Call us now on: 01617621281
Debt Recovery
Conveyancing
We have vast experience in both personal and commercial debt recovery, acting for clients all across the UK.
Debt Recovery
We have vast experience in both personal and commercial debt recovery, acting for clients all across the UK.
Our debt recovery services are designed to assist you throughout the entire process, providing expert guidance and support at every stage. Our services are as follows, although keep in mind that this is not meant to be an exhaustive list and our solicitors will discuss your requirements on a case-by-case basis:
- Advice on the most appropriate options for recovering the debt and the enforcement options which may be available
- Drafting demand letters
- Issuing legal proceedings
- Advising you on suitable alternative dispute resolution and settlement negotiations
- Guiding you through the process of legal proceedings and preparing all the required court documentation
- Preparing for trial
- Attending trial
What are the costs of legal advice?
At Vanstone Solicitors, we want to avoid hidden fees and unexpected costs. That’s why we will provide you with a fixed quote before starting our services. That way, you know exactly what you’ll be paying and what services you’ll receive. Our fees will not change unless your instructions do.
GET IN TOUCH
Mazhar Latif is the Director and Solicitor, admitted to the role in 2010, dealing with Conveyancing Services and can be contacted at mazhar@vanstonelaw.co.uk
Alternatively, call us on 0161 762 1281 to discuss your matter or email us on info@vanstonelaw.co.uk
Contact Vanstone law using the contact form or via the following details and we’ll be in touch to let you know how we can help:
Fixed-Fee Service for Undisputed Debts
We can offer our services on a fixed-fee basis in relation to unpaid invoices that are not disputed by the other party. Discounts for volume instructions can be agreed.
Please note that our fixed-fee debt recovery service is for undisputed debts only. Should the debt become disputed, we will charge on an hourly rate basis, which we will discuss and agree with you.
Our fixed fees are shown below:
| Stage | Fees excluding VAT |
|---|---|
| To review initial documents, draft and issue our Letter of Claim | £350 |
| Preparation and issue of Court proceedings | £500 |
| Application to Court for Default Judgment | £100 |
VAT is payable at the standard rate, which is currently 20%.
Our demand letters to individuals require a 30-day response window. For companies, this is reduced to 7 days. If legal proceedings are issued, the timescales are as follows:
| Stage | Timescale |
|---|---|
| Service of the claim on the debtor | 5 days |
| Deadline for the debtor to file an acknowledgment of service | 14 days |
| In the absence of the acknowledgment of service, the date on which we can apply for default judgment | 15 days |
| If an acknowledgment of service has been filed, the deadline for the debtor to file a formal defense | 14 days |
If the debtor files a formal defense, we will require further instructions on the disputed claim (please refer to the Disputed Debt Recovery section below, as our fees will then be charged on a time-spent basis).
Service for Disputed Debts
Not all debt recovery matters are equal. If a debtor files a formal defense within the allowable timescale, the debt becomes disputed.
The process of recovering a disputed debt can be complex, but don’t worry, we have specialist debt recovery solicitors to help you.
However, please note that disputed claims are charged on an hourly basis and vary depending on the complexity of the legal and factual issues, along with the number of documents involved. As a guide, our fees for reviewing your initial paperwork and preparing a letter of claim would be in the region of £600 – £1000 plus VAT, but this can vary depending on the aforementioned.
Once we have undertaken our initial review, we will provide you with an estimate of future costs and any expenses, which we pay on your behalf and recover later. This may include court fees, expert witness fees, and barristers’ fees. These will be agreed with you in advance.
For debts up to £100,000, fees up to and including trial can range between £10,000 and £30,000, sometimes more, but we will always consider a cost-benefit analysis first.
The hourly rates of our solicitors are shown below:
| Level | Hourly Rate Excluding VAT |
|---|---|
| Partners | £350 |
| Associate Solicitors | £290 |
| Solicitors | £250 |
| Trainee Solicitors | £200 |
VAT is payable at the standard rate, currently 20%.
In the event that legal proceedings are issued, we refer you to the timescale section above. Please note that there are additional stages required within proceedings if it is a disputed debt. The deadlines for the additional stages are set by the court as the matter proceeds. However, we estimate the possible timescales below:
| Stage | Timescale |
|---|---|
| Up to and including issuing proceedings | 4-8 weeks |
| Up to and including Costs and Case Management Conference | 8 weeks |
| Up to and including Disclosure and Inspection | 8 weeks |
| Up to Service of Witness Statements and Expert Reports | 10 weeks |
| Up to and including Pre-Trial Review (PTR) | 8 weeks |
| Up to Trial | 8 weeks |
We have provided approximations of the timescales involved for each stage. However, several factors can impact these estimates, such as:
- The length of time the debtor may take to respond to correspondence
- Whether the parties require more time for negotiation
- How quickly the court may process paperwork
- Availability of court dates
- Whether the parties require more time to deal with certain steps within the proceedings
Disbursements & Additional Fees
Disbursements are fees you are required to pay to others during the debt recovery process. These may include court fees, barristers’ fees, experts’ fees, process servers’ fees, and bailiff fees.
Court Fees
When issuing proceedings, a court fee is payable in addition to our fees. The court fee is dependent on the amount you are seeking to recover. Please see the below table detailing the fees payable:
| Claim Amount | Court Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to £300 | £35 |
| Up to £500 | £50 |
| Up to £1,000 | £70 |
| Up to £1,500 | £80 |
| Up to £3,000 | £115 |
| Up to £5,000 | £205 |
| Up to £10,000 | £445 |
| Up to £100,000 | 5% of the claim |
| Up to £200,000 | 5% of the claim |
| More than £200,000 | £10,000 |
There is no VAT payable on Court fees.
Barristers and Experts
Barristers’ fees, experts’ fees, process server fees, and bailiff fees are all dependent on the nature of the work they are instructed to undertake. Their fees and timescales are estimated on a case-by-case basis.
We will obtain estimates and seek your approval of their fees before we formally instruct on your behalf.
GET IN TOUCH
Contact Vanstone law using the contact form or via the following details and we’ll be in touch to let you know how we can help:
Advice from our legal experts
Vanstone Solicitor’s specialists team has the experience and the expertise you need.
Call us now on or email us on and we will be in touch.
*A free consultation is only redeemable once, and is limited to 20 minutes.
Advice from our legal experts
Vanstone Solicitor’s specialists team has the experience and the expertise you need.
Call us now on or email us on and we will be in touch.
*A free consultation is only redeemable once, and is limited to 20 minutes.