If you are trying to recover a debt owed to you or wish to agree a way forward with creditors to manage repayment of debt, our solicitors can advise and implement the most cost-effective legal process for you.
We can help you have efficient credit control procedures in place and assist you in recovering debts should they become overdue by contacting the offending parties on your behalf. We can also assist with asset tracing to establish if a debtor is financially able to repay the debt or are actually attempting to hide their assets from creditors, before pursuing court proceedings.
We will regularly provide you with accurate costs so that you can always ensure that the costs/benefits are acceptable and keep you informed at every stage.
For a no obligation quote please contact Dispute Resolution solicitor Laura Colebrook on e: l.colebrook@thpsolicitors.co.uk or call T: 0118 975 6622.
We are experienced in all types of debt collection including:
Our specialist debt recovery and loan dispute solicitors, based in Reading and Henley-on-Thames, help individuals resolve these disputes quickly, fairly, and cost-effectively.
If you appoint a Debt Recovery & Collection solicitor, they will begin by reviewing your case to assess your particular situation and after this review they will advise if you have a strong claim or defence, including whether the debt is legally recoverable and the enforceability of any action.
If your solicitor suggests you should take action, depending on the circumstances, we can prepare a formal demand, clearly setting out the claim, the evidence, and a deadline for repayment before legal action. In many cases, this is enough to resolve matters. Court is usually a last resort, but if required, we will support you every step of the way.
If repayment is not made, we can advise on court proceedings to take your case to the County Court to attempt to obtain judgment. The debtor will have the chance to respond, admit the debt, or defend it.
If the debtor admits the claim, ignores it, or if the court finds in your favour after a hearing, you will receive a County Court Judgment (CCJ) requiring repayment to you. If you are successful in your case but still do not receive repayment, we can advise on you taking enforcement action such as instructing bailiffs, deducting from wages, or securing the debt against the debtor’s property
If you are being chased for money you do not owe, or if the terms of the loan are unfair, we can help you defend and challenge unfair claims.
You can still pursue repayment. Evidence such as bank transfers, text messages, or emails confirming the loan can be enough to prove your case. Courts look at the overall picture, not just written contracts.
Under the Limitation Act 1980, most personal debts become “statute-barred” after six years if no payment has been made and the debt has not been acknowledged in writing. This means they may no longer be enforceable in court.
If the debt is under £10,000, your case will usually be heard in the Small Claims Court (a track within the County Court). This is a simpler and more informal process. However, legal costs are limited, you can usually only recover the court fees and basic expenses, not full solicitor’s fees.
Larger claims may go through the County Court’s Fast, Intermediate or Multi-Tracks. These procedures are more formal, can involve witnesses and expert evidence, and the losing party is usually ordered to pay the other side’s legal costs.
If someone still refuses to pay after judgment, options include:
In most cases, a judgment can be enforced for up to six years from the date it was awarded.
Yes, but cross-border enforcement is more complex. We can advise on reciprocal agreements between the UK and other jurisdictions.
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