Check what you can prove

Before you ask for the money, gather what shows it’s owed: the invoice, the agreement or quote, emails and texts, delivery notes, and a note of any part payments.

A clear paper trail is what persuades the other side to pay. It’s also what a court or tribunal will want to see, so put it in date order now, while you remember the details.

Send a letter of demand

Say what is owed, why it’s owed, and the date it must be paid by, usually fourteen days away. Include how to pay and what you will do if the money doesn’t arrive.

Keep it calm and factual, because a court may read it later. Don’t threaten anything you won’t do, and don’t add charges your agreement doesn’t allow.

Most debts are settled at this stage. A clear, firm letter often works where months of reminders haven’t.

If there’s no reply

You have options short of court. You can negotiate, offer a payment plan in writing, or try mediation, which is quicker and cheaper than a hearing.

If that fails, you can start a claim. Smaller amounts can often go to a tribunal or small-claims list, where the process is simpler and the costs are lower. Larger amounts go to court, where the rules are stricter and some legal costs can be recovered from the losing side.

Getting paid after you win

A judgment doesn’t pay you by itself. If the other side still doesn’t pay, you may need to enforce it, for example by taking money from their wages or bank account, or by having goods seized and sold.

Before you start a claim, ask whether the person or business can pay at all. Winning against someone with nothing can cost more than it recovers.

Mind the clock

Debts can’t be chased forever. Time limits apply, and they vary with the kind of debt and where you are. Some run for six years; some are much shorter.

If the money has been owed for a while, get advice before the deadline passes. We’ll put every date that matters on one page and tell you which step is worth taking first.

This note is general information, not legal advice for your situation.