Gather the evidence while it is fresh
Collect the contract or the messages that set out the deal, the invoices, delivery notes and every acknowledgement of the debt, including WhatsApp messages and emails. An acknowledgement in writing is often the strongest single piece of evidence in a debt claim.
Write a one-page timeline in your own words. It will save hours of lawyer time, and lawyer time is what you pay for.
Send a proper demand
A demand letter from counsel sets a clear deadline, states the amount and the basis for it, and warns of the next step. Many debtors pay at this stage, or propose a plan. We follow up by phone, because a conversation often achieves what a letter cannot.
Fastest routes: demand letter, negotiated plan, undefended list, arbitration, garnishee orders.
Choose the fastest procedure
Where the debt is clear and the debtor has no real defence, the undefended list procedure lets the court enter judgment without a full trial. Where the contract has an arbitration clause, arbitration may be faster still. The case plan we prepare explains which route fits.
Plan for enforcement from the start
A judgment is only paper until it is enforced. We identify the debtor’s bank accounts and assets early so that garnishee orders or attachment can follow judgment quickly.
Recovery matters are one of the few areas where we may agree a reduced fee plus a share of what is recovered, within the professional rules. Ask us about it at your consultation.
