Our commercial team’s expanding dispute resolution service, features an internationally experienced team providing assistance with our debt recovery; mediation; litigation; enforcement; insolvency; and international solutions at competitive fixed rates.
Cash flow is vitally important to all businesses and Debt Recovery Solutions offer a cost effective, efficient service together with practical commercial advice from our experienced qualified team.
Once internal credit control processes have been exhausted, it is time to consider an escalation to experts. Our recommendation is to act promptly as recovery of your claim is much more likely the sooner the claim is brought.
Stage 1 – Letter before Action
A Letter before Action is the starting point for most claims. Debt Recovery Solutions offers letters before action at a nominal cost depending on volume.
20+ Instructions per month = £1.50 + VAT (non UK £5.00 + vat per LBA)
Pre-action protocol letter for individuals and sole trader = £15.00 + vat per LBA
Late Payment Compensation
Business to Business claims can, subject to your Terms of Business, include a claim under the Late Payment of Commercial Debt Regulations 2002. The price per invoice are as follows:
| £0 – £999.99 | £40 |
| £1000 – £9999.99 | £70 |
| £10000 + | £100 |
The compensation is included in the claim and if recovered will be chargeable as part of our charges plus VAT. Further costs can be recovered from customers under Clause 2A of the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 and under Regulation 2011/7/EU
Interest
Interest can be claimed on the following basis subject to your Terms of Business:
| Statutory Rate | 8% |
| Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 | 8% above the base rate* |
*contractual rate as set out in your terms and conditions
Additional Charges
Additional charges will be made in the event that further correspondence is carried out on each matter in excess of the letter before action. Such additional charges would include negotiating and monitoring payment plans or making and receiving telephone calls and emails. These are charged at £10 per 6 minute unit.
Foreign Agents
Foreign agents or collection agents are instructed for matters progressing in a foreign jurisdiction. Our collections agents act on a commission only basis of between 18-35% depending on the age or jurisdiction involved. The commission is payable in the event that payment or in some cases a resolution is achieved for example goods being returned. You will be liable for any foreign agent’s charges or commission charged by our collection agents.
Status Reports, Enquiry Agents and Employment Searches
We can obtain status reports, employment searches and instruct enquiry agents on your behalf. The costs for these services are as follows:
Status Report – this depends on the information required and will be provided on a case by case basis
| Employment Searches | £15 + VAT |
| Enquiry Agents Charge | £35 + VAT (also on a no result, no fee basis) |
Money Claims – Court Fees & Costs
| Value of Claim | Issue via CCMCC | Issue via CCBC | Court Costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to £300 | £35 | £25 | £50 |
| £300.01 – £500 | £50 | £35 | £50 |
| £500.01 – £1000 | £70 | £60 | £70 |
| £1000.01 – £1500 | £80 | £70 | £80 |
| £1500.01 – £3000 | £115 | £105 | £80 |
| £3000.01 – £5000 | £205 | £185 | £80 |
| £5000.01 – £10,000 | £455 | £410 | £100 |
| £10,000.01 – £2,000000 | 5% of claim | 4.5% of claim | £100 |
| £2,000000.01+ | £10,000 | n/a | £100 |
Judgement Costs
| Value of Claim | Court Case |
|---|---|
| Up to 5,000 | £22 |
| Over £5,000 | £30 |
| By admission up to £5,000 | £40 |
| By admission over £5,000 | £55 |
Enforcement Court Fees & Court Costs
| Type of Enforcement | Court Fee CCMCC/CCBCC | Court Costs | Our Charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warrant of Execution £25-£600 | £110/£70 | £2.25 | £15/12 month |
| Re-issue of Warrant of Execution | £33/Nil | Nil | Nil |
| High Court Enforcement Officer | £66 | £51.75 | £15/12 month |
| Charging Order | £110 | £110 | £25/per charge £40 Land Registry £3 Searches £75 Agents (if required) |
| Attachment of Earnings | £110 | Nil (unless hearing attended) | £35 £15 + VAT Employment Search |
| Order to Obtain Information | £55 | Nil | £30 £70 + VAT each Process Server’s Fees |
| Third Party Debt | £110 | £98.50 (of half recovered sum if less than £150) | £161/hour |
Return of Goods
| Item | Court Fee | Court Costs | Our Charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issue Claim | £240 | £80 | £100 |
| Drafting Witness Statement | Nil | Nil | £100 each |
| Arranging attendance at Hearing/Attendance | Nil | £ (discretionary) | £100 £90 + VAT Agent Fees (if required) |
| Warrant for Delivery | £121 | £51.75 | £50 (plus agents to take delivery of goods) |
Miscellaneous Fixed Costs
| Item | Court Fee | Court Costs | Our Charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service out of jurisdiction (Scotland, N. Ireland, Isle of Man or Channel Islands) | Issue fee as shown above | £68.25 | £100/hour or agreed fixed rate |
| Service out of jurisdiction (elsewhere) | Issue fee as show above | £77 | £100/hour or agreed fixed rate |
| Summary Judgement up to £5,000 | £255 | £175 | £161/hour or agreed fixed rate |
| Summary Judgement above £5,000 | £255 | £210 | £161/hour or agreed fixed rate |
| Certificate under Section 6 of Civil Jurisdiction & Judgement Act 1982 | £39 | £161/hour or agreed fixed rate | |
| Certificate of Service | Nil | £15 | £15 |
Disputes and Mediation
Occasionally claims are disputed and those matters are required detailed attention from our lawyers. Once a dispute is apparent, a defence filed or an application received from the Court then the matter is passed to one of our lawyers working within the team. After initial assessment of the file a cost estimate to bring the matter to a conclusion will be provided. We will discuss the tactics of progressing the matter which may include mediation or a Part 36 offer to put exert pressure on the Defendant. Our hourly rates will apply in these circumstances, generally we seek to charge the hourly rates set by the Courts as these will enable us to maximise the recovery of costs on a successful matter. Wherever possible we seek to agree a fixed fee for the progress of the matter to conclusion once a matter becomes defended.
| Lawyer | Hourly Rate | Hourly Rate inclusive of VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Partner | £261 | £313.20 |
| Associate Partner | £261 | £313.20 |
| Legal Executive – 4 years | £218 | £261.60 |
| Legal Executive + 4 years | £261 | £313.20 |
| CILEX member – 4 years | £126 | £151.20 |
| CILEX member + 4 years | £178 | £213.60 |
| Trainee Solicitor | £135 | £162.00 |
| Paralegal | £126 | £151.20 |
Other Court Fees
| Court Fees | Court Fee |
|---|---|
| Directions Questionnaire Fee up to £150 | Nil |
| Directions Questionnaire Fees between £1,500 – £5,000 | Nil |
| Fast Tack and Multi Track | Nil |
| Hearing Fees up to £300 | £25 |
| Hearing fees £300.01-£500 | £55 |
| Hearing Fees £500.01 – £1,000 | £80 |
| Hearing Fees £1,000.01 – £1,500 | £115 |
| Hearing Fees £1,500.01 – £3,000 | £170 |
| Hearing Fees £ 3,000.01 + | £335 |
| Fast Track Listing Questionnaire Fee | £545 |
| Multi Track Listing Questionnaire Fee | £1,090 |
| Fast Track Pre-Trial Check List | £110 |
| Multi Track Pre-Trial Check List | £110 |
| Application on Notice | £255 |
| Application without Notice | £100 |
| Consent Order | £100 |
| Application for Certified Judgement or EEO | £100 |
| Agents Fees | £135-£400 + VAT |
Insolvency Costs
| Bankruptcy | Court Fee/Fees Incurred | Our Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory Demand | £100 | |
| Process Servers | £87.50 + VAT | |
| Drafting Petition | £275 | |
| Search for Prior Petition | £30 + VAT | £30 |
| Court Fee for Search | £7/£45 | |
| Court Fee | £280 | |
| Official Receivers’ Deposit | £990 | Refundable less £50 if Order not made |
| Preparation for Final Hearing | £275 | |
| Agents Fees (if required) | £85-£280 + VAT | |
| Hourly Rate if contested | Lawyer’s Hourly Rate |
Approximate Total: £2,290 + VAT
| Winding Up | Court Fee/Fee Incurred | Our Charge + VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Winding Up Letter | £15 | |
| Search for Prior Petition | £30 + VAT | £30 |
| Drafting Petition and Issuing | £275 | |
| Court Fee | £280 | |
| Official Receivers Deposit | £1,600 | Refundable less £50 is Order not made |
| Process Servers | £87.50 + VAT | |
| Advertisement of Petition | £99.90 + VAT and £3.60 | |
| Covid Pre-Trial Review | £100 + VAT | £175 |
| Drafting Advertisement | £30 | |
| Preparation for Final Hearing | £275 | |
| Counsels Fees | £200 + VAT | |
| Hourly Rate if contested | Lawyer’s Hourly Rate | |
| Dismissal Advertisement | £99.90 + VAT | £30 |
Approximate Total: £3,200 + VAT
Wherever possible, we seek to recover the costs of our insolvency actions from the Respondent. We will utilise our hourly rate wherever possible to ensure that the full costs are recovered from the action taken which may be greater than our fixed rates. If we recover the costs incurred then we will account to you for these costs in full. Please note that if a dispute arises from an insolvency action the layers; hourly rate will apply to the time spent on the matter. Additional Counsels fees may also be required if a hearing is adjourned together with other external fees as incurred. Insolvency actions should only be commenced if a claim is undisputed as the process should not be used in other circumstance. Courts can award costs against petitioning creditors for any incorrect use of this process.
Contact us
If you would like to discuss your matter with one of our team then either call us on 0203 814 2020 or contact us on enquiries@blasermills.co.uk
Date: 9 March 2021