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Debt Collection in England — Recover Unpaid Invoices from English Companies
No Cure No Pay · 40,000 clients served
We collect what your English debtor owes, through extrajudicial pressure first and the English court and enforcement system if it’s needed.
No Cure No Pay — you pay nothing if we don’t collect; where court or enforcement costs apply, they’re quoted before we file, never deducted afterward.
- National coverage in England
- Knowledge of local laws and regulations
- Your own dedicated personal contact
- Extensive advice on the legal process
- Proven track record in international debt collection
- Monitor the status of your case 24/7
How debt collection in England works
Collecting from an English company runs in two phases. First we try to collect out of court: a formal letter, then phone calls, emails and messages. In nine out of ten cases that is enough. If your debtor still does not pay, you decide whether we go to court. With a judgment we can enforce: through an enforcement officer, by freezing money a bank owes your debtor, by a charge on property, or by a petition to wind up the company. One dedicated English-speaking contact coordinates every step with our local solicitors and enforcement officers, and you follow your case 24/7 in the Online Cockpit.
- Upload your invoice online
- We'll start your case
- We'll start with the debt collection process
- Together we decide the best strategy for collecting your debts
- Monitor the status of your case 24/7
- Any questions? Your personal accountmanager will answer them all!
- Your invoice is paid
Transfer your English claim now
Do you have a debt collection case in England? Please leave your contact information and one of our specialists will get in touch with you as soon as possible to discuss your case.
Are you a private individual looking to submit a claim? We refer you to our partner TodayIClaim →
Extrajudicial debt collection in England: the Letter Before Action
We start with a formal letter of demand, the Letter Before Action, which we draft and send for you. It gives your debtor a final deadline to pay. Before going to court, the court expects the creditor to send the debtor a letter setting out the claim and to give a reasonable time to respond (14 days in a straightforward case).
Over the next three weeks we contact your debtor up to 16 times by phone, email, text message and WhatsApp, and raise the pressure step by step. If that does not work, we send a final demand. Then we discuss the legal options with you, and you decide whether to continue. In nine out of ten cases the claim is paid in this phase.
Going to court in England: which track applies
If your debtor does not pay, we issue a claim. The court allocates it to one of four tracks:
- Small claims track: up to £10,000. These claims are normally heard in the County Court.
- Fast track: up to £25,000, where the trial lasts no more than a day.
- Intermediate track: up to £100,000, where the trial lasts no more than three days.
- Multi-track: larger or more complex claims.
After judgment, a party can appeal only with the court’s permission.
A judgment stays on the public register for six years unless paid within one month
County Court judgments stay on the public Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines for 6 years, unless the debt is paid in full within one month. A registered judgment lowers your debtor’s credit rating and makes borrowing harder, so many debtors pay to avoid it.
Enforcing the judgment: High Court Enforcement Officer or County Court Bailiff
Does your debtor still not pay after the judgment? Then we enforce it. In England this is called execution, and the law offers a wide range of options, which you can use as a foreign creditor as well.
When goods are taken to pay a County Court judgment, the amount decides who does it. Below £600, enforcement against goods is done by County Court bailiffs only. Between £600 and £5,000 you can choose the County Court or transfer the judgment to the High Court for a High Court Enforcement Officer (HCEO). At £5,000 or more, enforcement against goods must take place in the High Court, unless the debt comes from a consumer credit agreement. In practice, an HCEO has proven to be more effective.
Before goods are taken, the debtor must receive a notice of enforcement at least 14 clear days in advance. An enforcement agent may enter the debtor’s home or business premises to take control of goods, on any day of the week between 6am and 9pm. Business premises can also be visited outside those hours while they are open for trading.
How seizure works in England
Bank accounts and money owed to your debtor. With a third party debt order, the court freezes money that a bank or another third party owes your debtor. The application can be made without notice: the bank is served first, and your debtor only afterwards.
Property. A charging order secures the judgment debt on your debtor’s property. If the debt is still unpaid, we can ask the court in a separate claim to order the property sold.
Finding the assets. The court can order your debtor, or an officer of a debtor company, to attend court and answer questions about their finances. Anyone who fails to attend can be held in contempt of court; the punishment is normally suspended on condition that they attend next time.
More about seizure abroad.
Winding up a company that does not pay
A company is unable to pay its debts if it owes more than £750 and has not paid within 3 weeks of a statutory demand, or if enforcement of a judgment against it has gone unpaid. We can then petition the court to wind it up. The petition is advertised in the Gazette at least 7 business days after it is served. From the moment the petition is presented, payments out of the company’s assets are void unless the court approves them.
A winding-up petition puts strong pressure on a company. In our experience it is one of the fastest routes to payment.
Bankruptcy of an individual debtor or sole trader
An individual or sole trader who owes £5,000 or more can be made bankrupt. No judgment is needed first: a statutory demand that stays unpaid for 3 weeks is enough. Your debtor has 18 days from service to apply to set the demand aside. If the demand stays unpaid for 3 weeks and has not been set aside, we can file a bankruptcy petition with the court.
In practice, over 90% of the claims for which a bankruptcy petition is filed are still settled after the petition has been filed, in full or by settlement.
Freezing order: securing assets before judgment
Is there a risk that your debtor moves assets away? In exceptional cases the court can grant a freezing injunction, which stops a debtor from moving or dealing with assets. The conditions are strict, and our specialists will tell you whether it fits your case.
Tracing your debtor and checking credit
We notice that there is a great need for debtor tracing. In England, we work together with several reputable firms that are specialised in tracing debtors and mapping out, for instance, recovery information and assets. For a larger claim, a recovery report on your debtor is a sensible part of your debt collection strategy in England. With us, you have come to the right place: we ensure that you receive useful information.
Debt collection across England, and in London
We collect in all nine regions of England (Greater London, South East, South West, West Midlands, North West, North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands and East of England), and in Wales. Is your debtor based in the capital? Read how we handle debt collection in London.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own court process for money claims; the steps on this page apply to England and Wales. We also collect in Scotland and Ireland: see debt collection in Ireland.
What do you need to start your English case?
Starting a debt collection case in England is easy. It is not a problem if you do not have all the documents. Send us what you do have. Our debt collection specialists will be happy to help you with this.
A copy of the agreement, for example a contract, an email message, fax message or simply a WhatsApp message or a text message
- Copy of your invoices
- Copy of your reminders
- A copy of your general terms and conditions
- Any proof of delivery
What does debt collection in England cost?
No Cure No Pay: you pay nothing if we don’t collect. Where court or enforcement costs apply, they’re quoted before we file, never deducted afterward.
How we help with English claims
- Nationwide coverage across England and Wales, one point of contact, 24/7 online access and a proven track record
- Enforcing judgments, proceedings under English law, advice on contracts and conditions, and credit information on English debtors
- All civil claims: construction, rent and lease, purchase and sale, employment, agency, transport and damages
- Disputed claims too: where there is a disagreement about deliveries, deadlines or amounts, our lawyers in England take it on
FAQ: debt collection in England
Do I need a solicitor for debt collection in England?
You do not need to find one yourself. We engage local solicitors when your case needs them, and your dedicated contact coordinates every step.
Do the steps on this page apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
No. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own court process for money claims; the steps on this page apply to England and Wales. We also collect in Scotland; ask us about your case.
What do you need from me?
A copy of the agreement, your invoices and reminders, your general terms and conditions and any proof of delivery. Send us what you have: a missing document is not a problem.
Start debt collection in England today
Do you have something to claim in England or Wales? Or a dispute with an English debtor? If so, debt collection in England is the right thing for you. Please feel free to contact us at +31-(0)70-410 2800 or send us an e-mail. Our European debt collection specialists will be happy to tell you more about the possibilities of debt collection in England and about (difficult) collectible debts on UK-based debtors.
Free advice on debt collection in England?
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Are you a private individual looking to submit a claim? We refer you to our partner TodayIClaim →
Why 40,000 customers have chosen our services
- The #1 collection company in the Netherlands and abroad
- Regional & local specialists
- Years of experience with international invoices
- Your own personal contact
- Extensive advice on the legal process
- Monitor the status of your case 24/7
Meet our specialized legal team
Joost Konings LLMLaw expert
May Leung LLMLaw expert
Luka TripicAccount Manager
Are you a private individual looking to submit a claim? We refer you to our partner TodayIClaim →