Realistic Advice to Resolve Your Disputes

Our lawyers, Peter Norbury and Geoff Lamb, have a wealth of experience

and will guide you through the often complex legal issues arising out of your disputes. Dealing with a dispute can be time consuming and we appreciate that to a business time is money. We therefore, make an early assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the case and offer pragmatic advice to ensure we meet your objectives in pursuing the matter on your behalf including advice on resolving your dispute through negotiation/mediation.

The cost of pursuing/defending a claim can be an obstacle when facing the prospects of litigation. We discuss funding options available and where appropriate will enter into a conditional fee arrangement with you. We also offer an initial fixed fee interview for one hour to review your potential claim with you.

Our Expertise

Debt Recovery for Business – Fees Information

Acting mostly for small and medium sized enterprises we recognise the serious impact caused to your business when bills are not paid on time.  We will treat your claim against a Debtor as one of utmost importance and seek to recover the sums due to you as promptly and as efficiently as possible.  Peter and Geoff are qualified Solicitors with a vast amount of experience of handling disputes, including debt recovery.

Letter Before Action

If you have not been able to recover the money due to you and you request us to carry out work on your behalf to obtain payment, we would initially do the following :-

  • Take your full instructions and review the relevant documentation
  • Undertake appropriate searches
  • Send on your behalf what is known as a letter before action to the Debtor requiring payment within a specified period and indicating that a failure to pay within that period will result in a Court claim

We will undertake this step for you at a fixed fee to be agreed beforehand.  The fee will range from £150.00 + VAT to £250.00 + VAT depending on the complexity of the claim and the volume of documentation to be considered.  Generally speaking, however, the fee charged tends to be at the lower end of the bracket.

Time spent in considering and taking your instructions on any reply from the Debtor will be charged at an hourly rate of £200.00 + VAT.

We are happy to agree a bespoke fees package where businesses instruct us on a regular basis to pursue overdue debts.

Court Claims

Where it becomes necessary to commence Court action in relation to an unpaid invoice which is not disputed, the fees set out below will apply in relation to the preparation of a Court Claim Form, issuing the claim in Court, and subsequently entering Judgment.

If the other party disputes your claim by sending to the Court a Defence, we will discuss with you any further work required and provide you with revised costs information.  If a limited piece of work is required, we will agree with you a fixed fee.  If more extensive work is necessary, the hourly rate to be applied will be £200.00 + VAT.

Debt Value Court Fee Our Fee (excluding VAT) Total costs (excluding VAT)
Up to £5,000.00 £35.00-£205.00 depending on the value of the claim £200.00 £235.00-£405.00
£5,001.00-£10,000.00 £455.00 £250.00 £705.00
£10,001.00-£50,000.00 5% of the value of the claim £400.00 £900.00-£2,900.00
£50,001.00-£100,000.00 5% of the value of the claim £500.00 £3,050.00-£5,500.00

For debts over £100,000 please contact us for an estimate.

Please note that to our fee will be added VAT, currently 20%.

You should note that:-

  • It may be possible to recover as part of the Judgment against the Debtor certain fixed costs and the Court fee but the fixed costs may well not be enough to cover the whole of our fee
  • The VAT element of our fee cannot be reclaimed from the Debtor
  • Interest and compensation under the Late Payment Legislation may take the debt into a higher banding with a higher cost
  • The fees quoted above do not include any action required (e.g instructing a Bailiff) to enforce a Judgment against a Debtor

Timescale

If the Debtor does not pay in response to the letter before action, the timescale from receiving your instructions to commence proceedings to obtaining Judgment is likely to be around 6-8 weeks. If the Debtor does not pay promptly on receipt of the Judgment and enforcement action is needed, the matter will take longer to resolve.

Alternatives

As an alternative to Court action you might wish to commence insolvency proceedings against the Debtor in the form of a Winding Up Petition against a Company or a Bankruptcy Petition in the case of an individual. Different fees will apply in that scenario.  Please contact one of our Fee Earners for a bespoke quotation.

Testimonials

What our clients say

Excellent service as usual. Thanks to Kirsty and Sarah.

Mr A D Opperman & Dr M H Opperman - Lytham

It was a pleasure doing business with you. The staff were pleasant and helpful. Michelle explained everything so that I could understand it all. Thank you.

Mr & Mrs D J Smith - Oldham

Anna made the process of writing my Will very straghtforward. She made sure that I fully understood all terminology and the implications of decisions that I made. Thank you.

Miss E Clarke - Oldham

I cannot find any fault with the service I received from the Company. The staff I dealt with were very helpful and patient. Faultless. Very grateful.

Mr K McCarthy - Oldham

I first met Anna Woolard at Maggies at The Royal Oldham Hospital. Making a Will is not always easy but I felt very relaxed. I then saw Anna in her office some weeks later as I had been hospital. All my instructions were carried out. Procedures and regultions was all explained to me and in a pleasant manner. I am very happy and if I ever need a solicitor I will contact Anna Woolard. The receptionist was very kind and caring too. Thank you.

Mr N Goodman - Manchester

We certainly would have not hesitation in recommedning North Ainley to anyone, as we found Michelle always to be so considerate and patient at all times.

Mr & Mrs M Davies - Manchester

Michelle was very helpful and knowledgeable. My Will was a very easy thing to sort.

Mrs S L Green - Macclesfield

We liked Michelle's easy explanation, plus her easy attitude. A credit to North Ainley.

Mr & Mrs I Turner - Oldham

Our solicitor was Michelle Chapman and in our opinion went above and beyond. She was professional, friendly and clear when explaining to us. Would highly recommend.

Mrs J Laycock - Oldham

All staff very good. Kirsty always returned our calls. Thank you very much. I have recommended my husband to use you for his business.

Mr D Curtis & Mrs C O'Leary - Oldham

Excellent service conducted in a very amicable and efficient manner. Thank you.

Mr & Mrs A Lockwood - Manchester

I would like to say thank you for your help when I was going through a difficult and emotional time.

Mrs M M Harrison - Rochdale

Very pleasant staff, helpful and polite.

Mrs J Ward - Rochdale

Sarah, Janine & Cassie were all super helpful with a very challenging move! They make sure things were followed up and kept me in the loop at every step. Thank you.

Miss E G Kirkbride - Oldham

Excellent friendly service. I was very grateful that the amendment to my Will was completed in a very short period of time and for the professionalism and friendliness of Michelle. Thank you.

Miss R E Ramsbottom - Oldham

Jenny was excellent with us.

Mr & Mrs S J Hough - Oldham

I am very satisfied with the work done by North Ainley whilst purchasing my apartment. Everyone was extremely helpful and explained everything in plain english, instead of jargon.

Mrs K B Ravenscroft - Oldham

Fantastic service.

Mr D F Clarke - Oldham

Excellent attention throughout. No improvement possible.

Mrs J Holt - Conwy

Anna was very helpful and clear in assisting me to update my Will and reassuringly swift in getting it done. She has a lovely, pleasant, professional style.

Mrs L Bennett - Oldham

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