Our range of cost-effective services means most debts are worth pursuing.
Catherine Rickett
Debt recovery manager
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Roythornes’ debt recovery service helps businesses recover the money they are owed. With an enviable reputation, we recover millions of pounds' worth of debts each year for clients - much of which they had given up all hope of ever collecting. We work for a wide range of businesses from sole traders to some of the biggest names on the high street, as well as having the capacity to recover debts overseas.
Our fees for a business-to-business debt that is undisputed
The costs below apply where your claim is in relation to an unpaid invoice which is not disputed and enforcement action is not needed. If the other party disputes your claim at any point, we will discuss any further work required and provide you with revised advice about costs if necessary, which could be on a fixed fee (e.g. if a one-off letter is required), or an hourly rate if more involved work is needed.
We have two options to provoke an early payment. The first is a service that allows you to create your own Solicitors Demand Letter for £5.00 excluding VAT using our online portal.
If the debtor pays, just let us know and we will close our file, with no further charge. If you require further assistance, you can proceed to the next stage.
Service | Our fee (ex VAT) |
Solicitors Demand Letter | £5 |
We also offer a telephone collections service which has proved invaluable to many of our clients, especially those who wish to retain that all-important relationship with a long-standing client. Our team at Roythornes is well versed in the art of chasing down debtors and extracting your money, using a softer approach. The price stated includes two letters and a telephone call to the debtor. We offer this service on a commission-based payment of 8% of monies recovered up to £100,000.
Value recovered (£) | Our fee (% of money recovered) | Commission |
£1 - £100,000 | 8% ex VAT | From £25 |
If collection is not successful, we offer a fixed-fee service which complies with the Pre-Action Protocol for debt claims. This is the first stage in proceeding to recover the debt through the court.
Debt value | Our fee (ex VAT) |
Up to £500 | £50 |
£501 - £1000 | £100 |
£1,001 - £5,000 | £150 |
£5,001-10,000 | £200 |
Over £10,000 | £300 |
If we are required to undertake any work in relation to recovering the debt without issuing proceedings, this will be charged at 8% of monies recovered.
If it is necessary to pursue the matter through the courts in order to obtain a County Court Judgment and then take action to enforce payment, our team has experience in all recovery procedures and can help you make the right decision.
Debt value | Court fee | Our fee (ex VAT) | Total (inc VAT) |
Up to £5,000 | £35 - £205* | £50 - £80** | £95 - £301 |
£5,001 - £10,000 | £455 | £100 | £575 - £575 |
£10,001 - £50,000 | 5% value of the claim | £100 | £620.05 - £2,620 |
* denotes the range of court fees payable between debt values of £300 and £5,000. ** denotes the range of our fees payable (£50 plus VAT for debt values between £300 and £500; £70 plus VAT for debt values between £501-£1,000; and £80 plus VAT for debt values between £3,001 and £5,000)
The fee includes taking instructions and reviewing any documentation you provide to us, and undertaking any searches such as (but not limited to) credit searches and Companies House searches.
You should note that:
If no response is received to your claim, we will proceed to enter judgment.
Claim value | By default | When acknowledged but undefended | By admission | By determination |
£25 - £4,999 | £22 | £22 | £40 | £55 |
Over £5,000 | £39 | £35 | £55 | £70 |
If payment is not received within 30 days we will provide you with advice on enforcement.
If the debtor fails to pay once a County Court Judgment has been secured, it will be necessary to take steps to enforce the judgment. Which method of enforcement is used is dependent on what assets the debtor has. Liaising with our team will ensure that the most appropriate method is used.
Action | Court fee | Our fee (ex VAT) | Other expenses | Amount recoverable |
Warrant of Control | £83 | £50 | n/a | £85.25 |
Writ of Control | £71 | £51.75 | £75 (ex VAT) Guaranteed Creditors Fee* | £122.75 |
Order to Obtain Information | £59 | £75 | c£125 | c£59 |
Attachment of Earnings | £119 | £70 | n/a | £119 |
Third Party Debt Order | £119 | £275 | c£100 | c£217.50 |
Charging Order | £119 | £275 | c£143 | £272 |
* When the High Court Enforcement Agent (HCE Agent) makes a successful recovery, the enforcement costs are subject to VAT. Where a creditor is not VAT registered, the debtor will pay the VAT on the HCE agents fee. Where a creditor is VAT registered, the VAT on agents costs will be charged back to the creditor for recovery from HMRC.
Bankruptcy/winding up is used as a method of enforcement. Our costs for this service are set out below.
Action | Our fee (ex VAT) |
Statutory Demand | £100 |
Petition Deposit | £990 |
Petition | £300 |
Conduct of Proceedings | £600 |
Expenses | Amount |
Service fees | c£110 |
Issue fee | £302 |
Agent's fee | £250 |
Action | Our fee (ex VAT) |
Pre-winding up letter | £100 |
Petition | £300 |
Conduct of Proceedings | £700 |
Expenses | Amount |
Insolvency search fees | c£11 |
Service fees | c£110 |
Issue fee | £302 |
Official Receiver's Deposit | £1,600 |
Advertisement fee | c£87.50 |
Agent's fee | £250 |
There may be times when you do not know the whereabouts of your debtor, or their means of payment of the debt. We can assist with this in addition to our other services.
Service | Amount | Our fee (ex VAT) |
Basic debtor trace | £26 - £45 (no results, no fee) | £15 |
Means and Employment search | £26 - £37 (no results, no fee) | £15 |
Chargeable investigation | £100 - £200 (capped) | Standard rate of £150 per hour |
Land registry search | 3 | |
International debt recovery | ||
Scotland and Ireland | Agent's fees | £100 |
EU and Worldwide | Agent's fees | Standard rate of £150 per hour |
If the other side defends your claim for payment, fixed fees will no longer apply and the matter will be subject to our hourly rate of £150 plus VAT. The debt department will deal with cases with a value of up to £20,000. If the value of the claim is over £20,000, it will be passed over to our litigation team.
Matters on average take six to eight weeks from receipt of instructions to receipt of payment. It may take longer if it is necessary to pursue the claim through the courts.