Roythornes Banner Image

Debt Recovery

Our Pricing

Our debt recovery service helps businesses recover the money they are owed. With an enviable reputation, we recover millions of pounds worth of debts each year for clients, much of which they had given up all hope of ever collecting. We work for a wide range of businesses from sole traders to some of the biggest names on the high street, as well as having the capacity to recover debts overseas. 

The costs below apply where your claim is in relation to an unpaid invoice which is not disputed and enforcement action is not needed. 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 if necessary, which could be on a fixed fee (e.g. if a one-off letter is required), or an hourly rate if more involved work is needed.

We have two options to provoke an early payment. The first is a service that allows you to create your own Solicitor's Demand Letter for £10.00 excluding VAT using our online portal. If the debtor pays, just let us know and we will close our file, with no further charge. If you require further assistance, you can proceed to the next stage.

Please note that where stated, VAT will be charged at the prevailing rate - currently 20%.

Solicitor's Demand Letter

 Service Our fee (plus VAT) 
  Solicitor's Demand Letter £10

 

Telephone collections 

We also offer a telephone collections service which has proved invaluable to many of our clients, especially those who wish to retain that all-important relationship with a long-standing client. Our team at Roythornes is well versed in the art of chasing down debtors and extracting your money, using a softer approach. The price stated includes two letters and a telephone call to the debtor. We offer this service on a commission-based payment of 8% of monies recovered up to £100,000.

  Value recovered (£)  Our fee (% of money recovered)  Commission 
 £1 - £100,0008% plus VATFrom £25

 

Pre-action stage

If collection is not successful, we offer a fixed-fee service which complies with the Pre-Action Protocol for debt claims. This is the first stage in proceeding to recover the debt through the court.

 Debt value Our fee (plus VAT) 
Up to £1000£100
 £1,001 - £5,000 £200
 £5,001-10,000£300
 Over £10,000£580

 

If we are required to undertake any work in relation to recovering the debt without issuing proceedings, this will be charged at 8% of monies recovered.

If it is necessary to pursue the matter through the courts in order to obtain a County Court Judgment and then take action to enforce payment, our team has experience in all recovery procedures and can help you make the right decision.

Issuing claims in the County Court

 Debt valueCourt fee Our fee (plus VAT) Total (inc VAT)
 Up to £5,000£35 - £205*£50 - £80**£95 - £301
 £5,001 - £10,000£455£100£575 - £575
 £10,001 - £50,000  5% value of the claim £100 £620.05 - £2,620 

* denotes the range of court fees payable between debt values of £300 and £5,000.**  denotes the range of our fees payable (£50 plus VAT for debt values between £300 and £500; £70 plus VAT for debt values between £501-£1,000; and £80 plus VAT for debt values between £3,001 and £5,000)

The fee includes taking instructions and reviewing any documentation you provide to us, and undertaking any searches such as (but not limited to) credit searches and Companies House searches. You should note that:

  • the VAT element of our fee cannot be reclaimed from your debtor;
  • interest and compensation may take the debt into a higher banding, with a higher cost.

Judgment

If no response is received to your claim, we will proceed to enter judgment.

Claim value

By default

Our fee (plus VAT)

When acknowledged but undefended

Our fee (plus VAT)

By admission

Our fee (plus VAT)

By determination

Our fee (plus VAT)

£25 - £4,999£22£25£40£55
Over £5,000£30£35£55£70


If payment is not received within 30 days we will provide you with advice on enforcement.

Enforcement costs

If the debtor fails to pay once a County Court Judgment has been secured, it will be necessary to take steps to enforce the judgment. Which method of enforcement is used is dependent on what assets the debtor has. Liaising with our team will ensure that the most appropriate method is used.

 Action Court fee  Our fee (plus VAT) Other expenses Amount recoverable 
 Warrant of Control£91£50n/a£93.25
 Writ of Control£78£51.75£75 (plus VAT) Guaranteed Creditors Fee*£129.75
 Order to Obtain Information£65£75c£125c£80
 Attachment of Earnings£131£200n/a£139.50
 Third-Party Debt Order£131£275c£100c£229.50
 Charging Order£131£275c£143c£284

* When the High Court Enforcement Agent (HCE Agent) makes a successful recovery, the enforcement costs are subject to VAT. Where a creditor is not VAT registered, the debtor will pay the VAT on the HCE agents fee. Where a creditor is VAT registered, the VAT on agents costs will be charged back to the creditor for recovery from HMRC.

Bankruptcy costs

Bankruptcy/winding up is used as a method of enforcement. Our costs for this service are set out below.

 Action Our fee (plus VAT) 
 Statutory Demand£300
Petition Deposit£1,500
 Petition£450
  Conduct of Proceedings £600 - £1,000

 

 ExpensesAmount
 Service feesc£110 (plus VAT)
 Issue fee£332
 Petition Deposit £1500
 Agent's fee £250 (plus VAT) 


Winding Up

 Action Our fee (plus  VAT) 
 Pre-winding up letter£100
 Petition£450
 Conduct of Proceedings £700 - £1,200

 

 ExpensesAmount
 Insolvency search feesc£11
 Service feesc£110 (plus VAT)
 Issue fee£332
 Official Receiver's Deposit £2,600
 Advertisement fee c£87.50 (plus VAT) 
 Agent's fee£250 (plus VAT)


Additional Services

There may be times when you do not know the whereabouts of your debtor or their means of payment of the debt. We can assist with this in addition to our other services.

 ServiceAmountOur fee (plus VAT)
 Basic debtor trace£26 - £45 (no results, no fee)£15
 Means and Employment search  £26 - £37 (no results, no fee) £15
 Chargeable investigation£100 - £200 (capped)Standard rate of £150 per hour 
Land registry search£3 
 International debt recovery
 Scotland and IrelandAgent's fees£100
 EU and WorldwideAgent's feesStandard rate of £150 per hour

 

Defended claims

If the other side defends your claim for payment, fixed fees will no longer apply and the matter will be subject to our hourly rate of £150-210 plus VAT. 

Matters on average take six to eight weeks from receipt of instructions to receipt of payment. It may take longer if it is necessary to pursue the claim through the courts.

Timescales

A typical debt recovery will take between 6-8 weeks, from instruction through to payment from the other side. This may be quicker or longer depending on whether we are required to issue a claim and whether the other side pay promptly on receipt of any Judgment issued by a court. As detailed above, if enforcement action is required, we will discuss the fees and timescales involved.

Get in touch with our debt recovery solicitors

For further information about our debt recovery services, get in touch with our team in AlconburyBirminghamNottinghamPeterborough or Spalding