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Cost information – Debt Recovery

Phillip Sharpe, and Daniel Lewis deal with debt recovery matters. Phillip and  Daniel are experienced solicitors in litigation matters. Please see their biography pages.

Fees for debt recovery work would usually be charged on a time basis. Time is charged at the following rates:-

Phillip Sharpe             £385 – £477 per hour plus VAT

Daniel Lewis               £301 – £333 per hour plus VAT

Ordinarily, the higher rates will not apply to straight forward matters.

Factors that would make the case more complex and time consuming are:-

  • If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or provide further information about an existing claim.
  • Defending counterclaims or dealing with a litigant in person.
  • Making or defending a costs application.
  • Complex preliminary issues relating to the claim (if this is not agreed by the parties).
  • The number of witnesses and documents.
  • The value of the case.

It is difficult to give a clear indication of costs but typical cases of bringing debt recovery actions might be:-

  • Simple case:   £1000 to £5000 plus VAT.
  • Medium complexity case:  £2,500 to £15,000 plus VAT.
  • High complexity case:  £15,000+ plus VAT.

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. Please contact us to discuss your case and we can give you an approximate indication of court fees.

Counsel’s fees may be payable and typically they may be between £1,000 and £15,000 per day (depending on the experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation).

Key stages

The estimates set out above cover the work in relation to the following key stages of a claim:-

  • Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on the merits and likely compensation (this is likely to be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change).
  • Entering into pre-claim conciliation where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached.
  • Preparing a claim or response.
  • Reviewing and advising a claim or response from other party.
  • Exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process.
  • Preparing for (and attending) a Preliminary Hearing.
  • Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing the bundle of documents.
  • Taking witnesses statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses.
  • Preparing bundles of documents.
  • Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements.
  • Agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list.
  • Preparation and attendance at Final Hearing, including instructions to Counsel.

The stages set out above are an indication of stages of a typical matter but not all will necessarily apply and the fees would reflect this. Some litigants prefer to handle parts of the claim themselves and have our advice in relation to other parts and our costs would reflect this. This can be arranged on the basis of your individual needs.

How long will my matter take?

The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved  If payment is recovered during the initial pre-action stage, your case is likely to take 2-4 weeks. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 52 to 104 weeks. This is just an estimate and we will of course be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses.

Costs