Debt collection in the current climate .

[steve@black]

I have a client who has owed for work done . Half of which was the early part of the year and another job completed recently .The work for this was done months ago however a planning application had to go in and the work only completed early May . After repeated calls and promise of payment we have now got to the point of the phone not being answered to me .They are still operating and have noticed their vans around and have been throughout the lockdown I'm told . 

Courts closed and suppose they know this . 

Anyone else in the same boat .

[felixthelogchopper]

Just now, Toxteth O,Grady said:

I have a client who has owed for work done . Half of which was the early part of the year and another job completed recently .The work for this was done months ago however a planning application had to go in and the work only completed early May . After repeated calls and promise of payment we have now got to the point of the phone not being answered to me .They are still operating and have noticed their vans around and have been throughout the lockdown I'm told . 

Courts closed and suppose they know this . 

Anyone else in the same boat .

The courts aren't closed. Small Claims/Money Online is definitely still operating.

[woody paul]

Knock,knock is the best way.

[eggsarascal]

16 minutes ago, felixthelogchopper said:

The courts aren't closed. Small Claims/Money Online is definitely still operating.

Not according to my barrister, I should go on trial on the 15th of June, it isn't going to happen. They say it will be September at the earliest.

[felixthelogchopper]

1 minute ago, eggsarascal said:

Not according to my barrister, I should go on trial on the 15th of June, it isn't going to happen. They say it will be September at the earliest.

The corresspondence side is still working, at least in the Small Claims sector.

[Khriss]

Shit- gonna see more of this - a few big building companies in Town look very shaky being owed big money is a nightmare . K

[steve@black]

Did not think they would be open . Good to know . Time for more robust correspondence next week then .
For sure I think we will all have to be more careful who we work for . Chasing invoices can take up quite a bit of time , it's boring and time could be spent doing better things .

[monkeybusiness]

Use Thomas Higgins (google them) - it costs a tenner and they do all the hard work.

[doobin]

As above- but the tenner is only for the scare-o-gram, any further (hard) work and costs rise a lot.

 

Used them twice and the solicitors letter worked, but it probably wouldn't on a bigger firm who know how far they can push things.

[monkeybusiness]

1 hour ago, doobin said:

As above- but the tenner is only for the scare-o-gram, any further (hard) work and costs rise a lot.

 

Used them twice and the solicitors letter worked, but it probably wouldn't on a bigger firm who know how far they can push things.

The costs rise but all have to be paid back by the non-payer if you take it all the way to court. As long as you are chasing money that is genuinely owed (no room for dispute) and the firm you ate chasing isn’t likely to go bust then I’d rather pay Thomas Higgins (who know exactly how far they can push it, and exactly the right way to do it legally) than take it on myself.

The initial £10 letter followed up with a phone call (from me) a week to 10 days later explaining that if payment isn’t received immediately then I’m going to have to take the next legal step which will massively increase the customer’s costs has always worked so far.