Whenever possible, if we are able to predict the number of hours of work required to achieve the desired outcome for you, we can offer a fixed fee for our service. If we are unable to offer a fixed fee, we will provide you with the estimate and we will regularly update you with regards to the costs, so you are never surprised with the final bill.
With this in mind, we can promise you that:
- We will be open and transparent about our fees and, where fixed fees are not applicable, we will ensure that you receive an estimate on the likely cost of your case at the very outset;
- If there is a need for us to incur any additional costs, we will contact you before we do and will explain our reasons why; and
We promise that any invoices that we send to you will be clear, set out a description of the work done and the amount charged.
Debt recovery – unpaid invoices
We provide personal and bespoke service to our clients’ and our costs structure reflect that. Instead of just sending out a standard demand for payment to a debtor, we approach each Client and each case individually and work with the client on the best strategy to recover the monies due that we meticulously and persistently execute, always going an extra mile to achieve the desired outcome.
The below costs apply where your claim is in relation to an unpaid invoice which is not disputed and enforcement action is not needed. If the other party disputes your claim at any point, we will discuss any further work required and provide you with revised advice about costs if necessary, which could be on a fixed fee, whenever possible, or an hourly rate if we are unable to estimate precisely the amount of work required.
Stage 1 – Pre-issue
| Claim for | Our Fee (exclusive VAT) |
| up to £10,000 | £395* |
| £10,000.01 – £25,000 | £495* |
| £25,000.01 – £50,000 | £595* |
| £50,000.01 – £100,000 | £695* |
| £100,000.01 – £200,000 | £895* |
| over £200,000 | £995* |
Stage 2 – issue court proceedings
| Claim for | Our Fee | Online Court Fee |
| up to £300 | £595* | £25 |
| £300.01 – £500 | £595* | £35 |
| £500.01 – £1,000 | £595* | £60 |
| £1,000.01 – £1,500 | £595* | £70 |
| £1,500.01 – £3,000 | £595* | £105 |
| £3,000.01 – £5,000 | £595* | £185 |
| £5,000.01 – £10,000 | £595* | £410 |
| £10,000.01 – £25,000 | £695* | 4.5% of the value of the claim |
| £25,000.01 – £50,000 | £795* | 4.5% of the value of the claim |
| £50,000.01 – £100,000 | £895* | 4.5% of the value of the claim |
| Over £100,000 | TBA* | 5% of the value of the claim (limited to £10,000) |
*In addition, we typically charge a success fee of 10% plus VAT of the debt recovered
Anyone wishing to proceed with a claim should note that:
- The VAT element of our fee cannot be reclaimed from your debtor.
- Interest and compensation may take the debt into a higher banding, with a higher cost.
- The costs quoted above are not for matters where enforcement action, such as the bailiff or HCEO, is needed to collect your debt.
Our fee includes:
- Taking your instructions and reviewing documentation
- Undertaking appropriate searches, such as Companies House or Insolvency registers (some additional searches may incur additional cost, of which we will advise before incurring them)
- Sending a letter before action
- Receiving payment and sending onto you, or if the debt is not paid, drafting and issuing claim
- Where no Acknowledgment of Service or Defence is received, applying to the court to enter Judgement in default
- When Judgement in default in received, write to the other side to request payment
- If payment is not received within 28 days, providing you with advice on next steps and likely costs
Matters usually take 2-12 weeks from receipt of instructions from you to receipt of payment from the other side, depending on whether or not it is necessary to issue a claim. This is on the basis that the other side pays promptly on receipt of Judgement in default. If enforcement action is needed, the matter will take longer to resolve.
Why come to us?
As a full-service law firm, our commercial lawyers are passionate about reducing the risk of commercial disputes through specialist contracts that are sector and industry-specific and fit for the jurisdictions in which your business operates.
No company, whether a start-up, SME or multi-national, can avoid all business disputes. That is where our dispute resolution solicitors step in to react quickly at the first sign of a claim or jurisdictional dispute. With our legal expertise, combined with a pragmatic commercial focus, we can work with you to find the best solution to your problems
IMD Corporate have offices in London, Birmingham and Manchester, with many trusted partners throughout Europe. We resolve UK based disputes governed by UK law, whether it’s litigation, arbitration or alternative dispute resolution.
- Get in touch
- or call us on 0330 107 0106
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List of notable dispute resolution cases
- Multi-jurisdictional dispute involving international consortium of corporate shareholders of a Saudi oil and gas subsidiary, involving allegations of fraud and breaches of contractual obligations. Liquidation of the subsidiary was sought by a proportion of shareholders. Settlement was reached between all and liquidation successfully prevented.
- Dual-jurisdictional dispute involving essentially a battle between conglomerate of companies, with proceedings lodged with various courts across two jurisdictions involving complex jurisdictional and commercial matters.
- Claim against international plc involving defending allegations of fraud. Concluded successfully and saved the Client from insolvency.
- Acting for a Claimant in a dispute with a global payment processing institution, involving misconduct allegations and challenge to jurisdiction. Case settled at over 80% of the amount claimed despite initial arguments and denial by the institution.
- Defended a breach of contract claim involving a cross-border supply of goods. Using strong defence arguments but preserving our client’s commercial position, we managed to resolve the matter through a reduction of the main claim by 75% and potential costs liability by 80%.
- Acted for a construction company in a claim to recover an unpaid contractual fees. Judgment in favour of the Client secured a trial despite little documentary evidence available and relying mostly on witness evidence.
- Represented a company Director in a successfully defended claim involving allegations of fraud and breach of fiduciary duties
- Acting for a claimant in a construction dispute. The matter proceeded to trial where the Claimant successfully obtained a judgement for the full amount.
- Acting for a defendant who failed to file a defence and had default judgement entered against him prior to instructing our firm. The judgement was set aside and eventually the value of the claim was reduced by 75%.
- Acting for a creditor in a reported High Court case relating to enforcement of a foreign judgement in the UK. Successfully defended an application by a debtor to declare the judgement unenforceable.
- Regularly acting for a group of companies dealing with medical equipment manufacturing and worldwide distribution. Assisting with both contentious and non-contentious cases ranging from commercial and employment to GDPR compliance.
- Represented a Client in a complex shareholders’ dispute concluded by the way of agreement and voluntary liquidation of the company.
- Acting for the UK based construction company in a dispute with a contractors. Settled the claim for circa. 90% of the amount originally claimed.
- Pursuing a claim against a firm of solicitors who have provided our client with negligent advice. Successful recovery of circa 80% of the loss incurred.
- Acting for a large meat supplier in a dispute with the distributor arising due to faulty product being introduced earlier in the supply chain.
- Successfully defending a client from committal to prison, in a private prosecution brought by the insurers of a third party following a road traffic collision.
- Acting in a dispute with the main contractor on a construction project. Successfully recovered our client’s losses incurred as a result of the main contractor and successfully defended all counterclaims that were brought against our client.
- Acting for an investor in a dispute with a trading company. Successfully obtained a judgment for the sums deducted from the client’s account by the trading company.
- Acting for a landlord in possession proceedings. Successfully obtained a court order for possession and evicted the tenant using the court appointed bailiff.
- Acting for a claimant in a Professional Negligence matter, successfully settling the case before trial
Click here to learn more about our experience in Dispute Resolution.
Awards and accreditations
IMD in the media
