Debt Recovery Services
You did the work. You sent the invoice. Now you're chasing!
Most business owners spend weeks, sometimes months, sending polite follow-up emails to a client who simply stops responding. The invoice gets older, the debt gets harder to recover, and the frustration builds. At some point, a strongly worded email from you stops working. A formal letter from a legal firm is a different thing entirely.
We handle debt recovery for SMEs across England and Wales, from the first formal chaser letter through to a Letter Before Action. We work with many businesses, including construction, trades, catering, design, and professional services that are owed money and need someone to take it seriously.
- Debt Chaser Letters - From £50
- Letters Before Action (LBA) - From £100*
- Debt Email Package - From £50
Why a letter from us works when yours has not.
There is a reason debtors respond to formal legal correspondence when they have ignored everything else. It signals that the matter has moved from a commercial relationship into a legal one. It sets a deadline. It puts them on notice that the next step involves the courts.
We draft every letter to apply maximum lawful pressure. Where the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 applies, we include a claim for statutory interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate on the overdue amount, plus statutory compensation, which varies depending on the size of the debt. Many businesses do not know they are entitled to claim this on top of what they are owed, and many debtors do not expect to see it included. It changes the tone of the letter, and it changes the number they are looking at.
What we can help with
🔸 Unpaid invoices from business clients
🔸 Overdue fees for services, projects, or consultancy work
🔸 Disputed payments where the work was completed and delivered
🔸 Clients who dispute the amount but have no legitimate basis to do so
🔸 Subcontractor payment disputes in construction and trades
🔸 Late-paying clients in catering, hospitality, and events
🔸 Outstanding fees for design, marketing, and creative services
Why You Need a Structured Debt Recovery Process
Most Business Owners Make This Mistake…
Many SMEs hesitate to take legal action, fearing costs or damaging client relationships. However, allowing unpaid invoices to pile up can cripple a business. The sooner you take action, the higher your chances of recovering what you’re owed.
Delayed Payments Hurt Cash Flow
Late invoices can disrupt your financial stability.
Clients Take Advantage of Weak Processes
If you don’t have a clear payment policy, late payers will exploit it.
Legal Protection is Key
If you lack properly drafted contracts and terms, enforcing payment can be challenging.
Debt Can Be Written Off If You Wait Too Long
Delays can result in debts becoming legally unenforceable.
Don’t wait until a debt becomes a problem – take action now.
Start with a debt chaser letter from just £50 or an LBA from £100*
What’s Included in Our Debt Recovery Service?
We offer a range of services to recover your debts efficiently and legally:
- Debt Chaser Letters
- Letter Before Action (LBA)
- Negotiation & Settlement
- Court Claim Support
- Enforcement Support
Get in Touch
Need urgent debt recovery assistance? Let’s discuss your case!
Call us on:
0118 321 4188 – Wokingham, Berkshire
01260 212414 – Congleton, Cheshire
01843 808021 – Broadstairs, Kent
Send an Enquiry: info@mckenzielegalandhr.co.uk
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Types of Debts We Recover
We assist businesses across multiple industries in recovering unpaid debts, including:
- Outstanding invoices from clients
- Unpaid service agreements
- Disputed payments in contracts
- Late payments for consultancy work
- Unpaid project fees
- Overdue retainer payments
- Unpaid service fees
- Subscription and membership arrears
- Breached contracts with payment obligations
Sectors we work with regularly
We deal with debt recovery matters across a wide range of industries. The businesses that come to us most often are:
Construction and trades chasing payment from main contractors or clients.
Catering and hospitality businesses with outstanding event or service fees
Creative and design agencies owed project fees
Consultants and professional services firms with overdue retainer or project fees
Healthcare and therapy practitioners dealing with unpaid and no-show fees
If your sector is not listed, it does not matter. If you are owed money by a business or consumer in England and Wales, we can help.
How It Works – Our Simple 4-Step Process
We make debt recovery simple, structured, and stress-free:
1
Contact Us
Now
Send us the details: the amount, the invoice dates, any correspondence, and any contract or terms of business you have in place. If you do not have terms, we can help with that too.
2
We Advise You on Merits
We will tell you honestly where you stand, what the realistic options are, and what approach is most likely to get results. Some matters call for a chaser letter first. Others go straight to an LBA.
3
Send the Formal Letter
We draft and send formal correspondence, setting out the debt clearly, the statutory interest and compensation you are entitled to claim, and the deadline for payment before legal proceedings are issued..
4
Court & Enforcement
If the LBA does not produce a result, we can support you as a litigant in person with the court claims process, or advise you on the enforcement options available once judgment is obtained.
Already struggling with an unpaid debt?
Start the process today!
What about my terms and conditions?
Weak or missing terms of business are the single most common reason debt recovery becomes complicated. If your payment terms are unclear, if you have no late payment clause, or if you have been working without a written contract, a debtor’s solicitor will use that against you.
If that is the situation you are in, we can still help with the debt. But we will also make sure it cannot happen again. Our terms and conditions service drafts legally robust terms tailored to how your business actually operates, so the next time a client does not pay, you are in a far stronger position from the outset.
There are plenty of law firms out there.
Here's why our clients choose us.
No Unexpected Bills
We’re upfront about how we charge before we start. Fixed fee where we can, hourly where the work demands it.
Straight Talking Advice
We tell you what you need to know, not what’s easiest to say. You’ll always leave a conversation knowing exactly where you stand.
Award Winning Service
We’ve been recognised by the industry for the quality of our work and the way we look after our clients.
Nationwide Support
We work with businesses across England and Wales from our offices in Cheshire, Berkshire and Kent
The longer a dispute or unpaid invoice runs, the harder it becomes to recover. Most people wait too long.
FAQs
Our services start from £50 for a debt chaser letter and £100* for a Letter Before Action. Court proceedings and enforcement fees vary based on case complexity.
Timelines depend on debtor cooperation. Many debts are recovered at the LBA stage, but legal action may take longer.
Yes. Under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, businesses can claim statutory interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate on overdue commercial invoices, plus a fixed compensation amount depending on the size of the debt. We include this in every LBA where it applies.
We explore all your legal options, including your right to issue a court claim and enforcement proceedings to secure payment.
You can still pursue a debt without a written contract, but it becomes harder to prove the terms that were agreed. We will advise you on the strength of your position based on what evidence you have, including emails, invoices, and any verbal agreements. Going forward, we would strongly recommend putting proper terms of business in place.
We will review the dispute and advise you on whether it has any legal merit. Many disputes are tactical delaying tactics rather than genuine challenges. We will tell you honestly what we think and what the realistic options are.
What Our Clients Say
R Mohan
Mr & Mrs A - Finchampstead
*plus settlement fee