Our debt recovery service for landlords is here to help. We have a team of experienced professionals who are experts in getting tenants to pay what they owe. We will review your situation and advise on what is likely to be the most cost-effective route to recover the unpaid rent, the likelihood of a successful repayment and rough timescales for the process. We also have a licensed and certified bailiff who can take further action if required.
Show your tenant you’re serious with a formal letter detailing the sums outstanding and the court action they’ll face if payment is not made in full within seven days.
Our systems are more robust than electoral roll tracing and because of our investigative experience, we can usually trace missing tenants within 7 to 14 days. Some traces can take longer depending on the tenant, their credit history and time spent in the UK. A residential address trace costs just £130.80 inc VAT. If you’d like an employment check, please call our team for more info.
This is usually the initial step for debts up to £10,000. If the courts find in your favour, it will result in the award of a County Court Judgment, or CCJ, registered against the tenant, allowing you to enforce collection of the debt for up to 6 years. Getting started is as simple as filling in an instruction form and collecting supporting documentation. The cost to start small claims proceedings is £658.80 inc VAT, which are based on the amount of your claim.
To enforce an active CCJ there are two options:
Attachment of Earnings Order (AOE)
This instructs the debtor’s employer to deduct money from their wages to pay back the debt. The employer sends payments to the court, which then forwards the money to you. Depending upon the amount owed, up to 17% of earnings can be paid over each month until the debt is repaid. An AOE cannot be applied for if the debtor is self-employed, unemployed or in the Armed Forces. The cost of this is £634.80 inc VAT.
High Court Writ of Control (Writ)
With a Writ, a High Court Enforcement Officer can access the debtor’s property and seize goods, cars, tools, stock and money in settlement of the debt. Although self-employed debtors can be pursued, employment-related tools and equipment to the value of £1,200 are protected.
A Writ is valid for 12 months. More than one visit can be made to a property where required, but if the debt isn’t collected in full within 12 months, the Writ would have to be renewed.
