Our fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Letter before claim | £750–£2,000 + VAT, depending on the complexity of the dispute. |
| Issuing a claim and requesting judgment | £2,500–£4,000 + VAT, depending on the complexity of the dispute. |
| Additional work beyond these stages | £325 + VAT per hour. |
Fees as provided by Wellingtons Solicitors.
The initial consultation is £325 + VAT. Statutory interest and fixed compensation under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 are claimed from the debtor where they apply.
Third-party costs
- Court issue fee, set by HM Courts & Tribunals Service according to the amount claimed and paid when the claim is issued
- Fee for requesting judgment or for enforcement, where needed
- Process server or tracing agent, if the debtor’s address must be confirmed
Court fees are usually added to the amount claimed from the debtor. Amounts: [CLIENT TO CONFIRM].
What is included
- Reviewing the documents and calculating the debt and interest
- Sending the letter before claim and reviewing any response
- Issuing the claim and requesting judgment where appropriate
Key stages and typical timescales
Review
We check the contract, invoices and correspondence, confirm the debtor’s correct legal identity and address, and calculate interest. Business-to-business debts can usually carry statutory interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate, with fixed compensation of £40, £70 or £100 per invoice, under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.
Letter before claim
We send a formal letter before claim. Where the debtor is an individual or sole trader, the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims gives them 30 days to reply; for companies we usually allow 14 days.
Issuing the claim
If the debt is not paid, we issue a claim in the County Court, online where possible. The debtor then has 14 days to respond, or 28 days if it files an acknowledgment of service.
Judgment
If the debtor does not respond or admits the claim, we request judgment. If the claim is defended, further work goes beyond these stages and we give you an estimate before continuing.
Enforcement, if needed
If a judgment is not paid we advise on enforcement, such as High Court Enforcement Officers, a third party debt order or a charging order. This is work beyond these stages.
Overall timescale. Where the debt is not disputed and the debtor does not respond, judgment can often be obtained within about 2 to 3 months of instruction. Payment can come at any stage, often after the letter before claim.
Who will handle your matter
Debt disputes are handled by Nadia Farooqi, Solicitor, who acts in contract and debt claims, and supervised by Taras Demchuk, Managing Partner.
Not included in these fees
- Defended claims and counterclaims after the claim is issued
- Enforcement after judgment, insolvency proceedings, appeals and hearings
- Tracing, overseas debtors and other additional work