Chester · North Wales · England & Wales

Debt Recovery
Solicitors

Recovering money owed to you — whether through a formal letter before action, County Court proceedings, statutory demand, or High Court enforcement. We act for businesses and individuals across England and Wales.

SRA Regulated

Costs Explained Upfront

Same-Day Response

England & Wales

Speak to a Debt Recovery Solicitor Request a Callback

No obligation · Costs explained clearly · Payment arrangements available

What We Handle

Types of debt recovery

Unpaid invoices

Recovering unpaid invoices from customers or clients — whether through a formal demand, County Court claim, or statutory demand.

Commercial debt recovery

Recovering debts owed to your business — including disputed invoices, unpaid contracts, and loans.

Personal debt recovery

Recovering money owed to you personally — including loans to friends or family, unpaid rent, and personal debts.

Enforcement of judgments

Enforcing a County Court or High Court judgment where the debtor has not paid voluntarily — including charging orders, attachment of earnings, and High Court enforcement.

Statutory demands

Formal demands for payment that can lead to bankruptcy or winding-up proceedings if unpaid — a powerful tool for debts over £750.

Disputed debts

Where the debtor disputes the amount owed or their liability — advising on your rights and the best route to resolution.

Indicative Fees

What does debt recovery cost?

Costs depend on the value of the debt and whether it is disputed. The table below gives indicative ranges for each stage.

All fees are exclusive of VAT (20%). Court fees are additional disbursements. For undisputed debts, costs are often recoverable from the debtor.

Stage	Indicative Fee	Notes
Letter before action (formal demand)	£300 – £600 + VAT	Fixed fee. A solicitor's letter often prompts payment without further proceedings.
Statutory demand (for debts over £750)	£300 – £600 + VAT	Formal demand that can lead to bankruptcy or winding-up proceedings if unpaid.
County Court claim (up to £10,000)	£600 – £1,800 + VAT	Issuing and pursuing a claim. Court fees additional. Judgment often obtained without a hearing.
County Court claim (£10,000 – £100,000)	£1,800 – £4,800 + VAT	Pre-action through to judgment. Costs depend on whether the debt is defended.
High Court enforcement (over £600)	£600 – £1,200 + VAT	Transferring a County Court judgment to the High Court for enforcement by High Court Enforcement Officers.
Charging order / attachment of earnings	£600 – £1,200 + VAT	Securing a judgment debt against property or earnings.
Winding-up / bankruptcy petition	£2,400 – £4,800 + VAT	For debts over £750 (individuals) or £750 (companies). Court fees and Official Receiver fees are additional.

We do not ordinarily offer no-win, no-fee for debt recovery. All fees are exclusive of VAT (20%). Court fees are additional. We will provide a written cost estimate before any work begins. Payment arrangements are available — please ask.

The Process

How debt recovery works

Letter before action

A formal solicitor's letter demanding payment. Often resolves the debt without further proceedings.

Court claim

If payment is not made, we issue a County Court claim. Judgment is often obtained without a hearing for undisputed debts.

Judgment obtained

Once judgment is obtained, the debtor is legally required to pay. Many debtors pay at this stage.

Enforcement

If the debtor still does not pay, we enforce the judgment — through High Court enforcement, charging orders, or attachment of earnings.

Your Debt Recovery Solicitor

Speak to Alex Bailey

Debt Recovery & Commercial Litigation

Alex Bailey

Solicitor — Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Alex qualified as a solicitor in 2007 and has extensive experience advising businesses and individuals on debt recovery across England and Wales. He advises on the most cost-effective route to recovering money owed — from a simple letter before action to High Court enforcement proceedings.

Call 01244 757352 Send an Enquiry

Tell Us About Your Debt

Start your debt recovery enquiry

Complete the form below and Alex Bailey will review your details and be in touch. No obligation — costs explained clearly before any work begins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about debt recovery

How much does debt recovery cost?

For straightforward undisputed debts, a letter before action typically costs £300 – £600 + VAT. If the debt is not paid and you need to issue a County Court claim, costs typically range from £600 – £1,800 + VAT for debts up to £10,000. Court fees are additional. We will provide a written cost estimate before any work begins. For undisputed debts, the costs are often recoverable from the debtor.

Do you offer no-win, no-fee for debt recovery?

We do not ordinarily offer no-win, no-fee for debt recovery. We provide clear cost estimates before any work begins. For straightforward undisputed debts, the costs are often recoverable from the debtor if judgment is obtained. Payment arrangements are available — please ask.

What is the minimum debt worth pursuing through solicitors?

As a general guide, instructing solicitors is most cost-effective for debts of £2,000 or more. For smaller debts, the Small Claims Court (up to £10,000) is designed to be used without legal representation, and costs recovery is very limited. We will advise you honestly on whether instructing solicitors is proportionate for your specific debt.

What is a statutory demand?

A statutory demand is a formal written demand for payment of a debt over £750. If the debtor does not pay within 21 days (individuals) or 21 days (companies), you may be able to present a bankruptcy petition (individuals) or winding-up petition (companies). A statutory demand is a powerful tool — it often prompts payment without the need for court proceedings.

How long does debt recovery take?

An undisputed debt can often be recovered within 4 – 8 weeks through a letter before action and County Court claim. If the debtor defends the claim, proceedings can take 6 – 18 months. Enforcement of a judgment (if the debtor does not pay voluntarily) can add further time. We always explore whether early payment can be achieved before recommending a longer process.

Do you advise clients in North Wales and across England?

Yes. We act for clients across England and Wales — including North Wales (Wrexham, Flintshire, Deeside, Denbighshire), Central England (Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Nottingham, Leicester), and nationally. The majority of our debt recovery work is conducted remotely — no office visit is required.

Can I recover my legal costs from the debtor?

For undisputed debts in the County Court, you can usually recover fixed costs set by the court rules — these are modest amounts. For defended claims, the general rule is that the losing party pays the winning party's costs — but this is not automatic and the court has discretion. In the Small Claims track (under £10,000), costs recovery is very limited. We will advise you on the realistic prospects of cost recovery in your specific case.

Need to recover a debt?

Speak to Alex Bailey for practical, cost-effective advice on recovering money owed to you.

No obligation — talk through your options first. Costs explained clearly.