Fixed Price Debt Recovery
You can instruct our debt recovery team to send out a letter before action. We guarantee to send a letter before action out within 24 hours of the time of instruction (subject to payment) unless your instructions are received after 4pm.
Should further action be required our solicitors can help you every step of the way, whether issuing legal proceedings or even bankruptcy and winding up proceedings. For more information please do not hesitate to contact us.
Debt recovery – what does it cost?
These costs apply where your claim relates to an unpaid invoice or invoices which are 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 which might be on a fixed fee or an hourly rate. The fixed fees set out below do not include giving you any advice about your claim.
Stage 1
Is it a company debt or individual/sole trader?
Company – letter before action: £25 plus VAT
Individual/sole trader – letter of claim: £50 plus VAT
International – letter before action: £50 plus VAT
Letters before action sent to companies usually require the debtor to pay within 14 days, but letters to individuals provide for a 30 day period in accordance with guidelines laid down by the Court and the time limit for payment in international letters before action may vary.
Stage 2
Court claims – issue claim
| Debt | Court Fee | AFG’s Fee |
| Up to £300 | £35 | £90 plus vat |
| £300 – £500 | £50 | £90 plus vat |
| £500 – £1,000 | £70 | £110 plus vat |
| £1000 – £1,500 | £80 | £150 plus vat |
| £1500 – £3,000 | £115 | £150 plus vat |
| £3,000 – £5,000 | £205 | £150 plus vat |
| £5,000 – £10,000 | £455 | £170 plus vat |
| £10,000 – £200,000 | 5% of the claim | £250 plus vat |
Please note that interest and compensation may take the debt into a higher banding with a higher cost.
Once the court has served the claim a debtor has 14 days in which to file a defence or enter an acknowledgement. After the 14 day period has expired a request can be made to the court for judgement to be entered providing the debtor has not filed an acknowledgement or a defence.
Request judgment – £50 plus VAT
If judgment is obtained but not paid then further action will be required to enforce payment.
Timescale: It usually takes the court about 10 working days to enter judgment following receipt of a request to enter judgment.
Additional services if necessary
Price alongside service is for our legal fees, related disbursements may also be payable for specific services.
Writ of control – £60 plus VAT otherwise known as instructing a High Court Enforcement Officer to seize goods in satisfaction
Related disbursements
- Court fee – £66
- HCEO fee – £90 payable if the warrant is not successful
Timescale: A writ of control may be applied for once judgment has been obtained but whether or not any recovery will be made depends on the debtor’s ability to pay and whether there are any assets which may be seized and whether a repayment agreement is entered into. A typical enforcement by writ of control may take about 8-12 weeks from instruction. If we are required to enter into correspondence about the enforcement then the matter will no longer be treated as a fixed fee enforcement and additional charges will apply based on the applicable hourly rate set out in our retainer letter to you.
Warrant of execution – £60 plus VAT
Related disbursements
- Court fee – £110
Timescale: A warrant of execution may be applied for once judgement has been obtained but whether or not any recovery will be made depends on the debtor’s ability to pay and whether there are any assets which may be seized and whether a repayment agreement is entered into. A typical enforcement may take about 8-12 weeks from instruction. If we are required to enter into correspondence about the enforcement then the matter will no longer be treated as a fixed fee enforcement and additional charges will apply. These charges will be based on an hourly rate set out in our retainer letter to you.
Issue of statutory demand for companies and individuals – £150 plus VAT
Related disbursements
- Process server fee – up to £150 plus VAT
Timescale: A statutory demand should only be made where the debt is not disputed for example where there is a judgment or an admission that the debt is due. A statutory demand can be prepared on receipt of instructions and is then usually sent to a process server for personal service. Personal service generally takes about 1-2 weeks via a process server.
Bankruptcy proceedings – £750 plus VAT
This is applicable to cases where the matter is determined at the first hearing, there are no issues with regards to service and is only applicable in cases whereby the debt is not disputed or if a court judgment has been obtained which has not been set aside or appealed.
Related disbursements
- Process server – up to £150 plus VAT
- Court fee – £280
- Deposit – £990
- Agent for hearing – depends on location
- Search fee – £11
Time scale: A bankruptcy order can usually be obtained within about 8-12 weeks of the petition being issued by the court.
Winding up – £1,000 plus VAT
This is applicable to cases where the matter is determined at the first hearing and is only applicable in cases whereby the debt is not disputed or if a Court judgment has been obtained which has not been set aside or appealed.
Related disbursements
- Court fee – £280
- Petition deposit – £1,600
- Process server – up to £150 plus VAT
- Agent fees for hearing- depends on location
- Advertisement in London Gazette – £101.52
Time scale: A winding up order can usually be obtained within about 8-12 weeks of the petition being issued by the court.
Attachment of earnings – £150 plus VAT
This is applicable in cases where the attachment of earnings is obtained without a hearing or further applications/revisions to deal with debtors who have not been found or their employment has changed.
Related disbursements
- Court fee – £110
Time scale: An attachment of earnings order can sometimes be obtained within about 6-8 weeks of the application for an attachment of earnings order being issued by the court.
Charging order – £350 plus VAT (excluding hearing)
Related disbursements
- Court fee – £110
- Agents fee for hearing – depends on location
Time scale: A third party debt order can sometimes be obtained within about 8-12 weeks of the application being issued by the court.
Order that debtor attends court for questioning/oral examination – £250 plus VAT
Related disbursements
- Court fee – £55
- Agent fee for hearing if required – depends on location
- Process server – up to £150 plus VAT
Time scale: The debtor will usually be required to attend court for questioning within about 8-12 weeks of the application being made.
