These costs will apply to circumstances where you wish to seek recovery of a commercial debt or unpaid invoice.
These costs are illustrative, and the exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter.
These costs are also based on matters which are not disputed by the other party and enforcement of the Court Judgment 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.
| Debt Value | Initial Instructions and issue of letter of claim (Stage A) | Advising on response to Letter of claim
(Stage B | Issue of proceedings and seeking Default Judgment (Stage C) | Court fee |
| up to £4,999 | £200 | £300 to £500 | £350 to £750 | £35 to £205 |
| £5,000 and £9,999 | £200 | £500 to £750 | £500 to £900 | £455 |
| £10,000 and £25,000 | £200 to £300 | £1,000 to £2,000 | £850 to £1,000 | £500 to £1250 |
| £25,001 and £50,000 | £300 to £800 | £1,000 to £3,000 | £2,000 to £3,000 | £1250 to £2500 |
| £50,0001 and £200,000 | £300 to £900 | £2,000 to £5,000 | £2,500 to £4,000 | £2500 to £10000 |
VAT, currently 20% will be added to our fees as set out above but not the Court fee.
These fees are based on our charging rates of between £126 and £270 per hour plus VAT.
The work will be carried out by Sarah Thomsen and Ben Naylor.
Please note that:
- The VAT element of our fee cannot be reclaimed from the debtor if you are VAT registered.
- Interest and compensation may take the debt into a higher banding, with a higher cost.
Our fees include:
Stage A
- Taking your instructions and reviewing documentation (invoices)
- Undertaking appropriate searches
- Sending a letter before action
- Receiving payment and sending onto you
Stage B
- Advising you on any response received to the letter before action and issuing an appropriate reply if so advised.
- Engaging in communication with the other party where necessary.
Stage C
- If the debt is not paid, drafting and issuing a claim
- Where no Acknowledgment of Service or Defence is received, applying to the court to enter Judgement in default
- When Judgement in default in received, writing to the other party to request payment
- If payment is not received within 28 days, providing you with advice on next steps and likely costs
Our fees listed above do not include:
- Reviewing a significant amount of documents
- Drafting schedules for the amounts in dispute
- Enforcement action of the Judgment to collect your debt
- Dealing with a claim which is disputed pre action or defended after proceedings are issued
- Participating in alternative dispute resolution or mediation on your behalf
- Instructing an expert or barrister
In the above circumstances, we will discuss what further work required and provide you with revised advice about costs.
Potential Additional Expenses
In complex matters we may recommend that a barrister is instructed to advise on your prospects of success or to draft the necessary court proceedings for issue. We will advise you and seek your approval of such fees before they are incurred
How Long Will This Take?
Matters usually take 4 to 16 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 and how long the court take to process each step of the proceedings.
This is on the basis that the other side pays within 28 days of receipt of a Judgement in default. If enforcement action is needed, the matter will take longer to resolve.
If the debtor is a sole trader or individual this process may take 4- 6 weeks longer in order to comply with the Pre Action-Protocol for Debt Claims.
