Debt Recovery Pricing

Debt Recovery Pricing Packages

See below how we charge for Debt Recovery at HooperHyde...

Debt Recovery

Fixed Fees

We've put together a number of options to help you with debt recovery. Below are our costs for the initial stages for recovering a debt. 

If you believe that your debt is disputed or is likely to be defended by the opponent when issued at court, then further fees may apply. 

  • Popular

Debt Recovery Review and Initial Letter

Enquire

Debt Recovery Review and Initial Letter

299

Included in this package:
  • Free 15 minute consultation.
  • Legal advice and consultation on your options to recover your debt.
  • We will review your documentation to ensure that you can enforce the debt.
  • We will draft a letter before action and send it to your debtor.
  • We will follow up with your debt if necessary.
  • We will monitor and follow up to recovery or escalate to the next stage of action.

price excludes VAT which is charged at 20%

Issue A Debt Claim Online

Enquire

Issue A Debt Claim Online

See Fees Table Below

Included in this package:
  • Free 15 minute consultation.
  • We will provide legal advice on the most appropriate action to recover your debt.
  • We will draft the claim form and particulars of the claim and file it online on your behalf.
  • We will follow up your claim up to the judgment stage if the claim is not defended, or we will consult with you to escalate the matter to the next stage.

see table below for undisputed debt pricing structure

disbursement costs for court fees not included, defended small claims will incur additional legal fees and be quoted separately

Debt Recovery Defence To Trial

Enquire

Debt Recovery Defence To Trial

1499

Included in this package:
  • We will review the claim being made against you and advise on the most appropriate next steps.
  • If we recommend settling the claim, and you instruct us that you wish to take this step, then you will only pay for our initial review and consultation.
  • If you instruct us to defend the claim we will manage the case on your behalf, including drafting witness statements and collating documentation.
  • We will recommend and arrange appropriate counsel to attend the trial.

price excludes VAT which is charged at 20%

disbursement costs for court fees not included, counsel fees and court attendance to be quoted separately


Debt Recovery Costs

Undisputed Debts

The fixed costs, set out in the table below, apply where your claim is in relation to an undisputed debt and does not include enforcement action. We will quote and charge these fees from the outset of your case. However, if your opponent disputes your claim at any point, we will discuss any further work required and provide you with a revised fee quote, otherwise the fees below are what you will pay for our work. 

Our fees for disputed matters can be agreed on a fixed fee basis or an hourly rate if more extensive work is needed. Please note our fees listed below are exclusive of VAT which will be charged at 20%.

Fees to issue a claim on your behalf:

Debt Value

Court Fee Via SDT/MCOL

Court Fee Court Issued

Our Fee (excl VAT)

Total dependent upon method of issue (excl VAT)

Up to £300

£25

£35

£250

£275–285

> £300

£35

£50

£275

£310–325

> £500

£60

£70

£300

£360–370

> £1,000

£70

£80

£325

£455–465

> £1,500

£105

£115

£350

£455–465

> £3,000

£185

£205

£400

£585–605

> £5,000

£410

£455

£500

£910–955

> £10,000

4.5%

5%

£700

Court Fee Dependent

> £15,000

4.5%

5%

£1,050

Court Fee Dependent

> £50,000

4.5%

5%

£3,000

Court Fee Dependent

> £100,000

N/A

5%

£6,000

Court Fee Dependent

Fees listed are exclusive of VAT which will be charged at 20%


Our Timescales

Undisputed Debts

The timescales for dealing with claims can vary significantly and depends upon various factors including whether a claim is issued online or via the issuing Court. 

The following timescales are guidelines as to the key stages in an undisputed debt claim:

  • Instruction to sending of initial claim letter - 1-2 weeks (dependent upon capacity)

  • Claim letter to drafting of claim - 2-4 weeks

  • Filing the claim at Court, and sending it to your opponent - 2-8 weeks dependent upon the method of issue/filing (online or Court)

  • Date of issue to application for default judgment - 2-4 weeks

  • Application for default judgment (when the defendant doesn't file the right documents) until granting of default judgment - 2-4 weeks

  • Granting of default judgment to payment by your opponent - 4-6 weeks - enforcement action can be discussed if payment is made.

If the claim is defended then other timescales apply. We will discuss this with you when the situation arises. 


Disputed Debt Recovery Fees

Disputed Claims

In some instances we don't think a debt will be disputed and then up pops a defence from your opponent. 

It's often difficult to predict when a claim might be disputed however to assist we have set out a guideline of the types of fees you might expect to pay for each stage of the process in the table below : 

Guideline Fees For Disputed Debt Claims

Stage / Work Required

Potential Hours of Work

Guideline Fee

Review of Defence and advising on contents

1 to 3 hours depending on complexity

£250 to £750

Drafting of ad-hoc documentation

For example reply to defence, counterclaim

£250 per hour

Drafting Directions Questionnaire and Directions

Up to 2 hours

Up to £500

Preparing and reviewing disclosure

Up to 5 hours

Up to £1,250

Drafting and reviewing witness evidence

Approx. 1 to 2 hours per witness

£250 to £500

Preparation for trial

Dependent on complexity

£250 per hour

All other work

As required

£250 per hour

all fees exclusive of VAT which is charged at 20%

Where possible we will use paralegals (fully supervised) to keep costs down at £120 plus VAT per hour


Let's talk about Disbursements

What else will I pay?

What is a disbursement? It's a cost incurred by us for you, in pursuit of your claim. 

These can includes things like court fees, barrister's fees, expert's fees and bailiffs' costs. 

In debt recovery cases you can expect to pay : 

  • Court issue fees (see Table above for details of how much the court fee is for the size of your claim) 

  • Hearing fee (this is paid just prior to the hearing and the amount you will pay will depend on the size of your claim)

  • Barrister's fees (these can be incurred if complex drafting is required and for them to represent you at trial) 

  • Bailiff's fees (if you have to instruct a bailiff to enforce the judgment for you)


What else do you need to know

Useful stuff

Upon successful conclusion of a claim that is over £10,000 our fees can be recovered from your opponent. 

Upon successful conclusion of a claim that is less than £10,000 only limited fees and expenses can be recovered. You should bear this in mind when instructing us to pursue your debt, however of course we will discuss this with you from the beginning. 

Anyone wishing to proceed with a claim should note that:

  • The VAT element of our fee cannot be reclaimed from your debtor.

  • Interest and compensation may take the debt into a higher banding, with a higher cost.

  • The costs quoted above do not include enforcement action, such as the bailiff needed to collect your debt.

  • In a claim over £10,000 if you lose, you may be ordered to pay your opponent's costs. We will discuss this with you at the outset and potential options to cover this if it occurs (e.g. legal expenses insurance). 

The following services are not included:

  • Obtaining credit reports and instructing investigators to report on the debtor's financial status/ability to pay

  • Providing you with advice on enforcement options.


A Final Note On Fees

Transparency

It's really difficult to predict how much litigation is going to cost from the outset. There are various strategies we at HooperHyde HQ like to deploy to make sure that you have a really good idea of how much the dispute is going to cost from the outset. 

We will discuss costs with you at the beginning and at key points in the litigation to make sure you are fully aware of the costs involved in your dispute. 

Where possible we will fix or cap fees and agree payment plans with clients to spread the cost. WE want You to succeed! 


How To Work with us

Get In Touch

If you would like to go ahead and instruct us to pursue your debt for you to just click on this link to send us an enquiry. 

When you send your email we will need to know the following from you : 

  • a copy of the commercial terms that you are relying upon to enforce the debt (if you have any - don't worry if you don't)

  • a copy of your unpaid invoice(s) 

  • What other methods you have tried to recover the debt

  • details of your business 

  • Your contact details! 

Once we have this information from you we will get in touch to discuss your best options to recovery. 

Only once you formally instruct us will we ask you to pay anything towards fees. 

An image of Catherine Hyde, HooperHyde founder and solicitor
Hi, I'm Catherine

and I'll look after your debt recovery matters

If you would like to find out more about our fees or service, and how we can support you with your needs, please do not hesitate to get contact us.

Get in Touch