Our approach
Clients instructing us will receive the following:
- Direct access to an experienced litigation solicitor dealing with the matter.
- We will provide regular updates on progress by phone or email.
The steps we take
The following is only relevant to an undisputed debt, where the debtor is simply not responding.
The steps of the debt recovery process are:
- The Letter Before Action – a detailed letter to the debtor to formally demand payment
- County Court Proceedings – preparing and issuing county court proceedings and, where the debtor does not respond, obtaining Judgment in Default
- Enforcement action – action to enforce the judgment against the debtor which can take various forms
The Cost
The cost of a debt recovery claim will depend greatly upon:
- The value of the debt; and
- whether it proceeds through all of the stages set out above.
Our fees start from £400 for taking your instructions, reviewing the papers, and preparing the letter before action. VAT may apply on our fees.
Where county court proceedings are required our fees usually start from £750 to start the Court process and obtain a Judgment in Default (i.e. when the debtor does not respond) but will vary according to the size and complexity of the Court Claim.
Subsequent enforcement action fees will vary depending on the type of enforcement action taken – and which is most appropriate for the case – but start from £300.
We will keep you updated and agree with you in advance the fees involved at each stage, or where possible, agree with you a fixed fee for some or all of the stages involved.
More complicated or disputed matters are charged on an hourly rate. Please feel free to call Dominic Hirst to discuss your requirements and we will always agree our charges in advance of them being incurred.
Additional costs
Additional costs (often called disbursements) may be incurred in the course of a Court Claim or enforcement; for example, Court fees.
Below is an example of the current court fees for debt/money claims (and these Court fees may change from time to time):
| Debt Sum | Court Issue Fee |
| Up to £300 | £35 |
| Over £500 up to £1,000 | £70 |
| Over £1,000 up to £1,500 | £80 |
| Over £1,500 up to £3,000 | £115 |
| Over £3,000 up to £5,000 | £205 |
| Over £5,000 up to £10,000 | £455 |
| Over £10,000 | 5% value of debt sum |
| Enforcement Action | Court Fee |
| To issue a warrant of Control | Up to £110 |
| To issue a writ of Control (High Court) | £66 |
| Attachment of Earnings | £110 |
| Application for a Charging Order | £110 |
Court Issue fees may may also differ using the online Court system. We always obtain our Client’s agreement before incurring any fee.
How long can a money claim take?
Sometimes payment is received soon after a letter-before-action. If a Court Claim is necessary, the process could take 3 months or more.
Get in touch
This is intended as a guide only to the fees relating to debt recovery. Many matters are more complicated and we encourage you to call us so we can talk about the matter and fully understand what is required.