Debt recovery is the process of taking steps to recover money that is owed.
This may include unpaid invoices, unpaid rent, service charges, professional fees, loans, settlement sums, judgment debts or other overdue payments.
Some debts are resolved after a formal solicitor’s letter. Others become disputed and may need negotiation, mediation, court proceedings or enforcement action.
The right approach will depend on the size of the debt, the evidence available, whether the debt is disputed, whether the debtor can pay, and whether a commercial solution is possible.
Who is this service for?
This service is for anyone who is owed money and is struggling to recover it.
Havard Law Solicitors can help sole traders, small businesses, larger companies, landlords, professionals, consultants and individuals.
We can assist with single unpaid debts or multiple overdue accounts. We can also help where you already have a court judgment but the debtor still has not paid.
Debt recovery may involve a business-to-business debt, a business-to-consumer debt, a debt between individuals, or a debt linked to a wider commercial dispute.
When might you need help?
You may need advice if invoices have not been paid, reminders are being ignored, payment promises have been broken, or the debtor is disputing what is owed.
You may also need help if the debtor says the goods were faulty, the service was poor, the contract was not fulfilled, the amount is wrong, or they cannot afford to pay.
In some cases, the issue may be urgent because the debtor appears to be in financial difficulty, other creditors are taking action, or you are worried that the debt may become harder to recover over time.
You may also need advice if you have already obtained judgment but payment has still not been made. A judgment confirms that a debt is owed, but further steps may be needed to enforce it.
What can debt recovery involve?
Debt recovery can involve several different steps.
The first step is usually to review the evidence and decide whether the debt is properly due. This may include invoices, contracts, terms and conditions, delivery notes, emails, payment records, statements of account and any correspondence about the dispute.
A formal letter before action may then be sent. This sets out the debt, the basis of the claim, the amount owed and what will happen if payment is not made.
If the debtor engages, it may be possible to agree payment in full, a payment plan, a reduced settlement or another practical resolution.
If the debtor does not respond, or if the dispute cannot be resolved, court proceedings may be needed. If judgment is obtained and the debtor still does not pay, enforcement options can be considered.
Interest, compensation and costs
Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to claim more than the original debt.
In qualifying commercial transactions between businesses, statutory interest may be available on late payments. Fixed compensation may also be recoverable depending on the size of the debt.
Contractual interest may also apply if your terms and conditions include a valid interest clause.
The position will depend on the type of debt, the contract, the parties involved and the evidence available. Havard Law Solicitors can review what may be claimed and explain the position clearly before action is taken.
How Havard Law Solicitors can help
Havard Law Solicitors can take a practical approach to debt recovery.
We can review the debt, assess the evidence, advise on prospects, calculate what may be owed, send a formal letter before action, negotiate with the debtor, advise on payment plans or settlement offers, issue court proceedings where appropriate and advise on enforcement after judgment.
We can also help where the debt is disputed. This may involve reviewing the contract, considering the debtor’s defence, responding to allegations about goods or services, and advising whether the claim should be pursued, negotiated or resolved another way.
Where a debtor is in financial difficulty, we can explain the options and help you consider whether further action is commercially sensible.
Our aim is to help you make informed decisions and improve the prospects of recovering what is owed.
Case study: recovery of unpaid professional fees
Havard Law Solicitors acted for a professional services company that had provided specialist reports to another business under a written agreement.
The receiving business fell significantly behind on payments, leaving substantial unpaid invoices outstanding.
The agreement set out when payment was due and what would happen if payment was missed. Despite this, payment was not made in accordance with the agreed terms.
Court proceedings were issued. The case was not straightforward. The other side disputed the claim and challenged the payment terms, including when payment was triggered and what amounts were due.
Havard Law Solicitors challenged the defence and took steps to progress the claim through the court process. There were also delays and attempts to revisit issues late in the proceedings, which required careful handling.
A formal settlement was eventually reached through the court process, with the debt to be paid by instalments. When later payment issues arose, further steps were needed to pursue the sums due and address the legal costs position.
The matter was ultimately resolved, with the client recovering a substantial sum together with an agreed contribution towards legal costs.
This case shows that debt recovery can involve more than simply sending reminders. Where payment is disputed, delayed or avoided, careful preparation, clear evidence and a structured legal approach can make a significant difference.
Enforcement after judgment
Getting judgment is an important step, but it does not automatically mean payment will be received.
If the debtor still does not pay, enforcement options may need to be considered. The right option will depend on the debtor’s circumstances and what assets or income may be available.
Possible enforcement steps may include instructing enforcement officers, seeking a charging order, applying for an attachment of earnings order where appropriate, or considering other court-based enforcement options.
Before taking enforcement action, it is sensible to consider whether the debtor is likely to have the means to pay. Havard Law Solicitors can help you assess the practical options.
Evidence that can help your debt recovery claim
The evidence needed will depend on the type of debt and whether it is disputed.
Helpful evidence may include contracts, terms and conditions, invoices, statements of account, purchase orders, delivery notes, proof of work completed, emails, text messages, payment reminders, records of phone calls, bank statements, proof of part payment, admissions of the debt, previous payment plans and any correspondence where the debtor disputes the amount.
If you already have a judgment, useful documents may include the judgment order, court papers, correspondence with the debtor and any information about the debtor’s assets, employment, business or property.
Do not worry if you do not have everything at the start. Havard Law Solicitors can review what is available and explain what else may be needed.
Speak to our debt recovery team
If you are owed money and want to understand your options, it is sensible to get advice before delay makes recovery harder.
To speak to Havard Law Solicitors, call 0151 556 1234 or email info@havardlaw.co.uk with a short summary of who owes the money, how much is owed, when payment was due, what the debt relates to and what steps have already been taken.
A member of the team can review the information and explain the next steps in clear, practical terms.
If the debtor cannot afford to pay, the practical options may be limited.
It may still be possible to agree a payment plan, obtain judgment or consider enforcement, but the decision should be made carefully.
In some cases, insolvency options may need to be considered. In others, further action may not be commercially sensible if there is little prospect of recovery.
Havard Law Solicitors can review the circumstances and help you decide what approach is most practical.
Whether legal costs can be recovered depends on the type of claim, the court track, the value of the debt, the contract terms and the stage at which the matter resolves.
In some cases, only limited fixed costs may be recoverable. In other cases, a contract may contain a costs clause, or the court may make a costs order.
It is important to understand the likely costs position before deciding how to proceed.
Havard Law Solicitors can explain the potential costs and risks at the outset.
Yes. Havard Law Solicitors can help businesses with multiple overdue accounts.
This may involve reviewing the debtor ledger, prioritising debts, sending formal letters, negotiating payment plans, identifying disputed debts and advising on which accounts may justify court action.
A structured approach can help businesses focus on the debts most likely to be recovered and avoid spending time and money on action that may not be commercially sensible.
Havard Law Solicitors can discuss the best approach for your debtor ledger.
Yes. Many debts based on a simple contract have a usual limitation period of six years from when the cause of action accrued.
In many debt cases, this may be linked to when payment became due. However, the position can depend on the type of debt, the agreement, whether any payment has been made, whether the debt has been acknowledged, and whether the debt arises under a deed or judgment.
Because limitation can be technical, it is sensible to take advice if the debt is old or the deadline may be close.
A judgment confirms that the court has found the money is owed, but it does not automatically guarantee payment.
If the debtor still does not pay, enforcement options may need to be considered.
Depending on the circumstances, this may include instructing enforcement officers, seeking a charging order, applying for an attachment of earnings order where appropriate, or using another enforcement route.
Havard Law Solicitors can advise which options may be suitable and whether enforcement is likely to be commercially worthwhile.
If the debtor disputes the debt, the matter may become a contested claim.
The debtor may argue that the goods were faulty, the service was not provided properly, the contract terms were different, the amount is wrong, or payment is not yet due.
Havard Law Solicitors can review the evidence and advise on the strength of the debtor’s position. Depending on the circumstances, the best option may be to continue the claim, negotiate a settlement, request more information or consider mediation.
The right approach will depend on the value of the debt, the evidence, the cost of pursuing the claim and the prospects of recovery.
If the debtor does not respond to court proceedings within the required time, it may be possible to request default judgment.
A default judgment means the court can enter judgment without a contested hearing because the debtor has failed to respond.
However, the court process still needs to be followed correctly, including issuing the claim properly, serving the papers correctly and allowing the required time for a response.
Havard Law Solicitors can advise on the next steps if court papers have been ignored.
You may be able to claim interest on top of the original debt.
In qualifying business-to-business transactions, statutory interest may be available on late commercial payments. Fixed compensation may also be available depending on the size of the debt.
Contractual interest may apply if your contract or terms and conditions include a valid interest clause.
The correct position will depend on the type of debt, the contract, the parties and the evidence available.
The response time depends on the type of debt and who the debtor is.
In many business-to-business debts, a shorter deadline may be appropriate depending on the circumstances. In claims against an individual, the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims may require a longer response period before proceedings are issued.
It is important to follow the correct process because failing to do so can affect how the court views the claim later.
Havard Law Solicitors can advise what letter should be sent and what response period is appropriate.
No. Many debt recovery cases are resolved without court proceedings.
A formal letter before action may be enough to prompt payment, open settlement discussions or lead to a payment plan.
Court proceedings are usually considered where the debtor ignores correspondence, refuses to pay, raises a dispute that cannot be resolved, or where urgent action is needed to protect the position.
Havard Law Solicitors can advise whether court action is likely to be necessary or whether another approach may be more practical.
