Hello and thank you for your question, which I will be happy to assist you with. Please let me know if you have sent any threatening letters yet?

The following steps should be followed:

1. Reminder letter – if no informal reminders have been sent yet, one should be sent first to allow the debtor to voluntarily pay what is due.
2. Letter before action – if informal reminders have been sent but these have been unanswered, the other side needs to be sent a formal letter (preferably by recorded delivery) asking them to pay the money they owe within a specified period of time, for example 10 days. Advise them that if they fail to do so, legal proceedings will be commenced to recover the money owed. This letter serves as a ‘final warning’ and gives the other side the opportunity to resolve this matter without the need for legal action, which should be a last resort. It is therefore essential that it is sent.
3. If they fail to pay as requested or do not make contact to at least try and come to some form of arrangement, this matter can be taken to the next stage and formal legal proceedings can commence. If this is just about an attempt to recover money the claim can be submitted online by going to www.moneyclaim.gov.uk. There will be a court fee to pay depending on the amount to be recovered (this is usually refundable if you are successful) but at least this will kick-start the legal process and hopefully prompt the other side into resolving this without the need to go to a formal court hearing.

Finally, remember to keep copies of all correspondence in relation to this, in case it is needed at a later stage.